The players behind music’s most significant hits took their turn in the spotlight April 28 as the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum inducted its ninth class during a sold-out ceremony at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
This year’s honorees included Dann Huff; Dolly Parton, who received the Industry Icon Award; George Thorogood & The Destroyers; John Boylan, recipient of the Producer Award; Keith Urban; Leland Sklar; Michael McDonald; and Nicky Hopkins, honored posthumously.
The evening began with a private medallion ceremony in the Fisher Center’s Brad Paisley Ballroom, where inductees received commemorative medals and custom jackets from Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum co-founder and CEO Linda Chambers, alongside special guests and 2016 inductees Ricky Skaggs and Don Felder. A red carpet and Champagne reception followed.
“Like everybody here, you have such spit and vinegar in you, and that’s what buoys you up, that’s what makes you fearless,” Huff said. “After the decades roll by, what seems to be left is the gratitude for these kinds of moments, the friendships. I’m living proof that I’m so not self-made. I’m the sum total of all the parts of the relationships that I’ve had in my life.”
Hosted by actor and musician Sam Palladio, the main program featured the Musicians Hall of Fame all-star band — a collective of Nashville’s most accomplished players — backing a series of tributes that traced decades of music history.
Each inductee was honored with performances as diverse as their contributions. George Thorogood & The Destroyers joined the band for a rousing set that included “Move It On Over” and “Bad to the Bone.” John Boylan’s impact as a producer was celebrated with songs as varied as his career, including Trisha Yearwood’s stirring take on “Love Has No Pride.”
Leland Sklar’s tribute delivered pure joy with Wendy Moten singing “Running on Empty” before Garth Brooks joined the band for “Your Smiling Face” and “How Sweet It Is,” a performance that got audience members out of their seats and dancing.
Other highlights included a genre-spanning tribute to Dann Huff, a medley of classics honoring Nicky Hopkins, and a salute to Dolly Parton, who appeared via pre-recorded message ahead of a performance of her most beloved songs.
“I’m very humbled to be inducted into the Musician’s Hall of Fame,” Parton said. “You know, my songwriting is more important to me than anything. But as much as I crafted lyrics in my mind and eventually started writing them down on paper, I realized early on that if I was going to write a song, I needed to be able to play instruments to bring them to life. I knew this would allow people to hear them in ways that I heard them playing in my head.”
Parton taught herself to play guitar, banjo, piano, dulcimer, and more.
“I don’t play any of them great,” she said. “I’ve written many songs with many different instruments. Whether it was a guitar lick on ‘Jolene’ or even the typewriter sound on “9 to 5” with my nails, I learned how to communicate what I wanted to hear on records because I could play the instruments.”
Keith Urban and Michael McDonald each took the stage to perform, with McDonald closing the evening alongside fellow inductees and guests.
In total, the ceremony celebrated a milestone for the organization, bringing its roster to 200 inducted musicians, producers, engineers, and industry icons.
“Each new class of inductees reminds us why we do what we do — preserving and celebrating the legacy of the musicians who bring songs to life,” Chambers said.
The evening was also dedicated to longtime induction producer Cliff Downs, who died April 24.