[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 15, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





               2020 COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, in Nashville, we have a saying: It 
all begins with a song. That is the truth, but that is not where the 
story ends. It is where it begins.
  Every record that makes it out into the world is backed by a team of 
hard-working and creative individuals whose job is to bring the music 
to the masses: the songwriters, who find a way to express feelings that 
we mere mortals could never hope to put down on paper; the studio 
musicians, whose refined techniques satisfy even the most sensitive 
microphones; the producers, whose vision and intuition can turn a song 
into a hit cut; and the label heads, whose job it is to take a chance 
on new artists in hopes of discovering the next country music 
superstar.
  Each year the music industry's movers and shakers come together to 
decide who among them is worthy of a place in the industry's most 
sought-after circle: the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  The Country Music Association inducted their first Hall of Fame class 
in 1961. Since then, the CMA has welcomed some of the most well-known 
and beloved members of Nashville's entertainment community into the 
Hall's ranks. This year's inductees have made their mark on both sides 
of the studio glass.
  Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn--we know them as Brooks & Dunn--started 
out as solo singer-songwriters, but rocketed to stardom as a duo.
  Their first album produced four No. 1 singles and sold almost 3 
million copies, all in the pre-smartphone, pre-streaming era. Since 
then, Kix and Ronnie's over 40 top 10 hits, 20 No. 1 singles, and 12 
platinum-plus albums have earned them the distinction of being one of 
the most successful country duos of all time. They have done it all 
while writing their own songs, designing their own shows, and 
supporting the art of up-and-coming performers.
  This dedication to the future of country is why Brooks & Dunn will be 
inducted into the Hall of Fame in the ``Modern Era Artist'' category.
  Ray Stevens--when we think about country music, many times, we are 
thinking about steel guitars and broken hearts, but this year's second 
Hall of Fame inductee really just wants to make you smile.
  Ray Stevens is one of the most successful comedy recording artists of 
all time, but he made his mark in Nashville as a songwriter, studio 
musician, producer, and gospel singer, in addition to being a star 
comic and country entertainer.
  If you look at his catalog, there really is something for everyone. 
His work spoke to fans in need of a laugh or sometimes spiritual 
guidance or a song to sing along to after a hard day's work.
  Ray's wonderful sense of humor, open heart, and commitment to 
entertainment as an art form made him a Music City standout and the 
perfect choice to earn the distinction of ``Veterans Era Artist'' in 
the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  Jerry Bradley--this year's third and final inductee--may not have 
invented country music, but no one on Music Row would deny the impact 
his work has had on the success of generations of country stars. Jerry 
Bradley began his career in music as Nashville was on the brink of 
transformation. He understood that fans and artists alike were looking 
to explore a new sound, and he gave them exactly what they were looking 
for. He gave them the Nashville sound. He signed bands no other label 
would take a chance on, he mixed records no other producer could match, 
and he embraced the importance of the crossover artist as the 
ambassador of this new Nashville sound. His tendency to ignore 
conventional wisdom more than paid off. He achieved commercial success 
and earned the attention of Nashville's tastemakers before becoming one 
of them himself. This year, the Country Music Association will induct 
Jerry into the Hall of Fame as a nonperformer but also as one of the 
most influential people in the history of the entertainment industry.
  Today, I encourage all of my colleagues to take a moment to think 
about their favorite song--whether it is a country song, a pop song, a 
classic rock hit, it is the soundtrack of our lives--and to remember 
how it made them feel the very first time they heard it and how many 
times they have enjoyed singing it when a memory pops into their heads. 
This year's Country Music Hall of Fame inductees--Kix Brooks, Ronnie 
Dunn, Ray Stevens, and Jerry Bradley--are responsible for making 
millions of people feel that exact same way about their very own 
favorite song. The body of work these men represent is more than just a 
series of accomplishments; it is a gift to all of us who enjoy the 
music they have made.
  I yield the floor.

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