Posted by Johnny Knowles on June 11, 101 at 19:56:31:
In Reply to: Criteria for Hall of Fame? posted by shirley malcolm shepard on June 11, 101 at 17:14:51:
Shirley, I am the one that started this, and I have tried and tried to find the answer to the question on the web, with no success. I called them today, but, was told due to Fan Fair going on that I would have to call at another time.
I agree that the honor should have been bestowed upon John while he was still alive, and it seems a shame that the Nashville Music Community did not rise up to do this prior to his untimely departure from this world, but, I think that it is still a fitting tribute to John and to his family. Posthumous initiations have been done many times. Weren't George Morgan, Rod Brasfield, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and countless others inducted after their deaths ??
John was not a flashy showman. He was honest and pure and down to earth in his music, and transcended everything from old time string band and fiddle and banjo music, to rockabilly in his music, as the hundreds of posts to this wonderful website can attest. Also, think to the elements that contributed to the building of that wonderful ediface, the historic Ryman Auditorium, a riverboat captain who got religon, Captain Tom Ryman. What other person in the filed of music can be as closely linked to Tom Ryman and Country Music than John Hartford ?? JOhn is the one that quietly, behind the scenes, did so, so much to save that historic building from the wrecking ball back in the 70's after the Opry moved to the new facilities. And now, the Nashville music community has finally recognized the statly old lady as an honored treasure, and accordedher, and fittingly so, Sacred stature. Also, the new Country Music Hall of Fame is now located within a stones throw of the river than John loved so well.
Maybe I am completely off base on this, and if so, I will stand corrected. Maybe it is just my sense of loss that makes me want to see John inducted. I am just sorry that the hundreds of folks who have vistited this site and shown their love and admiration for John are not responding.