Country trio earns musical merit

The Browns chosen as Hall of Fame’s newest members

Jim Ed Brown (from left), Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown — who made up the trio The Browns — were selected Wednesday for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn.
Jim Ed Brown (from left), Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown — who made up the trio The Browns — were selected Wednesday for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn.

A trio of Arkansans -- Jim Ed Brown and his sisters Maxine and Bonnie -- have been chosen to become the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., the Country Music Association announced Wednesday.

The Country Music Association created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 to recognize noteworthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to the format, and it is considered country music's highest honor.

The Browns, who hail from Sparkman, began as a trio in the 1950s and continued to perform in the 1960s.

Their music, which made it on both country and pop charts, included hits such as their biggest, "The Three Bells," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop and country charts in 1959. Their songs "Scarlet Ribbons" and "The Old Lamplighter" also were on both the pop and country charts. They appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and Dick Clark's American Bandstand, developed an international following and toured Europe extensively. In 1963, they joined the Grand Ole Opry.

In the late 1960s, when Maxine and Bonnie decided to stay home to rear their children, Jim Ed remained in Nashville and continued on with a solo career. Today, at 80, he is still making music, performing often at the Grand Ole Opry. In January, he released his first album in more than 30 years, In Style Again. During his solo career with hits including "Pop a Top" and "Morning," he has also hosted television show The Country Place, was one of the stars of Nashville on the Road, and hosted The Nashville Network's You Can Be a Star.

The Browns will be inducted in the Veterans Era Artist category, officials said during a news conference in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

"Induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor achievable for a country music artist, songwriter, or industry leader, and this year's inductees are all highly deserving," said Sarah Trahern, Country Music Association chief executive officer.

This year's honorees also include The Oak Ridge Boys in the Modern Era Artist category and guitarist Grady Martin (who died in 2001) in the Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980 rotating category, which is awarded every third year in a rotation with the Non-Performer and Songwriter categories.

The three inductees will increase the Country Music Hall of Fame's number of members from 124 to 127.

Arkansans inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier are Patsy Montana, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell.

"Today is an overwhelming day not just for me, but for the Brown family," Jim Ed Brown said of the honor. "Receiving this honor with my sisters, Maxine and Bonnie, is something I had dreamed about for years but never knew if it would happen or not. Fame is fleeting, hit records change every week, award show winners and nominees change every year, but being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame will be forever."

"This past year has not been an easy one," he said during the news conference, his voice cracking as he spoke of his recent health battles. "Cancer is no fun, but I've made it through it; I'm in remission."

In October, after being diagnosed with cancer in a lung and around his vocal cords and esophagus, he began chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

"Thank you so much for this honor, CMA; there's no way I can ever tell you how much this means to us. I'm still in shock," Bonnie Brown Ring of Dardanelle said during the news conference shown live via the Internet. During the conference, the Browns were introduced by fellow country star Brenda Lee, a member of the Hall of Fame since 1997.

"I want to thank my brother for staying in the business and keeping The Browns' songs alive and mentioning The Browns' name," she said. "In 1967 , when I decided I wanted to stay at home with my kids -- two little girls and my husband -- it was a hard decision to make, but I know I did the right thing. This is really an honor; I can't wait to see our picture hanging on the wall back here, the bronze," she said.

Maxine Brown Russell of North Little Rock described the honor as "one of the biggest thrills I ever had in my life."

"A hit record and awards don't mean very much; they last about a year," she said. "But this award from the CMA will last a lifetime, and we are so proud of this. I want to thank CMA and all of our peers for voting The Browns into the Hall of Fame. You will never ever know how much this means to us."

She also thanked her family and the numerous fans the group maintains today.

"We're no spring chickens, and we're so proud that we're getting this award while we've still got six feet above ground," she said. "We love you. Thank you so much."

The induction ceremony will be held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the CMA Theater later this year. Since 2007, the museum's Medallion Ceremony, an annual reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, has served as the official rite of induction for new members.

Metro on 03/26/2015

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