The three siblings from Sparkman had dreamed of this day for decades.
Last Sunday, the late Jim Ed Brown and surviving sisters Maxine and Bonnie were formally inducted into the Country Music Association's Hall of Fame. Maxine Russell of North Little Rock and Bonnie Ring of Dardanelle attended the medal ceremony; their brother Jim Ed died of lung cancer in June.
As country singers who gained fame in the 1950s and 1960s, the Browns watched as their song "The Three Bells" rose to No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. It and some of their other songs crossed over to the pop chart.
The Oak Ridge Boys and late guitarist Grady Martin also were inducted during the ceremony. The Browns, representing the Veterans Era Artist category, became the 125th entry into the Hall of Fame. Arkansans honored in past years were Johnny Cash, Patsy Montana and Glen Campbell.
Before the Browns' induction, other musicians performed their songs -- Dierks Bentley sang Jim Ed's "Pop a Top," The Isaacs performed "The Three Bells," and Carolyn Martin and Chris Scruggs sang "Looking Back to See." The latter was Maxine's favorite performance. She wrote the song, and it's the name of her autobiography.
"Everyone expects me to say 'The Three Bells,' and it was good, but 'Looking Back' has special meaning to me," Maxine told Paper Trails. "Those two did an excellent job."
After the Browns recorded "The Three Bells" in 1959 over a single microphone in RCA's studio, the single rose to No. 1 on Billboard's country chart, where it stayed for 10 weeks, setting a record for a country group. The record stood for nearly 56 years until Little Big Town's "Girl Crush" recently held the top spot for 13 weeks.
In introducing Maxine and Bonnie, Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare said that in the early days, "everyone fell in love with Bonnie -- me, Elvis and everyone else."
Of her sister, he noted, "Maxine has a mouth on her," drawing laughter. "If you don't really want to know the answer to a question, don't ever ask Maxine. She's going to give you the full answer. That's why we love her."
During her acceptance speech, Bonnie, overcome by emotion, struggled to make it through.
"I was so glad to have all of my family there, and Jim Ed's and Maxine's, also," she told Paper Trails afterward. "Wasn't it so nice to have so many of our old friends turn out for the event?"
Jim Ed's wife Becky represented him at the induction. Shortly before he died, CMA officials went to the hospital to present him with his commemorative medallion.
"I shall never be able to thank them enough for this honor," Maxine said. "It is a dream come true. I shall wear my medallion with great honor."
The celebration was bittersweet.
"Jim Ed not being there to enjoy this with us was probably the hardest thing I have ever experienced," Maxine said. "Bonnie and I have never been alone on stage without our brother by our side."
Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
Metro on 11/01/2015