Lefty Frizzell, Floyd Cramer, Mark Wright and Bob Robbins will be given Lifetime Achievement honors June 6 during the annual Arkansas Country Music Awards.
"The list of individuals being honored this year speaks volumes," Arkansas Country Music Awards President Nathan Hunnicutt said in a news release. "Each, in their own way, has carved out a special part of Arkansas history."
The awards will be held at Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Singer-songwriter Frizzell, who died in 1975, was born in Corsicana, Texas, but spent his childhood in El Dorado. His hits include "Always Late (With Your Kisses)," "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)," "Saginaw, Michigan" and more. Among those influenced by his singing style were Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson.
Floyd Cramer (Country Music Hall of Fame via AP file)
Cramer grew up in Huttig and his piano playing can be heard on Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and "Please Help Me I'm Falling," by Hank Locklin. He also had 11 singles on the charts, including "Last Date." He died in 1997.
Fayetteville native Wright has written songs for Mickey Gilley and Charly McClain, Vern Gosdin and Earl Thomas Conley. He also produced Clint Black's album "Killin' Time" and "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack. Other artists he produced include Mark Chesnutt, Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan and Shawn Camp.
Little Rock radio veteran Bob Robbins is in his studio at the Clear Channel Metroplex in Little Rock. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
Robbins, who is from Sheridan, is an Arkansas radio legend, working first at KAAY in Little Rock before moving to country station KSSN in 1979. In 2013, he moved to 105.1 The Wolf. Robbins was named Broadcast Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1996 and in 2008 was inducted into the Country Radio Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.
Frizzell, Cramer, Wright and Robbins join previous Lifetime Achievement recipients Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, The Browns, Ed Bruce, Wayne Raney, Conway Twitty, Kye Fleming, Patsy Montana, The Wilburn Brothers, Jimmy Driftwood, Charlie Rich, Wayland Holyfield, Levon Helm, Elton Britt, The Original Rhodes Show and Bill Carter.