Unknown: This is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Hi.

This is Connie Smith, and I want to congratulate the West Virginia Hall of Fame for 20 years and my first memories as being in West Virginia, and it means a lot to me.

It also went a lot to have Russ Hicks work with me as he's a member.

And congratulations to the brand new member.

2025 Hello.

There, and welcome to the 2025 Induction Ceremony of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

I'm Larry gross, and I want to thank you all for joining us.

This is always a very special evening, and I know you're going to love our host tonight.

She is an innovative cellist from South Charleston, West Virginia, with degrees from the New England and Oberlin conservatories.

Her critically acclaimed 2024 recording American woman features pieces by six American women composers, and he is the undisputed king of Western swing music, his Austin based legendary eight time Grammy Award winning band asleep at the wheel has been rolling along for five decades, but its journey started right here in pawpaw, West Virginia.

Please give a warm welcome to Julianna Soltis and Ray Benson.

You Howdy Folks, thank you, Larry, I've been doing well.

You know, it's such a treat to be back in this room.

We've done so many mountain stage shows, and I'm so proud to be here.

I feel like Denny Pearl, I was just so proud to be here.

It says right here.

Thank you.

Larry, okay, we did that.

And thank everyone.

Okay, thank you everybody.

Your turn girl.

Well, we're especially happy that you can be here tonight with us.

Ray guys, you don't even know what this poor man had to go through to be here today.

So I'm thrilled, and also we're so glad you could make it, because at every ceremony, we all learn something new about the rich history of the music and musicians who have come from the Mountain State and gone on to leave their incredible impact on music as we know it.

Yeah, what she's referring to is our bus broke down the other day over in Staunton, Virginia, and they just pulled in about 15 minutes ago.

My son and I grabbed the red car and made it on down here.

And and it's really an honor to do this.

Tonight, we're going to honor a founder of the Nashville sound.

Now that's, that's a that's a big sentence for crying out loud, the Nashville sound of the 70s.

And we're going to honor a songwriter who helped define a whole new era of country music.

We'll also be recognizing one of the first families of R and B and soul music, and alongside a remarkable, innovative writer and artist who helped make my hometown, Austin, Texas, weird, we got to keep Austin weird.

Please, please, please.

Well, without further ado, let's meet this year's first inductee, Cameron Lavelle Mullins, Charleston native cam Mullins was an award winning Multi instrumentalist, arranger, songwriter and conductor who inadvertently changed the course of country music, the artists he worked with span multiple genres and generations.

A short list of his clients includes Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Ray price, Jerry Lee Lewis, West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductee, Connie Smith, Joan Baez, Roy Orbison, Roger Miller, JJ kale, George Jones and Tammy Wynette and Marie Osmond.

You, in a business driven by the Faces and Voices of recognizable stars.

Mullins was among an elite group throughout his decades long career.

Career, he was a first call arranger who put the c.. touch on radio hits for dozens of top artists of his day.

Chances are if you hear a Nashville recording from the 60s or 70s with orchestration, it was arranged by cam Mullins, Cameron Lavelle.

Mullins was born January 25 1928 in Charleston.

He started playing guitar when he was four, taught by his father Mike Lavelle Mullins and his uncle Lonnie Mullins.

He picked up trumpet in junior high, and continued through high school, playing in bands at Lincoln County Junior High and Stonewall Jackson High School.

Cam's parents divorced when he was a child, and he and his father moved in with his grandfather, Bucha Mullins, on Avon Street in Charleston.

Interesting fact, Bucha and his uncle happened to own the farm in Clay County where the original Golden, delicious apple was discovered in 1914 the family famously sold the tree to the stark brothers nurseries, who hired Bucha as the tree's caretaker for 30 years.

Early on cam was inspired by the big band music of Harry James and in his late teens, he already had his sights set on a career in music.

While in high school, he formed a number of working combos and arranged music for the Stonewall high school band, while his principal advised him he wouldn't graduate if he didn't give up music and attend to his studies, the decision was easy.

Cam quit in his senior year and moved to New York City.

Still under age, he would sneak in the back door of jazz clubs to sit in his talent was such that he was still voted the most talented in his class.

Two years later, in 1948 he moved back to Charleston and formed the 15 piece cam Lavelle band.

The group played local dinner dance clubs, including the Casa Loma and the Ruffner hotel.

The following year, he married dancer Dolores Allen, his high school sweetheart.

During that time, he played in various dance and big bands, including the West Virginia based Lloyd Neely band of cam, who was already a talented arranger and trumpet player.

Neely said cam can really be classified as a genius.

At the age of 19, he then received a telegram from New York based band leader Randy Brooks, who hired cam as both a trumpet player and musical director.

The lead singer was ina Ray Hutton, the blonde bombshell of rhythm, who would go on to lead one of the first all female big bands.

His world changed in 1950 when Charleston band leader and Cam's trumpet teacher Ned Guthrie recommended him for a job with Paul Link's band at Nashville's plantation club.

In 1951 his daughter Karen was born, followed by his son Cameron Lovell, the second in 1953 in 1955 he signed on with Woody Herman's thundering herd and played the Newport Jazz Festival, along with the likes of Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Stan Kenton.

Before long, he was receiving offers to arrange and to play on recording sessions in the early 1960s he played trumpet and trombone on sessions with Jerry Lee, Lewis, Chet Atkins, Bobby Baer, buddy Greco and Roy Orbison, following his iconic string arrangement for Ray Price's 1967 version of Danny Boy Cam's phone rang off the hook.

However, adding strings to country music was not without controversy.

Traditionalists decried the smooth urban sound, and price even faced hecklers, but soon the industry accepted and embraced Cam's work.

In 1967 when price appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, performing his hits, I won't mention it again, and for the good times, he brought cam along to conduct the show's band, I won't mention it, written by cam, top the country charts for three weeks.

Then I won't mention it again.

I won't mention it again.

Song has since been covered by more than 20 artists, including Reba McEntire, Patty page, Dave Dudley and Jim neighbors.

During that period, his many arrangement credits include John Hartford, Jerry Reed, Perry, como still popular Christmas album and a handful of Elvis songs.

One of his longest associations was with the Statler brothers.

In 1969 cam traveled to London to record a solo instrumental LP golden underground, which featured members of the London Philharmonic.

In 1973 when West Virginia's Putnam County pickers played a series of shows with the West Virginia Symphony, it was none other than cam who created the arrangements and conducted the orchestra.

Cam was honored with a long list of awards and citations of achievement from BMI Naris and the Academy of Country Music.

In 1972 he was named the billboard arranger of the year.

His run continued through the early 80s, when the onset of synthesized strings put musicians and arrangers out of work with a rich career behind him.

Cam felt it was time to retire and immersed himself in hobbies like woodworking, hunting and fishing.

He also bowled in Nashville's music business, mixed league with Charlie and Pat McCoy.

Cam's daughter Karen was at her father's side during many of his sessions, and She says he left no dream Unturned another known singer, hi.

My name is Jerry Kennedy, and I'd like to congratulate Kim Mullins and his family on being inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Very deserving honor.

Congratulations.

Kim was one of those versatile people I ever worked with.

I can remember doing Broadway show tunes and albums for Mercury without an artist name on them, and then maybe a few days later, doing something with the Statler brothers or Tom T Hall and noticing absolutely no difference in the effort and no difference in the talent.

He knew what he was doing and did it well.

Don Reed of the Statler brothers here and Cam Mullins came into our professional lives in the 70s and gave us a new sound on record.

We would go in with a country based rhythm section, and then after the sessions, Jerry Kennedy, our producer, would meet with Cam and discuss what we wanted and what we liked and what we thought.

And then he would bring this expertise to us, and it would be like just a cloud of strings that would come in and compliment that country base that we already had.

And he just was magical with what he did for the Statler brothers and for our sound.

And we appreciated him so much, and loved his work so dearly.

And he is a true Hall of Famer.

You should be proud to have him.

We congratulate him and his family.

Well, hello, West Virginia.

It's Dolly Parton, and I understand that you are going to induct my dear friend of all of my musical life here in Nashville, Cam Mullins, into the West Virginia Hall of Fame, and it's very deserving.

I worked with cam so many years.

I've never met a more talented, more wonderful man in my entire life.

Cam played every kind of instrument, played on everybody's records, but the thing he did the best and was most famous for was all those beautiful arrangements that he did on all those wonderful songs through the years with Ray price, Brenda Lee, me and so many others.

And of course, as I said, I just wanted a chance to say congratulations to the whole Mullins family.

Karen Mullins, his beautiful daughter, is my sister in law, and little Cami and Karen have known all of their lives.

So anyhow, this is a special night for the Mullins family.

I know Karen is very touched and moved that he's going into the Hall of Fame.

So anyhow, I just wanted a little chance to say something about cam.

He's great.

You all know it.

That's why he's going in the Hall of Fame.

Congratulations.

You Well, hi everybody.

Charlie McCoy, here.

I'm still in Florida.

I wish I was in West Virginia.

Little illness in the family, and we've had to change our plans, and unfortunately, to miss the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductions, which is something that I really, really love.

I was so proud to be made a member in 2008 and I've followed it all along and came up and helped out whenever I could.

But now I want to talk to you a little bit about cam Mullins.

Cam and I were great friends.

I met him in the early 60s West Virginia Hall of Fame member Wayne moss and I had a band, and we played R and B music.

We were the only band in Tennessee that played Motown, so we recorded a lot of that.

And Wayne had built a studio in his garage, and with our band, we recorded, but a lot of the music required horns.

That's that's where I first worked with Cam.

He came and played trombone on a horn session for us.

And so he and I knew each other all those years.

But the one thing I think, the really you know studio musicians and people that work studios, the engineers, the arrangers, the musicians, these are people that are sometimes completely unknown to the public, but the contribution they make is just really great and but to me, The really thing that brought cam to the forefront was when he wrote those amazing string arrangements for the great Ray price, for the good times.

I won't mention it again.

And it was so great, and it gave Ray price a whole new touch.

Before that, he was just a country shovel, Western guy, you know, but this was so great.

And those arrangements are absolutely classic.

They really are.

And I'm so happy that the hall of fame has chosen cam to be inducted this year because he certainly, certainly deserves it, and we that are in now, I'm sure we all as a as a unit, congratulate cam and our home state and our Music Association, Welcome to the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Cam Mullins.

All right now here to present the induction of cam Mullins to the West Virginia music.

Hall of Fame is Nashville steel guitarist and a true fan of cam mulls work.

Eddie Dunlap, Thank you, Ray.

Appreciate it.

Tonight is an honor to present this award and memorium to my favorite original Nashville orchestrator and arranger, Cam Mullins.

My first experience of his talent would be the first time I heard as a child for the good times by Ray Price, who was already a major country superstar.

But cam string section brought his artistry to another Sonic level of innovation not heard in his career.

So it is an honor from the Nashville recording community via the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame to be here to present this award for cam Mullins, and here to accept the award is Cam's daughter Karen Mullins and Her brother cam Mullins the second you well.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Thank you.

West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

We're so grateful to accept this award in honor of our dad, Cam Mullins, musical talent and his achievements, his talent and love of music and his success was a performer, a composer and arranger.

He gave something to everyone who loved music, jazz, big band, country and modern music.

Our mom and dad were both born right here in West Virginia and grew up here in Charleston.

Our grandfather Mike Mullins worked at the water company, and my grandmother, Hazel Allen from worked at Stone and Thomas department store here, yeah, our family's roots and heritage are strong here.

Part of that heritage is our connection with the golden, delicious apple tree, first known as the Mullins go.

Will then see them.

Growing up, we were always making trips from Nashville to here.

Our dad was a very humble man.

I don't think he ever thought what he did was anything very special, but it was always what he loved and was such a part of him.

Our mother.

Dolores, on the other hand, when it came to daddy, was his biggest fan, supporter and cheerleader.

She kept boxes of photos, newspaper and Billboard magazine articles that she had cut out, and she had a cam Mullins archive.

Something about my dad.

Daddy was a Whistler, and he whistled all the time, and it was a very soft kind of whisper of a whistle.

And it was never a melody or song you would ever recognize or anything.

But I think he just had these random notes in his head that it has had to get out.

I think our family may have always dreamed of my dad being honored for his contribution and great talent to the music industry.

I know my mother and I sure did, but being one of the many talented musicians behind the scenes and meant so many years after his passing, we had given that dream kind of up, and it had kind of faded away.

It makes this award even more meaningful now than you could ever, ever imagine.

We have many family members here tonight, my son Carson Dean and his wife, Shelly, my son Elliot Dean, and my grandson Jackson and Camden, many of my dad's nieces and nephews and cousins are here tonight.

And our cousins, Theresa and Tom, wrote nomination letters to the hall.

There are over probably 20 or 25 of us here tonight, on this very special night, we are overwhelmed with gratitude to the West Virginia Hall of Fame committee and Michael and Gavin, who were a pleasure to work with, and the countless people that it takes to put this all together.

It's a hard job, and they do it for their love of their state of West Virginia and its rich heritage of music.

Thank you for this wonderful event, and most of all, thank you for this family's dream coming true.

Thank you.

Thank you West Virginia.

Thank you West Virginia.

All right now we're going to hear some music now in honor of cam Mullins, along with our Hall of Fame band and a string section that includes my co host, Juliana Soltis on cello, because there's always room for cellos.

Please, easy, easy.

Please, welcome songwriter, arranger, composer and Glendale, West Virginia, West Virginia's own libel cart ride.

I know you're tired of being all I ever wanted.

You no longer share the love I have for you.

What happens now?

What will I do with all the memories and the dreams that will probably never do, but I won't mention it again.

I won't think about tomorrow.

Just let it happen.

Just let it happen, live each hour, day by day, but let me tell you, before you go, how much I love you.

Ooh, then I won't mention it again.

I won't mention it again.

I feel my life has reached an early sign.

In my heart, the leaves are falling.

Love is new.

Oh, and everything that once was warm and new is gone now, leaving nothing but this hunger in my soul, but I won't mention it again.

I won't think about tomorrow.

Just let it happen.

Lift each hour, day by day, but let me tell you, before you go, how much I love you.

Then I won't mention it again.

I won't mention it again.

You I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden along with the sunshine, there's gotta be a little rain.

Sometimes I could promise you think together and never let go.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I beg your pardon.

I never promised you a rose garden.

Hey, I could promise you things like big diamond rings, but a gold fine roses growing old, stocks are clover.

So So you better think it over and a sweet talking you could figure come true, I give you the world right now on a silver platter.

So my fault.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I never promised you a long garden, along with the sunshine, there's gotta be a little rain sometime I never promised you a rose garden.

I could set you a tune.

Promise you the moon.

But if that's what it takes to hold you, I just as soon let you go.

And there's one thing I want you to know, you better look for boat leaps.

The waters run deep.

There won't always be someone there to pull you out, and I know what I'm talking about.

So bound for a while, come along and share the good times.

And come along and share the good times while we can.

I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden along with the sunshine.

There's gotta be a little rain sometime.

I hope you all enjoyed that I did.

Let's have a special hand though for the players from the West Virginia Youth Symphony, my alma mater, orchestra.

That's the next generation of great West Virginia musicians in the making.

Now tonight, we're taking a moment to recognize the contributions of an arts leader whose work has ensured that the arts enjoy a future that is as bright as his sense of style.

As Cabinet Secretary for the West Virginia Department of arts, culture and history, our honoree helped see the West Virginia State Museum to fruition, enabled countless organizations to expand and grow their programs through grants, worked alongside save the music, to put an instruments directly into the hands of students throughout West Virginia, and continuously worked to increase funding for the arts here to present our inaugural crescendo Lifetime Achievement Award is West Virginia Music Hall of Famer and renowned performing pianist and one of my personal heroes, Barbara nissman.

I thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

It's a real joy to be here with all of you tonight for this joyful event, and it's an honor and a privilege to pay tribute to a forceful and vital advocate for the arts here in West Virginia, retired cabinet secretary, Randall Reed Smith.

And Randall we thank you for your passion, your devotion and what you've done for the arts here in West Virginia, your dedication to excellence, and you have really left us a legacy, and we're very grateful for that, the art, the State Museum that you put together, that we now have, which is pride and joy of the cultural center, and all the instruments you've given to young musicians in conjunction with the save the Music Foundation, and you've really inspired a whole generation of future musicians and aspiring arts enthusiasts.

And for that, we're grateful, and we thank you.

And I think the best way to thank you is, of course, with music and by one of your favorite composers, and he happens to be my favorite, my friend and our friend, Franz Liszt, and I'd like to play for you one of his most beautiful songs.

It's a love song called the dream of love, and I will be performing this on the magnificent new Steinway that you helped me to choose.

I'm sure you all read all about it.

That was fun choosing this magnificent instrument, and I hope it gets played very often.

And it's a pleasure to play this for all of you, and thank you for all you've done.

You are appreciated.

Thank you.

First of all, I want to thank Michael Lipton for doing all of this and the board of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, honoring our heritage and music in West Virginia.

I grew up in a very, very musical family, and my older brother is here with me.

He's the real musician in our family.

Alan is with us because mom and dad are gone, and it means a lot to me, Alan, that you're here tonight.

I was lucky.

We were lucky to have great parents.

I got to sing for 20 years, 14 years in Europe, and then I got to teach for 11 years and share all the wonderful things that were given to me.

And I'm very proud of the fact that I'm from.

Barboursville, West Virginia, where we thank you, where the Bing brothers are from.

I graduated high school with Timmy and David Allen.

Graduated with you.

But I'm really thankful for the great music educators that we had in great public schools.

I went to all public schools and universities.

Yeah, and I've got to thank four great West Virginians, arch Moore, for building this building back in 76 I want to thank Joe and Gail mansion for bringing me home and making this my home for 19 and a half years, Earl Ray and Joanne Tomlin.

Joanne was a classical pianist and who kept me on and we put history bold together.

And I want to thank Jim justice, who saved the arts back in 2018 when they wanted to get rid of it then.

So very grateful.

And when Michael told me he was doing this, it was great to be able to remember being a singer and a teacher.

But what I'm really happy about is when I took this job, they told me I had to build future audiences in West Virginia and save the music.

We're in 171 schools as of next year, $7,240,000 worth of free instruments in West Virginia, over 7000 instruments, and all it took me to get them to do that from New York was to threaten to leave them in Gilbert.

Back, yeah, oh yeah.

I spent three fourths of my day showing them everything and and they didn't think they were going to come here because we had music teachers.

And I got up and left the table and I and they said, Where are you going?

I said, I'm going home.

And I walked out, and they said, You taking us with you?

And I said, You tell me you're going to fund instruments in West Virginia.

I'll take you with me.

If not, you better start walking.

It's a two and a half hour drive.

So I'm grateful.

I'm proud, very proud, very proud, to say I'm from West Virginia, and music has always been our life.

And my family, everybody in my family's in music.

So thank you all to the Music Hall of Fame.

Thank you all for supporting music.

Thank you and continue to support music.

So, Barbara, did I?

Did I feel enough?

I think so.

Okay, here we go.

Sorry, Blessed Are the brief Let's Go You.

The Womack brothers, later called the valentinos, were friendly Junior Curtis, Bobby, Harry and Cecil Womack, with roots deep in McDowell County, they were perhaps West Virginia's most influential musical dynasty.

The family's storied history is a fascinating and star studded tour through the evolution of black music in America.

Collectively and individually, the five brothers have directly influenced successive generations of music on both sides of the Atlantic, from gospel, soul r&b and funk to the highest echelons of rock and roll.

Their parents friendly and Naomi were born and raised in McDowell County friendly, prayed that Naomi would deliver him five musical sons, his prayers were answered and then some to say friendly Junior, Curtis, Bobby, Harry and Cecil Womack were born into a musical family.

Is an understatement.

When friendly senior wasn't digging coal deep in the minds of McDowell County, he was singing and playing guitar and his gospel group the voices of love and friendly cousin, Solomon was a charter member of one of this country's greatest gospel groups, the swan silvertones, who were inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2015 soon after the birth of their first son, friendly Junior in 1941 the family moved To the west side of Charleston, where Curtis was born.

The following year, Bobby, Harry and Cecil came along after the family moved to Cleveland from an early age, attendance at Voices of love rehearsals was mandatory.

Those sessions became a classroom where they learned how to structure harmonies and arrange music, and whenever possible, they went to see their uncle Solomon perform in the swan silver tones in the early 1950s friendly put his own group on hold to concentrate on his son's careers, rehearsing them constantly and borrowing money to buy stage outfits.

The Womack brothers began playing church events with the five blind boys the caravans and the pilgrim travelers.

But it was one song, God done just what he said, performed in Cleveland in 1956 that changed their lives, the soul stirs were headlining, and friendly senior had convinced the promoter to let his sons play one opening song.

Listening in the wings was the stirrers newest member, a young Sam Cooke.

He was so taken by the womacks, who were not yet in their teens, that he insisted they play another.

Father, he also passed a collection plate.

We got $72 twice what our father earned in a week at the steel mill.

Recall, friendly.

I'll never forget that another group they shared the stage with was the staples singers.

On more than one occasion, the womax and the young staples stood on fruit crates to reach the microphones and shared beds when they traveled by 1960 Sam Cook had left the STRS and was scoring major hits in secular music.

He signed the teenage Womack brothers to his SAR record label and bought them an old Cadillac to make the trip to Los Angeles.

Only friendly Junior was old enough to drive, and the trip was a nightmare of breakdowns.

Once there, they recorded two gospel singles.

When those songs failed to chart, cook proposed that they cross over to secular music.

Now their mentor and producer, he also convinced them to change the group's name to the valentinos.

Friendly senior was adamant that his son sing only gospel.

When they took Cook's advice, he was devastated and was no longer involved in their careers.

While the valentinos had one foot firmly rooted in Gospel and Doo Wop, they were exploring soul in r&b territory that was ahead of its time.

Interesting fact, the drummer on some of the Valentino's first recordings was future Earth, Wind and Fire founder and singer, Maurice white.

The next sessions yielded the group's 1962 release, looking for a love, a rewrite of I didn't hear nobody pray, a gospel standard they had previously recorded for cook.

The song became a Billboard Top 10 R and B hit and led to the group's first secular tour, opening for the James Brown review.

Nearly a decade later, the Jay Giles band had a top 40 hit with the song, and in 1974 Bobby re recorded it for a solo release with his brother singing backup.

It reached number one on the R and B charts, and went on to sell more than 2 million copies in spring 1964 the valentinos released It's all over now, co written by Bobby and friendly Junior's first wife, Shirley, after a New York DJ played it for the Rolling Stones, the band quickly recorded it at Chess studios.

It was released that summer and became their first number one hit in the UK and their first major hit in the US now.

The song has since been covered by many artists, including Rod Stewart, the Grateful Dead, rye cooter and Johnny Winter.

Just as things were in high gear, Cook was shot and killed in December 1964 his label folded, and the valentinos disbanded, although they regrouped to briefly record for the chess and Jubilee labels.

Three months after Cook's death, Bobby married Cook's widow Barbara, the Fallout was immediate.

The group was all but blacklisted, both by fans and DJs following the disillusion of the valentinos, the brothers all had active musical careers, Bobby was the highest profile issuing major solo releases and as a songwriter and guitarist, recording with artists including Ray Charles Wilson, Pickett Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones.

Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood inducted Bobby into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 in spring 2025 a play about Bobby's life opened in Chicago, titled if you think you're lonely, Cecil and his wife, Linda Sam Cook's daughter, were both songwriters in their own right, and formed the successful R and B duo.

Womack.

And Womack, they recorded for a number of major labels and charted songs on both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific, including a cover of one of West Virginia's state songs.

Take me home country roads.

You Harry, their songs were covered by artists ranging from Teddy Pendergrass, the OJS and the dramatics to Eric Clapton, Elton, John and Bette Midler.

Harry played bass on many of Bobby's recordings until his death in 1974 Curtis.

Issued several.. died in Bluefield, West Virginia and 2017 friendly Junior operated a popular record store in Cleveland, and continues to write and record gospel music.

All four brothers sang backup on many of Bobby's recordings.

The lives and careers of the Womack family, from the Jubilee gospel of the Swan silver tones to Bobby's gritty yet sophisticated post Valentino soul has had a far reaching impact on American music.

This is Pete Wolf, and when I was with the J Giles band, we were recording the song looking for a love on our second album, and we're out in LA and I got a knock on the door, and I thought, Oh, boy.

Who could that be?

I thought maybe it was a cop knock.

I opened up the door and there was this elegant, handsome man, and it was JW Alexander, the man who helped write, looking for a love.

And also was the partner in SAR records, the Sam Alexander records.

And JW wanted to take me out to lunch to thank me for recording, looking for a love, for the whole band, recording, looking for a love.

And while we're at lunch, I said, you know, Mr. Alexander, I'd be so honored if I can get to meet Bobby and any of the valentinos.

And later that night, we went to a bar called martinis, and there was Bobby Womack with one of his brothers, and it was the start of a long friendship.

And we, recorded looking for a love.

It became our staple song.

And sped up, Mama Jama up.

And I remember being hanging out with Bobby, and at a concert with Bobby and some of his brothers were playing, and Bobby said, man, there's so many beautiful women in the audience.

I want to kiss every one of them.

And he did.

He sat at the side of the stage, the women lined up, and Bobby kissed every single woman in the audience.

It was quite amazing.

And I'd like to say that the last song there was a song I wrote with Don COVID, who was a very good friend of Bobby's, and I had the honor introducing Don to the stones.

And Bobby Ronnie Wood knew Bobby from over in England, and they ended up doing some work on the stones dirty work album.

And there was a concert in tribute of Sam Cook out in Cleveland, and some of the family, Sam's family, was there.

Some of Bobby's family were there.

And the last song I recorded, my last solar I was a song I wrote with Don COVID, and I going to do a duet with Bobby Womack.

And I called Bobby and finally got him on the phone after 20 calls, and he said, Yeah, man, come out the West Coast.

We'll do it.

And so I was all excited.

Name of the track was, it's raining.

And I went down, I was doing the vocal, and I came out of the vocal booth, and everybody was real quiet.

And I said, What's matter?

I said, Pete, we just got news that Bobby Womack passed away, and it was just such a tragedy, because Bobby his brothers, they were just something else.

And so I am so honored to be able to say the valentinos being inducted into the West Virginia Hall of Fame, and they should have been there many, many years ago.

But what they say is, once you finally get to where you want to go, thank goodness.

So here's to the valentinos.

Joining us tonight from Los Angeles to present the induction of the Womack brothers and the valentinos are the daughters of Cecil and Linda Womack and granddaughters of Sam Cooke.

They'll be joined by John Ellison.

Please welcome BG, Zamani Kutcha and jare Womack, the Womack sisters.

You you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I'm not going to take up a.

Out of time, I just want to say it's such an hon.. pleasure to be here with these lovely and talented people here on stage with me.

And all I can say is, I make it short, they are some kind of wonderful.

It's an honor and a pleasure to be with all you beautiful souls out there.

How is everybody doing out there tonight?

Are you okay?

Look at y'all.

Y'all look so beautiful.

We're just gonna dive right in.

Aside from their accolades and chart success, lies a deeper legacy.

The Valentino showed us how to turn adversity into heart.

Growing up in a segregated south.

They faced many hardships at every turn, but they chose to uplift their voices and voices in harmony, rather than to be silenced by their circumstances.

Their journey reminds us that music can break down walls, heal wounds and forge connections across every divide.

I Yes.

So tonight, as we welcome the valentinos into the Music Hall of Fame, we honor not just five brothers, but five pioneers who musically reshaped the landscape of soul music in America.

Let us celebrate their courage, their creativity and the enduring light of their harmonies.

Please join me in giving a round of applause to friendly Womack of the Womack brothers, also known as the Valentina.

Thank you very much.

It's an honor to be home.

Yes, born right there in Nate land, West Virginia, and so proud of my nieces here, and we're going to do something tonight that We hope touches your souls.

Thank you very much.

Beautiful.

Beautiful.

All right, I think we're ready now, folks joined by the Womack sisters and our Hall of Fame band, including the 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee John Ellison, please welcome our newest inductee.

Friendly Womack Junior.

I don't care, as long as you ride.

Touches start a fire, no matter how you grew it Oh, no matter how you do it, honey, long as you do it right.

I don't care how you do it, long as you do it right.

Got to do it right when you take me, baby.

Let I don't care how you do it now, I don't care how you do it.

I don't care when your kid sits.

Baby, wanna hit the ceiling, and when you tell me that you love me, save it, start a fire, keep it burning with the love and it, honey, I don't care.

Do it right?

It's long.

Yeah, got to do it right.

Oh yeah, gotta do it right.

I don't care how you do it, as long as you do it right.

Thank you so much.

All right, y'all ready to hear some more music?

All right?

You looking for love, I'm looking for love.

I'm looking for love.

Oh, I'm looking for love.

Oh, I'm looking here and there, and I'm searching everywhere, and I'm looking and I'm looking, I'm looking, I'm looking for love to call my own love.

Oh, I water get up in the morning.

My breakfast and bring it to my bed.

You the end, I'm looking brother, I'm looking here, and there might be over here somewhere.

Oh, feel so good to be up here tonight.

Thank you so much.

It's an honor.

Yes, you sit in our.

All night, all day, .. watching over me.

Can I say it again?

All night, all day, the angel was watches over me by you know, I went to the ballot one day to pray the angels were watching over me.

My soul got happy and I stayed out there all day, the angels watching over me, poor children, all night, all day, I hear the angel watch it over me, my lord, yay.

All night, I No, you know, my soul got happy and I stayed down there because I knew that I've had to find my god somewhere.

If you look all around you see him everywhere the angels watch over Hey, angels watch over me.

Sit down a long time.

Oh, you know, I went down in the valley one day to pray, the angels were watching over me.

Yeah, my soul got happy, and I stayed out there all day The angels are watching over me.

Yes, ma'am.

I Can y'all believe?

Yes, I have a small confession to make, which is I have been looking forward to that last set since Michael asked me to co host this evening, and I have to say that it was absolutely worth the wait, let's give them one more round of applause After wonderful music like that.

How can we present anything other than the spirit of West Virginia Music Award, which has been a tradition of our ceremonies, developed to honor those who impact the state in unique ways, whether they're a native of West Virginia or a transplant a top vote getter on a nationally syndicated, nationally televised talent show, or someone who operates their very own West Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.

The common thread of all our spirit award recipients is that the UN.

Dying spirit of West Virginia has stayed with them throughout their entire careers.

Here to present this year's Spirit Award is someone who has certainly kept the Mountain State spirit with her throughout her award winning career.

She's a Grammy winning artist, a CMA Vocalist of the Year, and since 2021 she's been the host of West Virginia Public Broadcasting's nationally syndicated radio program mountain stage.

Please join me in welcoming class of 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee Kathy Mateo.

Hello, hello, hello, hello.

Well, it's funny how a place can stay with you.

If you know paw paw West Virginia, it's probably for one of two things.

Of course, there's the clothing optional resort, and then there's the founding of the legendary group asleep at the wheel.

The group's music has a lot more in common with the Texas and Oklahoma and route 66 than it does with Appalachian String Band music in the Potomac River.

George Washington himself surveyed land in paw paw, and while George would go on to help shape our country, another visitor, a few decades later, would plant the seeds that would go on to shape and preserve our country music and like the fruit that gave the town its name, their music is a treasured delicacy for those who are in the know.

Ray Benson moved to paw paw from Philadelphia in 1970 to form the band, and they quickly grew popular in the DC area and beyond.

In February of 1973 the band moved to Austin, and since then, they've weathered every trend in country music imaginable, becoming the rare group to have songs on the charts in four consecutive decades.

Yeah, more than 50 years in, they still represent a cornerstone of American music with an incredible live show filled with what is commonly and endearingly referred to as old cool music, or as Ray calls it, jazz with a cowboy hat.

Thanks to Ray, West Virginia has always had a chapter in the early story of asleep at the wheel, the fruits of their labor that had their humble beginnings in paw paw have been enjoyed on the world's many stages thanks to the unending spirit of Ray Benson.

Let's honor this year's spirit of West Virginia music award the incredible and one and only Ray Benson, oh yeah, wow, listen, it was funny.

We drove in today.

I told you the bus broke down, but when we we knew I thought it was going to stay in paw paw the rest of my life, we figured.

But then we met commander Cody and his lost planet air man, and they said, come on out to California.

We said, Okay, we're going to go out to California.

They were in Berkeley, California.

Come on out there.

And we'll stay for a few weeks and make some friends, and then we'll come back to West Virginia.

So I went down to the Phillips 66 station in paw paw, and old buck Emmons was there.

I said, make sure that this thing will make it.

I had a 1961 Cadillac in 1971 and he I said, Yeah, Buck, we're gonna go to Berkeley, California.

And he looked at me.

Said, you're going all the way to Beckley.

Oh, my God, dang.

He said, I don't think this car will make it that far.

Oh, god dang.

But if it weren't for West Virginia, if it weren't for the folks, we started playing around town, a little place called the Sportsman's club in Paw Paw.

And then Greg cape and cape and bridge, you know, and down to Romney.

And then, listen, it was 1970 the movie deliverance had just come out.

We had hair down here, and my friend said, you're going where we're going to paw paw West Virginia said you're going to get killed.

Had a few showdowns first, to say the least, but they found out that even though we look like hippies, that we fought like rednecks.

You.

And we, all of a sudden, had all the friends in the world.

I mean, we wouldn't have made it through.

We wanted to go back in time.

And boy did we, you know, we found these places that were abandoned, and lived in these most incredible farms and and thought we were going to live off the land and do all that, and and then we went on the road.

And that didn't happen, of course, but they mentioned some of the stories I got to tell you the story, you know, we were, we'd go down to Washington, DC, and play.

And Bill and Taffy never were two songwriters and, and they had written a song with John Denver, and they said, Oh, you're from West Virginia.

We used to play this place with Emma Lou Harris, and we were all just starting, called Tammany Hall.

It was a place down on Pennsylvania Avenue, and they sang, take me home country roads.

And we went, Oh yeah, good little song, yeah, good luck with it.

You know, I want to fast forward to about 15 years ago.

I'm in Hawaii, and a friend of mine, a legendary Shep Gordon, said, Ray, the prince of the UAE, is coming to my house, and why don't you come over and we're having a big dinner.

So go over to his house at a big dinner.

This the prince of the United Arab Emirates.

So at the end of the meal, talking, and Shep goes, Prince Ray over here is a country western singer.

And the prince goes, Do you know?

Take me home.

Country Roads, I said, Do I know?

Take me home.

Country Roads, take me home.

Along with about five Arabs, we're singing a song.

And what an incredible thing.

But if they really knew West Virginia, they would know what an incredibly beautiful, incredible place this is, and it has been kept this way by West Virginians and to have the musical people we would I can't imagine America without the talents that came out of it, and what this state and the people of the state did for me was gave me the grounding in country music that I needed to go where it was.

I wound up in Texas because my good pal, Willie Nelson said, You need to be down here.

You're tall, you got a cowboy hat.

You look like it from Texas.

You it, but in my heart and everywhere else, I will always be known as a West Virginian, and I couldn't be prouder.

Thank you so much.

Now we'll get a dose of just what makes a spirit award winner, joined by Kathy Mattea, here's my co HOST, led by the fabulous Tim O'Brien.

Wait again.

You where's that guy with a red dress on some folk called a diner stole my heart away from me way down in Louisiana.

Take me back Tulsa.

I'm too young married.

Take me back Tulsa.

I'm too young to marry.

Little me.

Sucks blossom.

Big pea gets a honey.

Mormon picks a cotton.

Wild rich man gets a bully.

Take me back Tulsa.

I'm too young.

Larry on Tim, take it away.

I would I like to go to Tulsa?

You bet your boots.

I will let me off an archery take it back to me walk and talk Susie.

Walk and Talk Susie.

Walk and Talk Susie.

Walk and Talk Susie, take me back to your marriage.

Take me back to Tulsa.

I'm too young to take it in you.

I always wear a big old smile.

I never do looks sour.

Travel around the country playing music by the hour.

Take me back to young Mary.

Take me back Tulsa.

I'm too young, Mary.

Take me back to young Mary.

Take me back to Mary.

Take me back to sir.

Make a Democrat.

Well, I, for 1am, certainly glad that Ray Benson was able to join us today.

One more round of applause.

Now you guys are in luck, because we have another special guest tonight.

She was most recently in West Virginia for the unveiling of the bill weathers statue down in Beckley, near the birthplace of her husband, Bill Withers, she's been an active supporter of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame since Day one.

Please help us welcome back.

Marcia.

Withers, applause.

I believe it or not, this is my second time in West Virginia in three weeks.

The first of course, was to the city of Beckley, Bill's hometown, to go and see the unveiling of this seven foot bronze statue and of him and the naming of the plaza after him in his hometown.

My family was so honored to be there and to see him recognized in that place from years of being away and coming back.

It was wonderful experience after And now, after 10 years, I am so grateful to be able to attend the 2025, induction ceremony here, Bill was, as Michael said, the class of 2007 with so many other greats at that time.

And I could tell you, tonight is just as exciting as it was back then.

In 2007 Bill always talked about the wonder and the mystery of being chosen as a conduit for a song to pass through.

Where did it come from?

Why did it pass through me?

Or questions he often asked.

Well, he wrote, he wrote once for some liner notes about remembering, and I quote all of the people, places and things that left indelible impressions on my mind and in my heart that caused me to ponder enough to make up songs about them and the impressions they left on me.

When Michael Lipton told me that he was planning to put together a tribute album for Bill, I thought about a song that Bill had written but was never released.

In fact, I didn't know about it until we actually received got back the tapes from the record company in 2007 I thought this particular song might be fitting to be included in such an album.

Which would be which would have West Virginia artist performing Bill's songs exclusively.

The song was entitled, is entitled West Virginia.

It was a man's journey informed by the impressions left by the place where he had he grew up.

Michael and his team of musicians understood the sentiment of the song, and with the involvement a mister John, some kind of wonderful Ellison, a 2015 West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductee, it was reworked into the soulful mama West Virginia, ladies and gentlemen, I am.

Pleased to introduce John Ellison the band and the song, Mama West Virginia.

Thank you so very.

Very much.

You since I saw your land, since I moved away, and it showed us, West Virginia, agenda, got a nice place today.

Mama, Don't you?

Sister, Sadie.

Sister, Sadie, is open.

I come back home Monday, she said the job will always be open and I'll always have a place to stay.

Mama, West Virginia, Mama, West Virginia, Mama, West Virginia.

Mama, West Virginia.

Mama, West Virginia.

Mama, West Virginia, my own town.

Mama, West Virginia.

Mama, West mama and this place, great mama, West Virginia.

Mama, West Virginia.

Coming coming home to mama refugee.

Got it, mama, yeah, Jeff, ladies and gentlemen, Jeff Stevens and the bullets.

Jeff Stevens, hailing from alum Creek, Lincoln County, Jeff Stevens may very well be the most successful songwriter to emerge from West Virginia in the last 30 years, the artists who have cut Stevens songs and sent them to the top of the charts are a veritable who's who of modern country music.

Jeff Stephen songs and production are credited with paving the way for a new generation of artists, including Blake Shelton NEW.

Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.

But while he has made pinning mega hits seem effortless, the road to Jeff's incredible track record was a test of faith and perseverance.

Jeff Stevens was born in Charleston in 1959 to John and Katie Stevens.

His musical story began at age nine when he and his younger brother Warren received Stella guitars for Christmas.

But had it not been for the unrelenting persistence of his father, he may well have stuck with his job in the insulators union, working at chemical plants in the Kanawha Valley.

After taking some guitar lessons at Herbert's music Bob Thompson was one of their first instructors.

Jeff and Warren didn't have to wait long for their first taste of success.

The brothers then 11 and nine took home a $25 first prize in a talent contest performing Folsom Prison Blues.

Before long, their father had assembled a full backing band and was booking the Stevens brothers with Mike Dawson, the wild drummer, and Kathy Bell and the harmonettes Everywhere he could throughout the tri state, making sure they looked the part.

Katie hand made her son's sequin stage suits, assuming the role of Colonel Parker John pushed his young boys headlong into the country music business.

By the time Jeff and Warren attended Duvall High School in griffisville, the two had years of performing under their belts.

While in high school, Jeff met drummer Terry Dotson.

Dotson joined the band, and the two began a lifetime of writing songs together.

Two years later, the band won a national contest at Kings Island amusement park.

First prize was a session at CBS Records recording studios in Nashville.

Through the mid 1980s the Stevens Brothers Band was on the road full time, traveling with a 26 foot truck filled with a full sound and light system.

In addition to the tri state, they made forays to New York City, Texas, Colorado and Florida.

During this time, Jeff and Terry sharpened their writing skills.

Warren assumed management of the band and began pitching their songs to producers, managers, agents and record labels.

In Nashville, Jeff's first top 10 hit came in 1983 with the band.

Atlanta's version of Atlanta burned again last night.

Moving to Nashville.

The band, now called Jeff Stevens and the bullets, released a few LPS in a number of singles, mostly on Atlantic Records, notably bolt out of the blue and Boomtown, but there were no hits in 1990 the band officially called it quits.

Jeff had married his high school sweetheart, Sandy in 1979 and with three children and no money coming in, he took odd jobs, sold his guitars and their wedding rings.

They were the toughest years of his life.

Then at his Nadir, he received some simple but career changing advice from producer Keith Steagall.

Keith told me to stop listening to other people's opinions and use what I knew to make my own music Jeff remembered, and what he knew was the common sense lessons of growing up in rural West Virginia.

He dug deep into his alum Creek roots, and within two years, scored his first number one hit Alabama's version of his song reckless.

The next two decades saw an almost non stop succession of chart hits for the likes of George Strait, Tracy bird, Tim McGraw and his long running association with country mega star Luke Bryan, of the many artists who have covered his songs straight and Brian have racked up the most hits, sales and awards straight, had A string of three number one hits with Jeff songs, including carried away, which was named the 1996 CMA Single of the Year.

Jeff met newcomer Luke Bryan in 2004 at a Nashville songwriting session.

Since then, he has produced all of Brian's releases, as well as CO written, sang and played guitar on many of the tracks.

Brian's releases have yielded five multi platinum LPs and 35 singles, 31 of which went to number one and were certified gold or platinum.

He's garnered nearly 20 billion worldwide streams and 98 point 5 million career RIA certifications, more than any other country artist.

Brian's Crash My Party LP was certified four times platinum and was named the Academy of Country Music's album of the decade in 2019 as a producer, Jeff also.

Has a keen ear for spotting raw talent in the early 2000s he and producer Michael Knox heard an unknown singer, Jason Aldean, at a showcase in Atlanta, and worked with him on his initial recordings.

Now, Aldean is one of country music's top selling artists.

One of the marks of a great song is its longevity and adaptability.

To that end, carrying your love with me, a Steven song that George Strait took to number one in 1997 is currently being performed by Post Malone at his stadium shows.

Jeff songs have appeared on albums with total sales of more than 64 million units.

Jeff lives outside Nashville with his wife, Sandy, their dog, Dolly pardon and their cat, Charlie McCoy.

They have three children and seven grandchildren.

The congratulations, Jeff, on your induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

You are so deserved of this honor.

Your long career in music and certainly your service of the board has been commendable.

But one of the things that's so special about Jeff is his heart first song and his love for the artists.

And those of you in West Virginia are likely to call him one of your own.

Congrats, Jeff.

Hey, Jeff Joel, pal stand here.

It's with genuine pleasure, I congratulate you on your long overdue and well deserved induction into West Virginia's Music Hall of Fame.

When you walked into that first writing session wearing a pair of overalls, I knew we were going to get along just fine.

You taught me so much about writing songs.

You taught me to keep an open mind, to have faith in what you're writing.

You schooled me to get right to it.

Write it like you say it.

That's what you always told me.

Your success is no accident, man, you earned it.

Thank you for being my pal, and it's with love and respect that I wish you all the best.

Oh, and would it kill you to call me every once in a while.

Hey, what's up, Jeff?

Just want to say congratulations on your induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

You know this already, but you're one of the guys that brought me to Nashville 25 years ago and kind of opened the door for me.

There you.

Michael Knox, so, man, congratulations.

It's been a friend of yours for a long time and a fan, and I know you're making alum Creek, West Virginia proud baby.

So congratulations, buddy.

Hey, Jeff.

George here, hey, man, I just want to say congratulations on you being inducted into the West Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.

What an honor that must be for you.

I'm so happy for you, and I want to thank you for all the songs that you wrote for me.

I really appreciate it.

I feel like you've been a big part of my career.

And thank you so much.

Hope you have a great night.

I know you will and once again, congratulations.

Getting sick of me yet our next presenter has been a successful music industry executive for more than 40 years.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association that's the CMA and the Academy of Country Music.

And since 2020 he has been working in the Nashville office of Sony Music Publishing here to present the induction of Jeff Stevens.

Please welcome Dale Bobo.

Hi everyone.

So I was working my first music gig and caught a taping of new country, a show on the National Network featuring new and up and coming artists playing live before an audience at the cannery in Nashville, a group new to me, Jeff Stevens and the bullets performed, and I loved them.

They were a no frills, hard rocking country band with a strong vocalist who played songs with stories.

A couple of years later, Jeff was a solo artist on Atlantic Records, working with major producer Keith stegold Key suggested Jeff meet with my boss, Tim riverman, about a writing deal of the company.

I was at Warner chapel.

That's when I actually shook hands with Jeff, and I liked him instantly, as did everyone among our writing staff.

Jeff was soon a favorite collaborator.

Jeff brought great ideas, suggested lyrics free of overused catch phrases, and offered melodies you knew would sound strong if ever played by a live band, and when it was time to record the song demo, Jeff would deploy his amazing voice.

Yes, in my estimation, Jeff is a world class vocalist as every bit as emotive and as powerful as the iconic country singers we all know.

I tell him that often, and he says, Well, I don't know about that, but he is.

Jeff is usually very even keeled, but I've seen him get really excited, like when his song reckless was cut by Alabama, a group so influential to Jeff, and then when it went number one, when Jeff went number one with Tim McGraw's back win, a song he co wrote with Stephanie Smith and Stan Lynch.

Stan Lynch, original member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, this song was full of the kind of humor and word play that is so Jeff.

You know, back when a hoe was a ho, and when George Strait actually came to a number one event for one of Jeff's songs, George doesn't attend national events very often, so it was really amazing.

He was there.

Jeff has had five cuts for George, and three were big singles carried away true and the first one carrying your love with me, for which Jeff showed love for his home state when he wrote the lines, I'm carrying your love with me, West Virginia, down to Tennessee.

Jeff and I had breakfast in 2005 to talk about him signing a new deal with the publishing company.

As we were leaving the restaurant, he invited me to his truck to play a track he had just produced on a co writer.

Luke Bryan, all my friends say sounded amazing and fun with every quality record should have the next year, all my friends say was on the radio, and Luke was on his way to super stardom.

Now, a word about Jeff Stevens, the family man.

His wife, Sandy is one of the coolest people I know.

She is a karate Black Belt and love to travel.

Their children are amazing.

Jeremy and Melody radiate goodness and do important work.

And there's Jody, super creative and a very successful hit, producer, writer himself.

The Stevens family is a wonderful family.

So after Yes, so after water chapel, I went to Chrysalis Music and Jeff signed there.

Later, Jeff was a client when I opened my own management shop.

After a couple of years, we had opportunities apart.

So Jeff and I spent time just being friends.

Jeff went on to make his own deal with Sony Music Publishing.

Later, CEO of Sony Nashville, Rusty Gaston offered me a position there, and my first thought was, hey, that's where Jeff is.

After I took the job, I rang Jeff to tell him I was coming on board, and I remember his booming voice through my phone, yeah, baby, they just can't keep us apart.

My 35 year relationship with Jeff is the longest constant of my career.

What do I know about Jeff after all this time?

That Jeff is incredibly talented.

He loves people, and he keeps good people around him.

He is humble about his many accomplishments.

He is seriously about the work and not the flash, and is a kind, positive, optimistic person who personifies integrity.

He is a good man.

I am fortunate and inspired to be friends with one of the best songwriters, producers and singers who ever went from West Virginia down to Tennessee.

It is a huge honor and a privilege for me to introduce the newest member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Jeff Stevens, right here.

Come on now.

All right, is Lincoln County in the house.

I thought you were sorry.

I'd be here all night long if I didn't have this 40 minute speech.

I Yeah.

First off, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame for this esteemed honor.

It means the world to me to be able to share this moment with my family and my friends.

When I began songwriting in my teens, it was pure artistic expression without any craft or logic.

Over the years, the challenge became maintaining that pure expression despite gaining experience and technique, I've learned that my best songs are written by shooting from the hip with no concern for who might record them or if they'll be recorded at all when we move to national.

Deal, I was overwhelmed by the talent everywhere and st.. to trust my instincts.

It seemed safer to follow the advice of successful producers at ANR, but by 1992 my band was gone, and pawn shops had taken my guitar and Sandy's wedding ring.

I was scared, broke and confused.

At this low point, I realized I wasn't using what I had learned back home in Lincoln County.

From then on, I have depended on my West Virginia experience, that special ingredient that comes from this soil and these people, thanks to my first publisher, Warner chapel, Tim whipperman, Gary Orton, Dale Bobo and Michael Knox, those folks believed in me, encouraged me to be myself, and it brought out the best that I could do.

Thanks to my current publisher, Rusty Gaston and Dale Bobo, now at Sony ATV, they're still out there pushing my songs, thanks to my dad, John, who was the funniest man I ever known.

No songwriter I ever met could tell a story as well as him.

He was a big dreamer over the top and unique my sweet mother, Katie, for being the solid rock she was, the counterbalance that we needed, and all the love and care she put into making into hand, making those amazing sequined stage outfits for those two little boys, thanks to my brother Warren, who knocked on Every door, pitching our band and our songs he would not be denied.

In 1986 he figured out a way to bring not just me or himself, but a whole band and our families with children to Nashville and secured a record deal for us on Atlantic Records, for anyone who saw that happening back In those days, it was an unbelievable feat, thanks to my high school friend and bandmate, the late great Terry Dodson, he was my first songwriting collaborator, and we met in the library at Duval High School in 1974 and we couldn't stop talking about rock and roll and country music, and we were soon riding around Lincoln County writing songs in his Ford Falcon station wagon.

10 years later, we stood on the BMI award stage in Nashville receiving an award for one of our songs, sweet country music, one of the most performed songs of 1984 I miss him very much.

Thanks to George Strait, Alabama, Luke Bryan, Don Williams, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean and many others for sharing my songs with millions.

Speaking of Luke Bryan, thanks could never be enough to carry Polly Edwards for giving me a call 20 years ago and asking me if I would co write with a new young writer of hers.

And Luke, maybe because he was green or just flat, didn't know any better, he took me on as his producer, a job I really wasn't looking to get into, but his personality, talent, work ethic and enthusiasm was contagious, so I stepped out of my comfort zone into the wily world of producing records, and it quickly led to a second career for which I am deeply grateful, Luke.

It continues to be an incredible ride, and I'm so proud of the fun music we brought to the fans the world over.

Finally, thanks to my children, Jeremy and his wife, Chrissy, Jody and his wife, Mary, Ann melody and her husband, Eddie, and my grandchildren.

I'm so proud of y'all.

I love you for all, for bringing true purpose to my life.

And lastly, thanks to my wife, Sandy, of 46 years we've had you.

We've had lean heart, lean and hard times, fat and good times, and it doesn't matter how high or low it gets.

Her optimism, humility and down to earth, Grace keeps us on a steady course.

I love you, honey.

Thank you all for coming.

Yeah, Now's the fun part.

Here, with a set filled with some of his biggest hits, along with his son Jody, his son in law, Eddie, and a very special guest who, I think you're going to know.

Who that is, our newest inductee, Jeff Stevens, all righty, been a while in it.

This one's for Terry.

This is the one that got us kicked off.

Oh.

It's been more than now since my daddy passed away, but I keep his memory with me in the songs we used to play, singing sweet contour music breathing, clean mountain ain't dead, right?

Singing, sweet contra music makes me weak.

I was there.

Whoa.

I'm just kind of doing a couple songs here, just sort of a little medley.

This is one George Strait cut.

He told me one time that my songs were hard to sing.

I guess he figured it out.

I don't take my whiskey too extreme.

Don't believe in chasing crazy dreams.

My feet are planted firmly on the ground, darling, when you come look around, I get carried away by the look by the light of your eyes, before I even realize, baby, I'm long gone, get carried away.

Nothing matters but being with you like a feather flying high up in the sky on a windy day, I get carried away cooking with gas now, the super group Alabama came along at the right time for me.

I mean, they were already huge and had been for a decade.

But, man, I was hungry.

We was down to the Nubbins and I and they cut this in 94 and really got me some notice, and got it all kind of kicked off in earnest.

You know, let's roll windows down, turn radio up, let the wind blow through our hair.

Love is red.

Here, love is reckless.

Let's give reckless enough.

There ain't nothing out here but a big old Texas sky.

There's a red sun painting across the coming night.

Coming.

Your daddy's got plans for you.

Mine thinks I'm a fool.

We say it's reckless to chase a dream, but this town's got nothing for you and me.

Let's roll the windows down, turn a radio up, let the wind blow through our head.

There's a moon tonight, baby.

We're getting out of here, and I could care less where it leads us.

And if love.

Of his reckless let's get reckless tonight.

Thank you, Jeff Cook in Alabama used to say, ain't we having fun now?

When, when we were boys, and every now and then we take a trip, you know.

And a lot of times we'd go south for a couple days, like down to Myrtle Beach and, and in the 60s and early 70s and, and the West Virginia turnpike was still the turnpike.

It was two lanes dangerous, and would convert into three lanes, you know.

And that really turned into problems as you go in there, you know.

Somebody didn't figure out early enough that that might cause head on collisions.

But when you know, I loved getting on the turnpike because there were trucks, and I loved semi trucks.

When I was a boy, I knew all the names of them, Kenworth, Peterbilt, you know, Mac, all that stuff, you know, international trans star, you know, it sounded like it's from outer space or something.

And I was fascinated, you know, the whole truck driving thing.

Country music had a whole, you know, period there where there was tons of truck driving songs and and this song here, a lot of people take this song, you know, as as a person to person love song, or however you want to take it.

It's a song.

But for me, after we got done with it and I hear it, I I think a truck drivers.

I think I think of being a truck driver, you know.

So let's go from West Virginia down to Tennessee.

Baby, all I got this beat up a little bit.

Everything I own don't fill up hands, but don't you worry about the way I pack.

All I care about is getting back real soon, goodbye.

Kiss is all I need from you.

I'm carrying your love with me, West Virginia, down to Tennessee.

I'll be moving with a good long speed, carrying strength for holding on every minute that I have to be gone, I have everything I'll ever need.

Carrying your lover the lonely highway stuck out in the rain, darling, all I have to do is speak your name.

The clouds roll back in the waters part the sun starts shining in my heart for you.

You're right there.

Everything I do because I'm carrying your love with West Virginia down to Tennessee, I'll be moving with a good long spin carrying your love with me.

It's my strength for holding on carrying your love.

It's my strength for holding on every minute that I have to be gone.

I'll have everything on every knee.

Me carrying your love.

Carrying your love, I'm carrying your love for me well from Kenny down to Tennessee, I'll be moving with A good low speed, carrying your love with me.

You all right.

All right, let me get this thing in the right gear.

Because when, when it comes to the guy that's about to come up, you got to get into, you got to get into fifth gear, man.

You know, I think I felt like maybe, since I hadn't been in front of a band for about 30 years.

I probably needed a little bit of help, so I brought a friend of mine along from Leesburg, Georgia, Luke Bryan, how about this guy?

Come on?

You?

Come on, all we do right is make love, and we both know now that ain't enough, ain't gonna beg you to stay God, ask you what's wrong?

Ain't no reason running after something already gone.

Take off your leave and dress.

Let's do and we do best.

I guess everybody's got their way of moving off.

Girl, rest your head one more time in my bed Love me like you love me when you love me and you didn't have To try and kiss tomorrow.

Goodbye, baby, who we are, just didn't work, but maybe we can leave with something out of all this hurt you to stay.

Gotta ask you what's wrong.

Ain't no reason running after something already gone.

Take off your leave and dress.

Let's do what we do best.

I guess everybody's got the way you're moving.

Girl, rest your head one more time.

Hit my bed.

Love it like you love me when you love me And you didn't have to try.

Let's let down tonight.

Gotta ask you what's wrong.

Ain't no reason running after something already gone.

Take off your leaf and dress.

Let's do what we do best.

I guess everybody's got their way.

You're moving on, girl, rest your head one more time in my bed.

Love it like you love me when you love me and you didn't have to try.

Let's let down tonight and kiss tomorrow.

Goodbye.

You.

Thank you.

So this man right here has truly absolutely changed my life in more ways than I ever can describe.

Um, on.

If you don't like my voice, it's his fault.

I say that jokingly when I moved to Nashville, the whole thing that you're trying to do is find.

You want to find what makes you different, and you want to find that little thing and the stuff that made me different only started happening when I started writing with him and working with him and and we didn't even mean for it to happen.

That's the beauty of music.

We met and just started writing songs that mean a lot to us.

And next thing you know, record deals start happening, and number one songs start happening, and I start learning from him to be a better singer and and it was a long process, and the time that this guy put into making that happen, from time in the studio when I sounded horrible and I didn't even know what I was as a singer, and time out on the road, coming out on the road, watching shows, if I can stress anything, just how amazing he's been to me.

He's when I needed advice from any aspect of my life, and trust me, I've needed it because I'm not smart enough to figure it out on my own.

But if I've needed stuff, he's given me some of the best advice in the world.

He's the early riser that at 6am you can call and you know, you can call Jeff, and he's up before everybody and talk, talk your life out, and he'll give you great advice.

And he's been literally one of the most important human being, one of the most important men in my life.

There's my dad and and Jeff Stevens, and just what he's done for me and my family.

And, yeah, and I can go on and on, and I'm just so happy he came into my life, and it's been and I gotta say this, we still have a damn blast doing music together.

And he, yes, we do.

He didn't mean to get this problem called Luke Bryan put in front of him, but it's been a good problem.

It's been, don't let him go on with that too, too far.

Well, it's been amazing, and in him and Jody and Sandy, thank you for sharing him with me, Sandy.

You know, like all marriages, you just think the husband's going to slow down and be more at home.

And then here I come into his life, but it's been amazing.

Congratulations, West Virginia, you picked you got a good one in your hall of fame tonight.

And so this next song, Jeff and I, we started working on it.

And a testament to just how great he is as a songwriter and a producer, he brought another writer in with us that started playing the drums on it, and without Jeff getting out in front of that, we would have just probably never finished his song.

But just his intuition brought another writer that took this song to what it is, and it was my first single, and it's been fun since it's the first what was like the fourth song we ever wrote, we went the first five songs we wrote, made it all on my first album.

So we had a pretty damn good track record.

Yeah, yeah.

He we were in this little room, you know, in Nashville, just a little, little room, you know, in house, and and he stood up, you know, and I'm like, you know, I'm looking up at him.

He stood up, and he said, I want to write something called all my friends say.

You know?

He put them big old arms o.. know.

And I go, God, I love that.

I didn't even know why I loved it, just because he said it, you know.

And it took us a little while to hook this one, but it worked, yeah, let's do it all right?

You I got smoke in my hair, my clothes thrown everywhere, woke up in my rocking chair, holding up here in my hand, sporting a neon tank, my stereo cranked up, I can't find my truck.

How'd I get home from the club?

Ain't got a clue what went down, so I started calling around, and all my friends say I started shooting levels when you walked in, all my friends say I went a little crazy seeing you with him.

You know, I don't remember a thing, but they say I sure was raising some candy.

I was a rock star.

Party hard, getting over you.

Come back to it.

Yeah, I must have did what all my friends say.

Well, I found my bill full.

I cried.

Oh no, no, Charlie, COVID, now I'm gone, but it was worth acting like a fool.

Yeah, girl, I must have really showed you, because all my friends say I started shooting doubles when you walk shooting, you know, I don't remember a thing, but they say I show US raising some cane.

How was it?

Rock star, party hard, getting over you.

Come back.

What all my friends say?

When I was Elvis, rocking on the bar, working the crowd, pouring out my heart, and all my friends say, I started shooting doubles and you walked in.

My friends say I went a little crazy seeing you with them.

You know, I don't remember a thing, but they say I show us raising some gain.

How was it rock star party heart getting Over you come back here, all my friends.

All my friends say, yay.

Jeff Stevens, ladies and gentlemen, you I'm gonna wham them in the head.

I'm going, buddy, I'm going, I'm going, buddy, I'm going, I'm going, buddy, I'm going, I'm going back to the place that I used to call home.

Back to the place where they and the Lord never roam Wild West Virginia.

This boy would be mighty please to see them rolling hill and.

Daniel Daniel Johnston.

During Daniel Johnston's career, the catch all genre alternative music was created.

The label was often applied to his songs, and some of its most famous practitioners were among his biggest fans.

But the unforgettable home recorded tapes that Johnston began creating in the basement of his parents West Virginia Home, meant that he would always be a singular alternative.

Johnston's songs featured a cast of characters that included Casper the Friendly Ghost and Satan, as well as his own creations, like Jeremiah the frog and Joe the boxer.

These figures and others appeared frequently as subjects of Johnson's comic book style drawings inspired by the legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby.

And then there was Lori Allen, the funeral girl of his dreams, who broke his heart by dating a mortician, but became his enduring muse, though he later recorded with professional and sometimes well known musicians.

Johnston's initial and lasting fame rested on the songs he created in West Virginia with just piano, court organ and his own wavering voice, Casper.

Now eat Casper, the friendly, a devotee of the Beatles, the subject of one of his early songs, Johnston understood pop song writing conventions well.

However, his feelings fear, loneliness and rejection, but also a childlike sense of wonder and joy were never far from the surface in his music and made it a beacon for outsiders like himself, but don't give up and kill true love will find you in the end.

Daniel Dale Johnston was born in Sacramento, but grew up in New Cumberland in Hancock County, West Virginia.

He was the unplanned fifth child of fundamentalist Christians Mabel and Bill.

Later in life, he would be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, but in those days, Johnston was simply struggling to fit in.

Like most teenagers, he couldn't find a band that was interested in his services, so he began taping his original songs on a Sanyo boom box after he graduated from Oak Glen high school.

College didn't work out for Johnston.

He dropped out of Abilene Christian University in West Texas, and later studied art at Kent State University.

However, his first album, 1980 one's songs of pain was the true accomplishment of those years.

It begins with a cough followed by a jaunty piano tune called grievances.

You if I had my own way, you'd be with me here today.

But I rarely have my own way.

I guess that's why not here with me today.

The song was inspired in part by his unrequited love for Lori Allen, and it ends with a memorable line, if I can't be a lover, then I'll be a pest.

Johnston moved back to Texas, where he worked at McDonald's in Austin, and began passing out his tapes to anyone who showed interest.

Enough people did that, he slowly built a local following, and by 1985 he was featured on MTV the cutting edge, where he strummed his way through the song, I lived my broken dreams on acoustic guitar and became an improbable cult hero.

But that tune's beginning, which referenced a time when Johnston suddenly joined a traveling surface, foretold some of his struggles when I was out in San market a year ago today, probably would have put me in our home.

He was committed off and on over the years, including a stretch at the West Virginia state mental hospital in Weston in the late 1980s that occurred after he tried to cast out a woman's demons and she jumped out an open window trying to escape an even more hair raising incident occurred in 1990 when Johnston was traveling back to West Virginia from Austin in a two seater plane with his father Bill, a former Air Force pilot, believing he was Casper, the Friendly Ghost and would be able to parachute safely to the ground, Johnston tore The key out of the ignition and threw it out the window.

Bill Johnston somehow made a successful crash landing, and neither he nor his son were hurt, but afterward, Daniel would once again be institutionalized.

In the midst of these and other problems, Johnston's music was earning him more and more.

Fans the Dead Milkmen recorded his song rocket ship in 1987 Sonic Youth wanted to release his album.

Hi, how are you on their label?

He recorded with Velvet Underground drummer mo Tucker and Simpson's creator, Matt Groening, was an early fan after Kurt Cobain, at the height of Nirvana's fame, wore a high How are you t shirt at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, there was an authentic bidding war for Johnston's services.

He signed with Atlantic Records, turning down a lucrative offer from Electra because he was concerned that his would be label mates.

Metallica might be a little too interested in his old nemesis, Satan.

Johnston's one major label album 1994 fun was not a success.

Pop stardom was never in the cards for the now diagnosed manic depressive Johnston, yet his fame continued to grow, and 2005 his trouble life story became the subject of Jeff for six award winning documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.

The following year, Johnston's artwork was exhibited at New York's famed Whitney Museum and his portraits of Captain America, empty skull boxers and multi headed duck beasts became authentic.

High end collectibles.

Johnson continued to record periodically, releasing his final full length album, space duck sound track in 2012 it was made to accompany a comic book Johnson had created about naturally enough space ducks after a final tour in 2017 Johnston was honored by his adopted hometown of Austin.

The following year, he died at his residence in Waller, Texas in september 2019 of an apparent heart attack at age 58 his music, though, lives on as the new Daniel Johnston in the 21st century reissue series shows.

More than a dozen of his albums have been remastered by noted producer, Kramer, but their essential, magical strangeness remains as low fidelity and as singular as ever.

I gotta really try, try so hard to get by.

Where am I going?

Hi, how are you?

This is Matt Groening from The Simpsons, saying congratulations to my pal and favorite songwriter, Daniel Johnston, on your well deserved induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Yay, Daniel, yay.

Hello everyone.

I'm Patti Smith, and I wanted to join the countless people who have been inspired and influenced by the work of Daniel Johnston.

His work has always been so innovative, and yet maintained its innocence.

And I'm so happy, and would like to congratulate him and and think about him always as now a an inductee of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

You Our next presenter is one of contemporary music's most accomplished songwriters, musicians and performers.

He's a three time best selling author, a founding member of the influential band uncle Tupelo, and of course, he's the front man for the revered American rock band Wilco, here to induct Daniel Johnston into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Please welcome Jeff Tweedy.

Hello.

Well, first of all, I just want to say what an incredible honor it is to get to play a part in inducting Daniel Johnston into the West Virginia Hall of Fame.

It's he's been an inspiration to me for a long time, like a lot of people my age, I discovered his cassettes while on the road.

A lot of musicians my age, I should say, but um.

Um, I don't have a lot to say that Daniel didn't say for himself, and so I thought I'd read some of his words and tell you how happy I am that that history proved him wrong on some of these words.

Listen up, and I'll tell a story about an artist growing old.

Some would try for fame and glory.

Others aren't so bold.

Everyone, friends and family saying, hey, get a job.

Why do you do that?

Why do you only do that?

Only?

Why are you so odd?

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have, and this problems made you ill.

The artist walks alone.

Someone says, behind his back, he's got his gall to call himself that he doesn't even know where he's at.

The artist walks among the flowers, appreciating the sun.

He does this all his waking hours.

But is it really so wrong?

They sit in front of their TVs saying, Hey, man, this is fun.

And they laugh at the artist, saying he doesn't know how to have fun.

The best things in life are truly free, singing birds and laughing bees.

You've got me wrong.

Says he the sun don't shine in your TV.

Listen up and I'll tell a story about an artist growing old.

Some would try for fame and glory.

Others aren't so bold.

Everyone friends and family saying, hey, get a job.

Why do you only do that?

Only?

Why are you so odd?

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have, and this problem has made you ill. Daniel wrote those lyrics, and I think he really believed that no one ever would like what he was doing.

And I was happy to hear from his family that many years after he wrote that song, he stopped singing it because he didn't feel that sentiment anymore, and he felt loved and appreciated.

It's an honor to present the induction for Daniel Johnston, to Daniel siblings, Margie and Dick Johnston.

Anybody out there from Hancock County or Chester West Virginia.

This is an amazing thing, and I thank all the people that make this possible to honor dan in this way.

I'm here tonight as an ambassador for my brother, Daniel Johnston.

In his honor, I'm wearing I've chosen to wear his favorite color, yellow, and I've chosen to wear the kind of attire that he would wear if he were here tonight to accept his award.

He would wear tennis shoes, sweat pants and a T shirt.

So Dan had a creative urge from a very young age, and he couldn't be squelched even by his journey into mental illness, he shared that journey through his songs and his drawings with raw honesty.

He shared his experience and his struggle, his pain and his joy and the things that he shared, the message that he gave has touched so many people, as his caregiver, I read his fan letters to him, and letter after letter went something like this, I listen to your music, And I don't feel alone anymore, and I think I can make it now.

Daniel, in my mind, was a prophet and a messenger for our world and for our time, and his beautiful message was this simple, hope never ends, and Love is the answer.

You know, Dan always wanted to be famous.

He told us when he was very.

Young, I'm going to be f.. room, you know.

But I think he would be thrilled tonight.

I mean, how can you deny that he is now famous when he's being inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame?

I feel like his spirit is here and he is somewhere, yep, jumping back there and being just in a joyful, happy, his happy soul, one of his songs.

And I think it's very meaningful to him that he's in a hall of fame in his favorite state, his home state of West Virginia.

I'm going to quote one of his song lyrics.

It goes like this, I'm a baby in my universe.

I'll live forever.

And you know what?

I believe Dan will live forever.

He's in every song and every drawing that he's shared with the world, Dan, you will not be forgotten.

You You know, there's a common thread among all these presentations and all these testimonies that their experiences in West Virginia, and that is growing up here, we were sheltered from some of the craziness going on in the rest of the world, maybe not all of it, but most of it.

And so we had something to offer when we went out into the wild, wicked world, and Dan saw himself as somebody having something to say, something to share of value and to tell you the truth.

When he first played his songs for me in 1981 sitting at the piano, I thought, these are really, really good, but I don't think anybody's ever going to listen to them.

And eventually I thought, well, people will cover his songs, but no, they wanted to hear his raw angst and and something that it's hard for an artist to cover, which is his personal pain and feelings.

And as Margie said, a lot of people relate to that, because life isn't easy and we would live in an age with more challenges and pitfalls.

I'm happy to say that one of the things that we were able to do while Dan was still alive was create a foundation for to promote mental health awareness.

We call this the Hi, how are you?

Foundation and it.org they do tremendous things.

We have a concert every year.

We've had shows in Australia and Ireland and it we are well funded.

We are connected into college campuses through the American college communities, campus communities, and we offer films to employers about how to spot problems and what you might do about it, and the same kind of advice healthy habits that you could take on as a student that will carry you through life and maybe keep you from going down that Dark side alley that that Dan found himself in at times.

I want to point out real quick, Dan wasn't always crazy.

I don't want him to be known for that.

It was, it was a, it was a, a trial for him, but, but he wasn't always that way.

Another thing is, Dan couldn't do, couldn't have accomplished what he did, except that people saw his worth and stepped out of the woodwork to help in some big way.

And a lot of those people are here tonight, people who wrote saw.

Songs with him, as we heard about these songwriting experiences, Tom bruta and Ron Harris and Kevin still and others would come sit in the basement or home and they would have five minute songwriting contest.

They were given a word in five minutes to come up with a song.

And you'd be amazed at some of the amazing stuff they came up with, but that was kind of like a training ground for the things that he would do later, or just getting it out of yourself, expressing what, what is that thing that you're experiencing that needs to be put in Word, into words and into music.

The Daniel experience is multi generational.

It anybody who was in their teens in the 80s, to anybody who's in their teens today, can appreciate him, and maybe you learned some lessons from him about being genuine and authentic in your song writing, if you're a songwriter, but more than that, that, like Margie said, that you don't feel alone in the world when you find yourself in those spots.

So he had over 550 published songs, and among the cassettes that he left behind in his archive, there's probably another 550 I don't know that we're going to publish them all, but we do try to perpetuate its legacy by releasing his albums now On LPS all over again, isn't it wonderful, and adding tracks to them that are from the era of those particular albums that we've discovered had not been included on previous albums and stuff.

And so there's lots of good things happening.

And just this month, just to sell it, Rizzoli publication, this is their second book of his art.

If you haven't experienced his art as well as music, I invite you to do that, because it is a journey on its own.

But thank you so much.

Like Margie said, Dan would have been honored and pleased to be here, and we now in his place, are honored by that.

Thank you so much.

Good night.

I promise you, this has been worth every minute of the wait, joined now by his band, including son, Spencer and Sammy.

Here's Jeff Tweedy.

You It's a cold hard world, it's a cold hard world.

It's a cold hard world.

Oh, no, I heard red Donley say it was on the news today.

It's a cold, hard world.

It's a cold, hard world.

It's hiking across the country looking for a bad to eat.

You'd be surprised at the angles and the people you need.

It's rolling down that highway with eyes fixed straight ahead a caravan of cars to bury the dead.

Soda Can cans and pop bottles find the streets like flowers instead.

A man gave me a ride.

I said, this industrial waste sure stinks.

He said, I like that smell because that's the smell of money.

I said, Well, Mister Money stinks too.

It's a cold hard world, it's a cold hard world.

It's a cold hard world.

Oh, no.

I met a farmer.

He said, You never forget burning flesh and a librarian.

Do you have a card here?

I've been coming.

Here for weeks, you recognize me by now, I've checked out a million books just to get you to notice me.

It's a cold hard word.

It's a cold hard word.

It's cold, hard.

Oh no, somebody's house burns.

Do somebody's hug cow fell off.

Somebody's soul got lost.

Somebody's heart got broke.

I heard red Donley say it was on the news today.

It's a cold hard word, it's a cold hard word, it's a cold hard word.

Oh no, it's a cold hard world.

It's a cold hard it's a cold hard world.

Oh no, it's cold hard.

It's a cold, hard word.

It's a cold Oh no.

I try to remember, but my feelings can't know for sure.

I try to reach out, but it's gone.

Lucky Star, in your eyes, I am walking the cow.

Lucky Star in your eyes.

I really don't know came in here.

I really don't know here, I try to point my finger, but the wind was blowing me around in circles, circles, lucky stars in your eyes.

I am walking the cow lucky star.

I really don't know what I have to fear.

I really don't know what I have to care.

The cow monkey stars in your eyes.

Bucha I, true love will find you in.

In the end, you're gonna find out just who was your friend.

Don't be sad.

I know you will.

Oh, I don't give up until true love will find you in the end.

This is a promise with their catch.

Only if you're looking can it find you, cause true love is searching too.

How can it recognize you?

Unless you step out into light, the light, don't be sad.

I know you will, but don't give up until true love will find you In the end.

Oh, oh, don't be sad.

I know you will.

Don't give up until true love will find you in the end.

I don't be sad.

I know you will.

Don't give up until true love.

Find you in the end you All right, folks, how about that?

How about tonight?

I mean, really, hello, a million dollars worth of talent on stage here tonight.

Not only that, it shows the great variety of music that makes America great.

Before we close tonight's celebration, we want to take a moment to recognize the inductees who have left us since our last ceremony, as well as behind the scenes fixture, who was the instrumental?

Who was instrumental in producing each one of our Previous ceremonies?

Let's honor those we lost.

Please.

You.

Julianna, I hope you've had as much fun as I have had, and I know you have.

I want to thank you for sharing the stage with me.

Oh, thank you, Ray.

I have to say this has been certainly the most interesting night of my life.

I think I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and not believe that any of this really happened.

I hope somebody.

Took pictures.

Oh, they do.

Everybody's got a phone.

Thanks to everyone.

Yes.

Thank you everyone.

It has been a pleasure, and congrats again.

Ray on your Spirit Award.

And most importantly of all, as Ray mentioned before, without you, there is no music.

Thank you to everyone who joined us here tonight, as well as all of you who are watching at home, mountain stage.

Mountain stage is known all over the world, ladies and gentlemen, presenting some of the great Americana and roots music.

I want to thank our event sponsors, the tri state roofing and sheet metal, the tri state roofing and sheet metal company and the Spartan Foundation, and, of course, the freshwater Family Foundation.

I want to say a big howdy to the freshwater Foundation, and we'll be playing a show at their play place later in the year, and the HD media without these folks, we all would be here, and they all wouldn't get out to the rest of the world.

Thank you also to the amazing staff and crew of West Virginia Public Broadcasting's video production department.

Chris Oxley, our director, thank you to the staff here at the Culture Center theater, all the work they have done for all of us tonight, guys, I hate to say it, without their help, we would not even be able to walk out on stage.

And to the Hall of Fame board members, volunteers and staff who work to make this show possible.

And now one final thank you to the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame's founder and executive director celebrating 20 years of the Music Hall of Fame his 10th induction ceremony, and he's been an organizer and guitar player on every one of these shows.

Make a welcome.

Big hand for Michael Lipton, welcome to Okay, everyone now we're going to bring out as many guests as this stage can possibly hold for one more number.

Thank you all again for coming.

I'm going to turn it over once again to Hall of Famer Larry gross to take us home.

We're going to finish it up with the song I bet you all know.

It was recorded by the valentinos, written by Bobby Shirley Womack.

And then the Rolling Stones took it, and they made a big hit out of it.

We're gonna end it up with it.

Used to love her, but it's all over now.

Take it over.

Tell my baby used to stay out All night, long, friendly.

She made me cry.

I John Ellison, gonna do it first right now, Will used to run around, spend All my money.

Is all over now.

Now Michael lifting on the guitar.

Take it over.

Jim O'Brien on the pillow one more time.

Of us.

Bob Thompson on the piano.

Randy Gil came back there.

Used to wake up every morning she'd run still trying to take me Oh, because I used to love her.

Love Her last time, because I used to love her.

Welcome.

Thank you, all you.