Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Groundbreaking Ceremony

Music, celebrities, and pageantry were the elements of the Country Music Hall of Fame groundbreaking ceremony on June 17, 1999 at 5th Avenue South and Demonbreun in downtown Nashville, TN. The ceremony took place during the 28th Annual International Country Music Fan Fair.

With Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/producer/guitarist Randy Scruggs as music director, the music intensive program had performances by Scruggs, Vince Gill, Bryan White, and Kathy Mattea. Soloists was accompanied by the Hall of Fame All-Star Band including John Jarvis, keyboards; Randy Scruggs, guitar; George Marinelli, electric guitar; Dave Pomeroy, bass; Tammy Rogers, fiddle/mandolin; Dan Dugmore, steel; and Harry Stinson, drums.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the Country Music Hall of Fame All-Guitar Marching Band under the direction of "Strum Major" Chet Atkins. Atkins and his marching guitarists lead a procession of Hall of Fame members and dignitaries. Hall of Fame attendees included Brenda Lee, Roy Horton, Earl Scruggs, Kitty Wells, Chet Atkins, Bud Wendell, and Jo Walker-Meador.

Other stars that attended included Chad Austin, Mandy Barnett, Matraca Berg, Kenny Chesney, Mark Collie, Steve Cropper, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Eric Heatherly, David Kersh, Shane McAnaly, Lila McCann, Shane Minor, Dan Seals, Jason Sellers, Felicity Urquehart, Wild Horses, The Wilkinsons, Mark Wills, and Sheb Wooley.

Speakers included Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist and Metro-Davidson County Mayor Phil Bredesen. Particpants also included MCA Records Nashville Chairman Bruce Hinton and country star Marty Stuart, respectively chairman and president of the Country Music Foundation's Trustees and Officers; E. W. "Bud" Wendell, chair, capital campaign; museum designer Ralph Appelbaum of the New York-based firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates; and Hall of Fame Director Kyle Young.

Festivities included the unveiling of a temporary sculpture, 300-feet wide by 110-feet high, designed and created especially for the occasion.

The public ceremony concluded with a finale performance of the capital campaign theme song "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," dedicated to current and future Hall of Fame members, and including the voices of Hall of Fame members and all the country luminaries present.

The groundbreaking ceremony was sponsored by Butler's Run, Morgan Keegan & Company, and Turnberry Associates.

For more information, call (615) 256-1639

The New Country Music Hall of Fame Website

The vast historical resources of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum can now be accessed by country music fans around the world through country.com.

The site, which can be accessed at www.halloffame.org, went online on June 16, 1999.

Highlights of the content to be showcased on the site include biographies and photos of all 69 Hall of Fame members, articles from the prestigious Journal of Country Music, a multimedia archive featuring vintage audio and video clips, Hall of Fame exhibit displays, and a tour of Music Row and much more.