Kenny Chesney has achieved many remarkable milestones in his career, but one dream he never imagined coming true is now a reality: he is being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“I promise you, I did not see this coming,” Chesney, 56, told a select group of about 200 people during the public announcement at the Hall of Fame rotunda in Nashville on Tuesday.
Chesney will join two other legendary figures in the Hall of Fame’s 2025 class: the late June Carter Cash, who will be honored 45 years after her husband, Johnny Cash, and producer Tony Brown, a former member of Elvis Presley’s band who became one of Nashville’s most influential producers.
In a speech standing among the plaques of his heroes, Chesney recalled the moment his dreams began. As a young boy in East Tennessee, he went with his mother and stepfather to see Alabama perform just 10 miles from his home. “I couldn’t believe they were going to play just right down the road from my house… Something happened to me that night,” he said. “There was a fire lit. Something happened in my soul that set me on this path.”
He admitted, “If you’d have told that kid that night … that this [the Hall of Fame] was going to happen, I would’ve told you that you were crazy.”
Chesney reflected on the key steps that led to his success: learning guitar, playing in a college bluegrass band, moving to Nashville, signing a publishing deal, and eventually securing a record deal. His career has since skyrocketed, with 23 chart-topping singles, 16 platinum albums, and four CMA Entertainer of the Year awards. He remains a top draw, filling stadiums as the leader of his fan group, No Shoes Nation.
Chesney expressed pride in joining three fellow East Tennesseans in the Hall of Fame: guitarist-producer Chet Atkins, country legend Dolly Parton, and songwriter Dean Dillon. “My grandparents lived on the same street that Chet Atkins grew up on,” he shared. “I rode my bicycle past that property all the time. To know that I’m going in with Dolly Parton is a huge deal for me … and also, I don’t have a brother in life, but if I did, it would be Dean Dillon.”
For weeks, Chesney had been aware of his honor, but the announcement allowed him to fully appreciate the moment. “I know it’s not a dream,” he said. “It’s real, and it feels so real.”
June Carter Cash’s children, Carlene Carter, 69, and John Carter Cash, 55, were present to accept the honor on behalf of their late mother, who passed away in 2003. “Everyone’s surprised when they find out that she wasn’t in,” Carlene Carter told People. “She may not have had the hits, but she touched so many people. She did so much with music.”
The delay in Carter Cash’s induction was partly due to the overshadowing fame of her husband, Johnny Cash. As emcee Vince Gill pointed out, Johnny once said that June was one of the most overlooked artists in country music. “Sadly, I think her contributions to country music will go under-recognized simply because she’s my wife,” Johnny had said.
Vince Gill, who introduced June Carter Cash, celebrated her multifaceted career, which included early performances with the Carter Family, writing songs like the iconic “Ring of Fire,” and mentoring future stars like Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. Even in her later years, she won Grammy Awards for her traditional recordings.
Carlene Carter expressed her emotional reaction to the news. “I didn’t know what to do with myself, honestly,” she said, “But at the same time, I felt this huge warm thing in my chest because Mom so deserved it.”
John Carter Cash spoke about his mother’s spiritual nature, recalling how she would often pray quietly. “She was always in contact with the spiritual,” he said, adding that his mother would have been overjoyed by the honor.
As for their father, Johnny Cash, “He would’ve been like, ‘Well, it’s about time,'” said John, mimicking his father’s deep voice.
Producer Tony Brown, inducted in the non-performer category, also joins the 2025 class. His career, which includes work with artists like Wynonna Judd, Patty Loveless, and Reba McEntire, has made a significant impact on country music. “This is better than money,” Brown said. “This is about making an impact, and when it comes right down to it, that’s the reason we all get into this business.”
Chesney, Carter Cash, and Brown will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in a ceremony this October.
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