Future Country Legends provides insight into the Country Music Hall of Fame induction process and highlights the next generation of legends.

Complete List of Country Music Hall of Fame Members
The Hall of Fame Induction Process Explained
Artists Eligible in the Modern Era Category
Artists Eligible in the Veterans Era Category
Future Eligibility Dates for the Hall of Fame
Using CMA and ACM Awards as a Predictor for the Hall of Fame

From the creators of Future Rock Legends, Future Hip Hop Legends, and Future Football Legends


Future Country Legends is not affiliated with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

What are people talking about?

About Johnny Cash, Johnny wrote:
Here are some more songs I wanna add to this potential Important Songs List for FCL:

51: Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Guns to Town (1958)
52: Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone (1958)
53: Juice Newton - Break It to Me Gently (1982)
54: Juice Newton - Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me (1982)
55: Rodney Crowell - After All This Time (1988)
56: Ronnie Milsap - Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me) (1989)
Friday, 03/15/2024 @ 15:42pm

About Johnny Cash, Johnny wrote:
What's going on, folks? I wanna invite you to help me create an Important Songs List for Future Country Legends. Here's a list of 50 songs I wanna start with (in chronological order):

1: Carter Family - Can the Circle Be Unbroken (1935)
2: Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart (1953)
3: The Davis Sisters - I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know (1953)
4: Webb Pierce - There Stands the Glass (1953)
5: Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
6: Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line (1956)
7: Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight (1957)
8: Faron Young - Hello Walls (1961)
9: Patsy Cline - Crazy (1961)
10: Buck Owens and the Buckaroos - Act Naturally (1963)
11: Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (1963)
12: Tammy Wynette - Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad (1967)
13: Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe (1967)
14: Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)
15: Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man (1968)
16: Charley Pride - Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone (1970)
17: John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (1971)
18: Charley Pride - Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' (1971)
19: John Denver - Rocky Mountain High (1972)
20: John Denver - Sunshine on My Shoulders (1973)
21: Dolly Parton - Jolene (1973)
22: John Denver - Thank God I'm a Country Boy (1974)
23: Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way (1975)
24: Kenny Rogers - Lucille (1977)
25: Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again (1977)
26: Waylon Jennings - Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) (1977)
27: Johnny Paycheck - Take This Job and Shove It (1977)
28: Kenny Rogers - The Gambler (1978)
29: Rodney Crowell - I Ain't Living Long Like This (1978)
30: Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down to Georgia (1979)
31: George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980)
32: Willie Nelson - On the Road Again (1980)
33: Waylon Jennings - Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) (1980)
34: Crystal Gayle - Too Many Lovers (1980)
35: Eddie Rabbitt - I Love a Rainy Night (1980)
36: David Allan Coe - Tennessee Whiskey (1981)
37: The Oak Ridge Boys - Elvira (1981)
38: Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache (1981)
39: Crystal Gayle - You Never Gave Up on Me (1981)
40: John Conlee - I Don't Remember Loving You (1982)
41: Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard - Pancho & Lefty (1983)
42: Hank Williams Jr. - All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight (1984)
43: George Strait - Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (1984)
44: The Judds - Mama He's Crazy (1984)
45: The Judds - Why Not Me (1984)
46: John Schneider - What's a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This) (1985)
47: Dwight Yoakam - Honky Tonk Man (1986)
48: Reba McEntire - Whoever's in New England (1986)
49: George Strait - All My Ex's Live in Texas (1987)
50: Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places (1990)

I hope this list is approved by the administrators of Future Country Legends, and I hope my fellow FCL members will join me in the creation of an Important Songs List. Have a good day, everybody.
Tuesday, 03/5/2024 @ 16:23pm

About Margo Smith, J.W. wrote:
RIP Margo Smith
Wednesday, 02/7/2024 @ 10:07am

About Toby Keith, J.W. wrote:
RIP Toby Keith
Tuesday, 02/6/2024 @ 05:55am

About Donna Fargo, James Moody wrote:
Donna Fargo was one of my favorite singers for years & when my daughter & I had the unforeseen opportunity to talk to her she was a remarkably down-to-earth & friendly person. She definitely should be in the Country Music HOF!
Saturday, 01/20/2024 @ 17:00pm

About Gene Watson, Sean Brady - Original Gene Watson Fan Site wrote:
With a career spanning sixty years, numerous hit singles and consistently tasteful album releases, Gene Watson is one of the greatest, and most respected, country music artists, the world has ever known.

Election to The Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honour an artist can be awarded within the country music genre.

The Country Music Hall of Fame recognises persons who have made outstanding contributions to the country music genre over the lengths of their careers.

The Country Music Hall of Fame honours performers, musicians, songwriters, promoters, music publishing, broadcasters and others in the music industry, reflecting country music's stature as both art and enterprise.

It is difficult to imagine the world of country music without the vast contribution which Gene Watson has made to it.

Although Gene Watson made his major record label debut on Capitol Records in 1975, it must be emphasised that Gene was working regionally as a singer as far back as the early 1960's; he did enjoy his first single on local radio in 1961, hence his impressive 60 years in the country music business.

So, Gene Watson's 'start' in country music didn't begin with Capitol Records taking him onto their roster in 1975, commencing the career we know today; Gene Watson's career in country music had already commenced in the early 1960's when he began to hone his craft as a traditional country music artist.

Gene Watson is approaching a milestone birthday in 2023 - he will be 80 years old on Wednesday 11 October - but he continues to make amazing music, releasing a new collection of music approximately every two years, while many artists his age don't record anything like that amount, and he still tours constantly.

Gene Watson has been entertaining his fans, recording on a regular basis and touring constantly for the best part of 60 years, and continues to do so.

Between his major record label debut on Capitol Records in 1975 and the present day, Gene Watson has excelled with his traditional slant within country music.

Gene Watson is a singer in country music's grand tradition and has the skill to give powerful vocal performances and draw all the emotion from his selected material effortlessly.

Gene Watson has remained true to his Texas music roots for more than 60 years and is a standard bearer for honest, traditional country music.

Following years of honing his country music craft around Texas, Gene Watson emerged on the American country music scene in July 1975.

Gene Watson immediately earned himself a reputation as one of the best of the new 'real country' singers to emerge on the scene and for adhering to a traditional country sound, characterised by prominent steel guitar and swirling fiddle.

Gene Watson is truly a 'Lone Star Hero', not just within the state boundary of Texas, but also across the United States and around the wider country music world.

The music of Gene Watson is part of the very constitution of country music.

It is in Gene Watson's country music recordings that the tradition of heartfelt, genuine country music is preserved for all time.

Gene Watson's 'Beautiful Country' speaks for itself. It is a music of the people, for the people and ultimately by one of the people.

For those of us who love traditional country music, we have a lot to be thankful to Gene Watson for.

When you consider the vast catalogue of classic country songs which Gene Watson has recorded since the early 1960's, his absence from the country music world would have left a gaping hole.

Of course, other artists could have recorded these tracks, but not with the same passion, emotion and genuine feeling which Gene Watson has brought to them.

Gene Watson is not a member of The Country Music Hall of Fame, nor has he ever been nominated to receive such a prestigious honour.

If you feel that Gene Watson should be inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame, then please sign the petition.

You are also invited to send a personal letter to The Country Music Association (CMA), stating your reasons for the Induction of Gene Watson to The Country Music Hall of Fame.

Please address your letter to:

Sara Traherne
Country Music Association
35 Music Square East
Suite 201
Nashville TN 37203
United States of America

Gene Watson deserves to be in The Country Music Hall of Fame.

Together, we can achieve this objective for our 'Lone Star Hero'!
Monday, 09/4/2023 @ 16:19pm

About Johnny Cash, Johnny wrote:
What's happening, Future Country Legends? Any word on when you might be beginning projects for Important Country Songs or Important Country Albums? I know this isn't exactly the first time I've asked you this question, but I think enough time has passed for me to ask again about the possibility of making this into a reality.

If anyone is reading this message, please let me know as soon as possible. I'd love to welcome suggestions about kickstarting these projects. Thank you for your time, and have a good night.
Thursday, 07/20/2023 @ 22:05pm

About Bobbie Gentry, Daniel wrote:
Bobbie Gentry had the first gold and million selling #1 country and pop album in 1967 with Ode to Billie Joe. She had the first gold and million selling country music duets album with Glen Campbell in 1968. Her two iconic self penned ballads: Ode to Billie Joe, 50 million records sold on over 100 covers, and Fancy, 25 million records sold on a dozen covers, are both in Rolling Stone Magazines top 100 country songs of all time issue. Her studio albums ,The Delta Sweete and PatchWork have been hailed as masterpieces by music critics. U.M.G has recently sold millions of dollars worth of her recordings sense they took over stewardship of Capitol Records. She is the first woman inducted into The Mississippi state H.O.F in 1975 and in 2020 was inducted into The Nashville Songwriters H.O.F. Lucinda Willams, Rosanne Cash, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, Shelby Lynne , Matrca Berg, Tony Joe White, Tom T. Hall : all site her as an influence.
Sunday, 04/9/2023 @ 01:34am

About Johnny Cash, BigDru wrote:
Thanks for this opportunity, it always feels good to be appreciated for Artistic Works, I have been a musician since 5 years old, I improvised my first song at 7 years old, although my mother later Banded it my being sung in her home, it gave me my foundation for song creations in 1986-87, My musical background is in Choral Music, I still create and perform Choral, RnB, Classical, Rock/Rock n Roll, Baroque, EDM, Rap/HipHop Today.
https://www.bandlab.com/bigdru
Tuesday, 03/7/2023 @ 23:17pm

About Jerry Lee Lewis, Nick wrote:
Long live the Killer, baddest man to ever take the stage.
Thursday, 02/2/2023 @ 21:11pm