The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame
Paperback
160 pages. •. 8.5 x 11 ISBN 9781681792637 Suggested Retail Price $19.95 |
By Bill O'Neal & Tommie Ritter Smith
When it comes to music, Texas has a rich history, but especially in the world of country music. The genre was born out of the trials and tribulations of the working man and includes a number of influences that include the blues, Southern gospel, folk music, western and more. Many of the biggest names in the genre have hailed from the Lone Star State including the likes of Willie Nelson, Jim Reeves, George Jones and Tanya Tucker, just to name a few of the many icons. The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame came about due to the hard work and visionary thinking of the folks in Carthage, Texas, which is where the Hall of Fame is located. Carthage and Panola County is the hometown of several county music stars including Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves and Linda Davis. The effort to establish the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame was initiated in 1998 to celebrate the contributions of Texans to the country music profession. The project highlights those individuals, living or dead, who are recognized nationally as outstanding in their field. The museum has grown into a multi-million-dollar, state of the art facility that allows visitors to celebrate and explore the rich and vibrant history of country music. |
About the Authors
Bill O’Neal is the award-winning author of more than fifty books, including biographies of Tex Ritter and the Sons of the Pioneers. In addition, bill has appeared in television documentaries on CMT, History Channel, A&E, Learning Channel, TBS, and American Heroes Channel. Following Bill’s appointment by Governor Rick Perry as State Historian of Texas, he has traveled tens of thousands of miles across the Lone Star State as an ambassador for Texas history and culture. Bill enjoyed a long career on the history faculty at Panola College in Carthage, and in 2013 Panola’s new dormitory was named Bill O’Neal Hall. That same year, he received an honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from his alma mater, Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Tommie Ritter Smith, like Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, and Linda Davis, is a native of Panola County. Tommie grew up in a musical family, and as a young lady, she visited the Reo Palm Isle, Billy Bob’s Texas, Gilley’s, and other important country music venues throughout Texas. For nearly three decades, Tommie has dreamed and worked to create a museum in her hometown that would honor the country musicians of Texas. Traveling from Nashville to Branson to Hollywood and points in between, Tommie became personally acquainted with a significant number of country artists and executives. Since 1998 Tommie has organized major concerts at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, and she has collected a massive amount of memorabilia for display at the TCMHOF.
Tommie Ritter Smith, like Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, and Linda Davis, is a native of Panola County. Tommie grew up in a musical family, and as a young lady, she visited the Reo Palm Isle, Billy Bob’s Texas, Gilley’s, and other important country music venues throughout Texas. For nearly three decades, Tommie has dreamed and worked to create a museum in her hometown that would honor the country musicians of Texas. Traveling from Nashville to Branson to Hollywood and points in between, Tommie became personally acquainted with a significant number of country artists and executives. Since 1998 Tommie has organized major concerts at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, and she has collected a massive amount of memorabilia for display at the TCMHOF.