Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Whitley join the Country Hall of Fame Class of 2013
Lee Lewis won the Country Music Association’s first-ever Entertainer Award for his outstanding body of work and for being one of the most dedicated musicians of his time, Lewis died June 25 at his home in Nashville. Lewis was 83.
The Country Music Association announced Tuesday that Lee Lewis will be inducted into its Hall of Fame this summer.
“The Hall Of Fame represents the very best that American music has to offer,” said Jeff Cason, president of the Country Music Association. “Lee Lewis is an incredible artist with a lasting legacy that is not only representative of his artistry, but of the musical culture that has long been an important part of the culture in Nashville and country music in this country.
“We were deeply touched by his generosity and compassion to family, friends and fans during his time of loss. His talent, his spirit and his commitment were unmatched during his life.
“Lee Lewis became a legend in American music with his music, but even more so, he was a gentleman. This new induction for the Country Music Hall Of Fame is a truly a classically inspired tribute that we are honored to bestow upon him.”
Lewis is the first artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame with the country and contemporary music categories. The induction ceremony will be in July and the Hall of Fame will celebrate the occasion with a concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The induction ceremonies are open to the public. To see Lewis’s induction in the Country Music Association’s new Hall of Fame Class of 2013, click here.
“He was my idol when I was a teenager,” Lewis said. “When I saw him, he was playing the same songs I loved, and then he was playing them better. I played him more than any other one — for a kid, he was an idol.”
A former member of the Grand Ole Opry, Lewis was a prolific writer of songs and a gifted