Ten Acts Who Belong in the Country Hall of Fame: Bill Malone (#6)

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For my last "top ten" list entry of the day I'm turning to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the glaring omissions from their hallowed walls in the rotunda. This is "clique" work at best, and deep geek interest at worst, but thanks for bearing with me. #6: Bill C. Malone Dr. Malone belongs in the Country Music Hall of Fame for one very simple reason: he wrote the book on country music. Literally. His collegiate doctrinal thesis became the legendary book Country Music USA, first published in 1968. It was the first time someone took a detailed, scholarly look at what was universally dismissed as "illiterate hick hillbilly music." In the process Dr. Malone kicked down the door for those of us scholars (real and imagined) who want to look at country music from an intellectual, historical perspective. Bill Malone did more than pave the highway for all those books on country music you see on the bookshelves at the bookstore...er...at Amazon. He had to buy the material, dig the trenches, too. And all of us who have followed in his footsteps can do nothing but say "thank you, Dr. Malone," and try to uphold the high standards that he set with that groundbreaking work. Dr. Bill C. Malone Born August 25, 1934, near Tyler, Texas Claim to fame: country music historian, author, and scholar Best work: Country Music USA Don't Get Above Your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class Here's a song by the Whitstein Brothers, who are good friends with Dr. Malone: