New Country Hall of Famers Announced

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The new list of Country Music Hall of Famers was announced today. The less I say about most of it, the better. The highlight for me, oddly enough, is the one that a lot of people are fuming about: Ray Stevens. You may or may not know Brooks & Dunn (or just know their name), and it's a safe bet you don't know who Jerry Bradley is (boy, was that a case of "sympathy voting:" his uncle, Harold Bradley, died in January), but I guaran-dang-tee you that you know Ray Stevens. DON'T LOOK, ETHEL!!!!!!! Stevens' 1974 #1 hit, "The Streak," was the first time a country comedian hit #1 on the pop charts. Selling over a million copies, it was only the second country comedy gold record ever. Additionally, Stevens' 1970 feel-good anthem "Everything Is Beautiful" won him a Grammy. Whether you remember "Guitarzan" or "Mr. Businessman," it's been a long time coming for Ray Stevens. I'm happy for him. As for the rest of the inductees...well, the Hall of Fame has to make up for getting it right last year, don't they. Ray Stevens' 1970 hit: