Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet & The Stanley Brothers Inducted Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame [Recap]

Last night (Oct. 18), another star-studded Medallion Ceremony took place at the Country Music Hall…

Pictured (L-R): Paul Overstreet, Ralph Stanley II, Lisa Stanley Marshall, Jeanie Stanley Allinder and Tim McGraw in the Hall of Fame Rotunda. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Last night (Oct. 18), another star-studded Medallion Ceremony took place at the Country Music Hall of Fame as Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and The Stanley Brothers became the 159th, 160th and 161st members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Following remarks from the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Kyle Young , the CMA’s Sarah Trahern and the Hall’s Circle Guard’s Jody Williams , each inductee was celebrated with performances of songs that defined their careers.

Vince Gill, Jeanie Stanley, Lisa Stanley, Ralph Stanley II and Museum CEO, Kyle Young on stage during the Medallion Ceremony. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Stanley Brothers, inducted into the Veterans Era Artist category, were the first to be honored. Born in southwestern Virginia, Ralph and Carter Stanley pioneered the sound of modern day Bluegrass music, taking inspiration from the Monroe Brothers, the Grand Ole Opry and the Carter Family. Carter, the main vocalist, wrote many bluegrass standards, such as “The White Dove” and “The Lonesome River.” Ralph provided harmonies and top-tier banjo playing. Following Carter’s death in 1966, Ralph kept their band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, going for another 50 years.

Billy Strings was first to honor the duo with “How Mountain Girls Can Love." Country Music Hall of Fame members Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs offered “Rank Stranger,” and the First Ladies of Bluegrass sang “Bound to Ride.” Gill presented the medallion to their children, Ralph Stanley II, Lisa Stanley Marshall and Jeanie Stanley Allinder . They shared their gratitude for the country music industry’s conscious dedication to keeping their fathers’ memory and music alive.

Paul Overstreet speaks during the Medallion Ceremony. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Overstreet was next to be honored in the Songwriter category. The Mississippi native moved to Nashville in 1973. Since then, Overstreet has crafted modern country classics for many artists, including Kenny Chesney, George Jones, the Judds, Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker and Keith Whitley. He is the only person to be named the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year five consecutive times. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, and his songs have since amassed more than 50 million U.S. broadcast performances. As an artist, he also found success at the top of the charts. As part of S-K-O, he earned a No. 1 hit with “I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love,” and as a solo artist, Overstreet topped the charts with “Daddy’s Come Around.”

To honor Overstreet, Country Music Hall of Fame member Dean Dillon performed “If I Could Bottle This Up,” Jamey Johnson offered a rendition of “Forever and Ever, Amen” and Blake Shelton sang “Some Beach.” Tanya Tucker presented the medallion, sharing stories of her longstanding friendship with the Overstreet family. Overstreet shared his appreciation for his family’s sacrifice through the years, the people that helped him behind the scenes during his early years and all of the artists who have believed in his songs.

Randy Owen and Tim McGraw during the Medallion Ceremony. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Lastly, McGraw was inducted in the Modern Era Artist category.

On May 9, 1989, McGraw arrived on a Greyhound bus in Nashville, the same day his country music hero Keith Whitley died. He spent years playing gigs in Printers Alley before landing his first record deal with Curb Records. His 1994 sophomore album Not A Moment Too Soon topped both the country and pop charts and became the year’s best-selling country album due to “Indian Outlaw,” a song he first heard the first night he came to town while hanging out at the Hall of Fame Motor Inn. He moved from Curb Records to Big Machine Records in 2012 after a protracted legal battle. Over the course of his career, the northeast Louisiana native has earned 11 Platinum or multi-Platinum albums, over 60 top ten country hits and 29 No. 1 country singles. He has recorded award-winning duets with wife Faith Hill , including the chart-topping hit “It’s Your Love.” As an actor, he starred in the television series 1883 and in such Hollywood films as Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side . He was named the CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2001.

Parker McCollum honored McGraw with a rendition of “Don’t Take The Girl,” Lady A stunned the crowd with “Live Like You Were Dying,” and fellow Louisiana native Lainey Wilson offered “Just To See You Smile.” Randy Owen presented McGraw with his medallion. McGraw shared his gratitude for his mother, Betty D'Agostino Trimble , who he praised as being “the one who stayed.” He also thanked his wife, his daughters, Gracie, Maggie and Audrey , and every member of his team throughout the years.

Connie Smith, Randy Travis, Randy Owen, Tim McGraw and Paul Overstreet. Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

McGraw took a moment to reflect on the well-known story of his arrival in Nashville, sharing that the news of losing Whitley that morning taught him early that the people who make it in the music business are willing to give everything they have for this dream. He also noted that this moment felt even more full-circle as he recently realized that Whitley learned to sing from The Stanley Brothers, and Overstreet penned one of his most enduring hits, “When You Say Nothing At All.”

“The Stanley Brothers gave Keith his voice, Paul gave Keith his song, and Keith, without ever knowing it, gave me my first ever lesson in this town. I can’t tell you what it means to walk into this Hall on the same night as the men whose fingerprints were on my very first day here” he shared.

The evening concluded with a moving all-star performance of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” led by Country Music Hall of Fame member Patty Loveless .

The Medallion All-Star Band consisted of Mark Beckett (drums), Jen Gunderman (keyboards), Tania Hancheroff (vocals), Alison Prestwood (bass), Deanie Richardson (fiddle and mandolin), Scotty Sanders (steel guitar), Biff Watson (bandleader and acoustic guitar), Jeff White (acoustic guitar and vocals) and Charlie Worsham (electric guitar and vocals).