Trace Adkins was inducted Sunday, November 9, 2008 into the Music City Walk of Fame. Photo by Cheryl Ecton, GAC Staff.
Nov. 10, 2008 — Two deep-voiced male singers and a woman with a powerful stratosphere were among seven figures inducted Sunday into the Music City Walk of Fame. Trace Adkins, Randy Travis and Martina McBride helped lead the pack.
"It was unexpected," Trace said. "I never thought that I would get to do somethin' like this this early in my career — I say early, you know, [because] compared to the people that I’m associated with [at this event], I’m a newbie. All these other people have been at this a lot longer than I have been."
While the other inductees — including Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Michael McDonald and former Country Music Association executive director Jo Walker-Meador — might have started earlier than Trace, his viewpoint wasn’t much different than Martina’s.
"It’s a big honor," she told the audience at the GAC-sponsored event. "When I look at these names on the Walk of Fame and the fact that I’m included, it just means the world to me."
The Walk of Fame’s fifth induction ceremony, emceed by Bill Cody, brings the total number of stars to 31, highlighting such artists as Hank Williams, Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Barbara introduced Jo as she received her induction, while Brooks & Dunn presented Martina’s and Josh Turner handled Randy’s lead-in. Josh quoted the lyrics from a song he once wrote in honor of Randy, which he had never performed publicly. Titled "Thank That Man," it referenced such titles as "On The Other Hand," "Diggin’ Up Bones," "Written In Stone" and "Forever And Ever, Amen."
Said one verse:
Randy, no matter where you are
Your songs will always be in my heart
A hero is what you are to me
And a legend is what you’ll always be
"That’ll leave you at a loss for words," Randy observed.
"I came to Nashville and got turned down for a little over 10 years tryin’ to get signed to record labels in this city," he added. "I really just wanted to make a livin’ singin’ and writin’ songs. And so all that has come after [getting signed] has been so far beyond anything I could have dreamed about or thought of. It’s been an incredible ride."
It’s not Randy’s first star: Both he and Little Richard had stars previously embedded in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
