Music City Walk of Fame Unveiling and Induction Ceremony

On Saturday, November 4th, 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame was unveiled for the first time and its inaugural inductees were honored. The inductees included: Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, Roy Orbison , Fisk Jubilee Singers, and Kenneth D. Schermerhorn.

"The Music Mile" is roughly a one-mile stretch, which connects downtown to Music Row. Along the mile when you head west from the Schermerhorn Symphony Center you will encounter the Country Music Hall of Fame, Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Musicians Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and the soon to be Gospel Hall of Fame.

Keep walking on down the mile and you will soon come across the Frist Center for the visual arts, and new entertainment, restaurants and shopping along Demonbruen St and the Music Row Roundabout.

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc, the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sponsors for the Music Mile include Gibson Guitar, GAC, and the city of Nashville and Metro Parks.

Reba McEntire was among one of the firsts to receive her platinum-and-granite, star-and-guitar sidewalk marker. Reba has been the leading lady of country music for the last 20 years. Her recording efforts have included 33 #1 songs, 30 albums with sales of 50 million, countless shows and performances and many awards including CMA Entertainer Of the Year make Reba a top choice for the Music Mile. Reba is not only a musician but also an actress with her own sitcom entitled Reba, which is in its 6th season. She has also performed on Broadway and appeared in feature films, videos and network television specials.

Ronnie Milsap is the pre-eminent country soul singer of his generation; he provided country music with one of its most important voices, as the genre was moving beyond its rural roots into the mainstream of modern entertainment. His track record speaks loud and clear: 40 # 1 singles, over 25 million records sold, seven Grammy Awards, four Academy of Country Music Awards, and eight Country Music Association Awards. Ronnie Milsap is one of the best-loved and most enduring artists in country music history.

The husband and wife team of Boudleaux & Felice Bryant are generally considered the first writers to move to Nashville to make their living solely as songwriters. Bryant's catalog has an impressive 800 unique songs recorded by thousands of artists. They wrote some of the most enduring songs of the 1950s and 1960s, including many of the Everly Brothers' biggest hits ("Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up Little Susie," "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and "Love Hurts") as well as the Tennessee anthem "Rocky Top." Boudleaux Bryant died in 1987, Felice Bryant in 2003.

The Fisk Jubilee Singers were founded in 1871. The young men and women of this acapella ensemble - students of Fisk University in Nashville - have served as cultural ambassadors, transcending time and race through their stirring performances. The nine original members introduced 'slave songs' to the world with tours spanning the US and abroad. They broke racial barriers in the late 19th century as they entertained American presidents and European royalty. The Fisk Jubilee Singers, currently numbering 20 members, are celebrating their 135th anniversary this year.

Roy Orbison is one of the founding fathers of Rock n Roll. He became one of the most distinctive voices in popular music with his four-octave range. Over four decades he created the soundtrack for millions of lives with songs like "Only The Lonely," "Running Scared," "Crying" "Oh Pretty Woman," "Handle With Care" and "You Got It." In tribute to his wide-ranging influence are multiple Grammy Awards and memberships in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. When Roy Orbison died in 1988, he had two albums in the top 5, one with the Traveling Wilburys and a solo effort.

Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn, the Nashville Symphony's music director and conductor which led the orchestra to national and international prominence during a remarkable 22-year tenure. A professional musician by the age of 14, he studied with, and served as assistant to, Leonard Bernstein. Maestro Schermerhorn joined the Nashville Symphony in 1983; under his leadership, the Symphony recorded Grammy-nominated CDs that broke international sales records and undertook its first East Coast tour, which culminated in a stunning debut at Carnegie Hall in 2000.

While downtown, be sure to stop by and look at the first stars on the Music Mile. There will be two ceremonies every year to induct new members.

Article Written & Submitted by Nora Mayor