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The Rockabilly Hall of
Fame was created in March of 1997 to honor the icons of rockabilly who
inspired an entire sub-culture’s birth.
Rockabilly as a musical style combined rhythm and blues with
country and created the precursor to today’s rock and roll.
Bob Timmers, the creator of the
Rockabilly Hall of Fame, presented the first certificate of induction
personally to Sarah “Tina” Craddock for her brother, Gene Vincent, on
Sunday, November 16th, 1997.
Other certificates have been sent regularly to inductees since, but
since there have not been as many records kept in regards to rockabilly as
they have to most genres of music, not all artists and influential
individuals who deserve the honor have been located and inducted.
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The Rockabilly Hall of Fame has not
become as well known as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but it is well on
its way. In the meantime,
many of the huge rockabilly stars of the past, back in the 1950’s, have
been given their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Roy Orbison was inducted in 1987, Johnny Cash in 1992, and Elvis
Presley in 1986, to name a few. Also
in 1986, Carl Perkins was awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award for Blue
Suede Shoes, a track that is often seen as a rockabilly anthem.
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame is a
small setup at this time, with little financial backing, and it continues
to struggle to get off the ground so that it can truly honor those who are
considered the fathers and promoters of rockabilly. With time and support, those artists, like The Stray Cats,
The Meteors, and The Brian Setzer Orchestra, who have recently followed in
the footsteps of the 1950’s icons, will be held in a high place within
the walls of a museum, much like the larger “hall of fame”
organizations around the world.
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