The Country Music Association announced the inductees to the 2022 Country Music Hall of Fame on Tuesday morning (May 17). Iconic country duo Brooks & Dunn revealed this year’s inductees during a livestreamed announcement. The inductees are music executive Joe Galante (Non-Performer Category), singer and pianist Jerry Lee Lewis (Veterans Era Artist) and singer-songwriter Keith Whitley (Artist of the modern era). “Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is country music’s highest honor, and new members are elected each year by an anonymous panel of industry leaders chosen by the Country Music Association (CMA)”, according to the Hall of Fame.
“This year’s inductees are trailblazers who have each blazed their own unique path within country music,” Sarah Trahern, the CMA chief executive said in a statement. “Jerry Lee, Keith and Joe each found their musical calling very early in life and demonstrated a strong and fierce passion for creating music. In very different ways, they all left a lasting impact on the industry and on generations of fans. I am delighted to welcome this deserving class to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Both Galante and Lewis said they were honored and touched to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, which will take place at a formal induction ceremony this fall. Lorrie Morgan spoke on behalf of Whitley, her late husband who died in 1989. She said Whitley would be “absolutely blown away” and “he deserves to be here”.
