Nashville-based pop artist Ben Folds, who notably helped save Music Row’s Studio A; Brenda Lee, who is known as “Little Miss Dynamite and of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” fame; Grand Ole Opry member Jeannie Seely; and GRAMMY-winning artist and comedian Ray Stevens will receive stars on the Music City Walk of Fame during an induction ceremony on Aug. 21, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. in Music City Walk of Fame Park, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced. The event is free and open to the public.
“This summer’s Music City Walk of Fame inductees reflect the incredible breadth of the many musical gifts Nashville has sent out into the world,” Mayor David Briley said. “Ben Folds’ sharp songwriting and piano playing, the vibrant voice Brenda Lee started sharing with country music fans as a teenager, the great vocals and stage presence that Jeannie Seely has brought to the Grand Ole Opry for 50 years, and Ray Stevens’ witty lyrics and memorable songs are all testimonials to the magic that happens every day in Music City.”
The inductees will receive the 81st, 82nd, 83rd and 84th stars on the Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song or other industry collaboration.
Multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter/producer Ben Folds’ genre-bending body of music spans the musical spectrum from pop to classical. An artistic advisor at the Kennedy Center, Folds actively tours the world performing with orchestras and as a pop artist. He frequently appears in film and TV, was a judge for five seasons on the critically-acclaimed NBC show “The Sing Off,” is an avid photographer, is a leading national advocate for arts funding in our schools and music therapy and is currently writing his first book. He also earned international praise for raising awareness that led to the saving of the famed historic RCA Studio A on Music Row from demolition.
Folds and his friends from CAKE are co-headlining a mini-tour in August that will bring them to Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater at 7 p.m. on the evening of the Walk of Fame ceremony. Folds will take the stage for a high energy performance of his hits and new songs, accompanied by a uniquely configured band that will include percussion, cello and bass harmonica. Tickets for the Aug. 21 show are available.
Brenda Lee has been a superstar since childhood, selling more than 100 million units of music globally. She released her first single when she was only 11 years old, shared the stage of the Grand Ole Opry with Elvis Presley at 12 and watched The Beatles open for her on tour in Europe before she turned 20. The GRAMMY nominee’s biggest single was “I’m Sorry” in 1960, which went on to sell more than 20 million copies. She is the only female member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry for 51 years, Jeannie Seely’s recordings have spanned six decades. She was a prolific songwriter, and she earned a GRAMMY for her recording of “Don’t Touch Me” in 1967. A country music legend and trailblazer, Seely became the first female to regularly host segments of the weekly Opry shows and is credited for being the first to wear a mini-skirt on the Opry stage. She hosted a show on the Armed Forces Network, wrote a book and starred in several major stage productions.
Twelve-time nominated and two-time GRAMMY winner Ray Stevens has spanned the generations with 60 years of comedic musical talent, including songs such as his multi-million selling hit “The Streak” and his classic pop standard “Everything Is Beautiful.” Throughout his career, Stevens has sold more than 40 million albums and continues daily office operations at his home base, Ray Stevens Music, located on Nashville’s historic Music Row. Stevens hosts Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville, a 30-minute weekly music/talk show airing on public television. The music legend recently opened his very own Nashville entertainment venue, the CabaRay Showroom, a 35,000-square-foot music venue where Stevens performs weekly live concerts.
The Music City Walk of Fame was created in 2006 on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one-mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Permanent sidewalk medallions with the names of the inductees are displayed in a star-and-guitar design.
The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, and is produced with the support of founding sponsor Gibson Brands and additional sponsors that include the City of Nashville, Metro Parks and Recreation and Bridgestone Arena. Nominations are open to the public and are accepted in the categories of Artist, Musician, Songwriter, and Producer/Music Industry Executive. Application forms are reviewed by the Music City Walk of Fame anonymous selection committee. For more information about the Music City Walk of Fame, go to visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame.
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