Felice & Boudleaux Bryant Among Music City Walk of Fame Inductees

Posted in News on November 9, 2006

In the midst of Nashville's hectic awards' season, Music Row took time Sunday, Nov. 5 to take a look back, honor an elite handful of trendsetters, and officially kick off Music City's very own Walk of Fame. Among the inaugural inductees: Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the preeminent husband and wife songwriting team, generally considered the first writers to move to Nashville with the intention of earning a living solely off their craft. Boudleaux passed away in 1987 and Felice in 2003, but their sons, BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Nashville real estate executive Dane Bryant, were on hand to celebrate the tribute on their parents' behalf.

Del (left) & Dane Bryant smile over their parents' plaque

Boudleaux and Felice's body of work reflects a quintessential partnership, and includes songs for the Everly Brothers like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up, Little Susie," along with hits for country music legends Little Jimmy Dickens, Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves. The list of icons who have recorded the Bryants' material reads like a who's who of the very canon of American music, from Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly to Dean Martin.

Hank Williams, Jr. says a few words about legend Roy Orbison

Felice Bryant was also inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in October.

Other Walk of Fame inductees included country singer Reba McEntire, affectionately dubbed the "first lady of country music"; effervescent vocalist Ronnie Milsap, who performed a vital role in introducing country music to mainstream audiences; a capella student ensemble the Fisk Jubilee Singers, which first formed in 1871 and went on to educate and entertain American presidents and European royalty with their passionate performances of traditional African-American music; American legend Roy Orbison, regarded as one of the founding fathers of rock and roll; and Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn, the beloved Nashville Symphony music director whose achievements included the first East Coast tour for the Nashville Symphony and several Grammy-nominated albums.

Del (left) & Dane Bryant accept the honor on behalf of their parents

Created earlier this year, the Music City Walk of Fame on Nashville's Music Mile will be a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration. Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile, the roughly one-mile stretch of Demonbreun Street from 4th Avenue South to the Music Row Roundabout at 16th Avenue South. The first plaques will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

The Orbison family celebrates Roy's induction with friend Hank Williams, Jr. Pictured are (l to r): son Roy Orbison Jr., wife Barbara Orbison and Hank Williams, Jr.

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc, the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar, sponsor GAC, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

The Bryants' plaque will sit in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun Avenue

A large crowd gathered downtown to mark the occasion

SOURCENews TAGS Country Pop Rock Nashville Eddy Arnold The Beatles Del Bryant Little Jimmy Dickens Roy Orbison Dolly Parton Elvis Presley Hank Williams