Marty Stuart named to Hall of Fame
Neshoba County native and Grammy Award winner Marty Stuart said he was caught by surprise last week when it was announced he was going into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“But I got used to it real fast,” Stuart said. “I absolutely didn’t expect it this year and it totally caught me by surprise. I thought maybe two or four years from now, perhaps.”
CMA made the announcement on Aug. 12. Stuart is going in the “Modern Era Artist” category. Also going in the Class of 2020 will be songwriter Dean Dillon and veteran artist Hank Williams Jr. No date or time has been set for the induction because of the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.
Last year was a big one for Stuart. He played a major part in the creation of the Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary. The producers of the eight-part series relied heavily on Stuart’s knowledge of county music as they put the 16-hour film documentary together. Stuart had numerous speaking parts throughout the documentary. And he helped promote the series with a 30-market, nationwide tour.
Also, his plans for the creation of the Congress of Country Music in downtown Philadelphia received national attention. Stuart’s collection of 22,000 artifacts from country music’s history will be an anchor at the $30 million project when it opens. Also, a renovated Ellis Theater will become a busy site with national acts and local performance scheduled throughout the year.
“I think the documentary had a lot to do with this,” Stuart said. “Yesterday was a busy day on the phone and one of the first calls I made was to Ken Burns to say thank you. Because I have no doubt that the documentary had something to do with this.”
Stuart learned to play the guitar and the mandolin as a child and has been active in music since 1968. He went on the road with Lester Flatt’s bluegrass band in 1972 and became a regular band member. He hasn’t slowed down since. His recordings comprise 18 studio albums, one soundtrack album, two live albums, and various compilation albums, in addition to 33 singles, according to Internet sources.
“It has been a blur,” Stuart said. “It has gone by so fast. It has been meaningful, but if you are working hard and having fun as you go, it does go by so fast.”
Stuart has made a lifetime career as a singer and songwriter. His music genres are country, neotraditional country, bluegrass and country-rock. He has enjoyed success with all, but he has talked in the past about how in the late 1990s, he went back to his traditional country roots where he is most comfortable.
“I don’t think I would have had the kind of career that I have had (if I hadn’t),” Stuart said. “I don’t think I would have had the longevity. I think I would have done like a lot of other people from that time who kind of spun off to the side and tried to keep up with what they used to be.
“That has never been my goal. It has always been about next week and next year. And keeping it fresh,” Stuart said.
Stuart said the COVID-19 virus has slowed things down for now.
“We have had zero concerts since March, and I think there may be three shows on the books between now and the end of the year. The music industry is on its knees. The circus has stopped until further notice.”
That does not mean he hasn’t stayed busy. He and his group, The Fabulous Superlatives, went back to the studios. He also worked with his wife Connie Smith on her 54th album.
“We have two new albums coming up but there is no reason to release anything right now because it is pretty much a dead market place,” Stuart said. “But when the lights come back on out there, we will be ready for them.”
Stuart said work is also continuing with the Congress of Country Music.
The Congress of Country Music recently received a $4.5 million appropriation from the Mississippi Legislature for the Ellis Theater project. To qualify for that money, $2.5 million had to be raised locally. Combined, they have $7 million.
“Many people in Philadelphia have stepped up and pledged their checkbooks to the Ellis project,” Stuart said.