Nashville has welcomed four new members to the Music City Walk of Fame. Darius Rucker (lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and now a GRAMMY-winning country artist), Don McLean of “American Pie” fame, rock and roll guitarist Duane Eddy, and record-label executive Joe Galante. All four were inducted in an outdoor ceremony that highlighted their contributions to music and allowed them to choose someone special to address the crowd in their honor.
Darius Rucker, who is well-known for his deep love of sports (he’s one of the voices on ESPN’s New College Game Day theme song intro), asked one of his childhood heroes, wrestler Ric Flair, who has also now become a good friend, to do the honors.
First, announcer, WSM Radio’s Bill Cody, listed some of Rucker’s music accomplishments, noting as lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker and his GRAMMY-winning band sold more than 25-million albums with their debut record Cracked Rear View. It remains one of the top-selling studio albums of all-time. Since then, Rucker has become a GRAMMY-winning country artist, as well, with 10 No. 1 hits, so far. And his version of “Wagon Wheel,” has become one of the Top 5 best-selling country songs of all time.
With his music accomplishments already mentioned, Flair touched on Rucker’s personal side, calling him “one of the greatest people I’ve ever met.”
“He runs the biggest celebrity golf tournament in the world, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,” Flair said, noting the proceeds go to charity. “The first time I got invited…it’s the damnedest party of all time! Try to get into the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach when Darius is playing. It’s got more security and is a tougher ticket than WrestleMania!”
Flair also described Rucker as a caring friend.
“When I almost died five years ago, then had to be in rehab 30 days, he was touring, so he couldn’t come see me,” he said.
But Rucker came as soon as he could.
“We live in Atlanta and up comes his tour bus. Darius drove out of his way on tour and brought me 20 bottles of Dom Perrion, which I couldn’t drink at the time, but have since.”
As the crowd laughed, Flair pulled things back around to music. “If you think about it, who can be so good at rock and roll, and the next day be on top of the world in country music? How many people can do that?’
When Rucker took the podium, he thanked his family for their many sacrifices in allowing him to travel and pursue music, noting that support started with his late mother many years ago.
“My mom would fight with my brothers, she’d fight with my cousins, she’d fight with anybody who told me to turn that ‘white boy’ music off. She’d tell them to let him listen to anything he wanted to.”
He said he’s so grateful she “let me be me.”
Rucker honors his mother with his latest album Carolyn’s Boy set for release October 6th.A small group of fans had advance copies they’d received earlier.
“Thanks to all the fans out there,” Rucker said. “You guys have given me such an amazing life.”
GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter wrote the iconic 1971 “American Pie” touching on “the day the music died” referring to the tragic plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper (J.P. Richards Jr). Ritchie Valens’ sister, Connie Valens, traveled to Nashville to induct McLean.
“I am so honored to represent the families of Buddy Holly, JP Richardson, and my brother Ritchie Valens,” she said.
For years, she couldn’t listen to her brother’s music because “it hurt too much,” but she could listen to “American Pie.” Last year, she met McLean when she was invited to take part in the documentary “The Day The Music Died.” They gathered at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, where her brother (and Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper) had their last performance before the plane crash.
“I thanked Don and told him he had immortalized my brother Ritchie, J.P, and Buddy. He’d taken a terrible tragedy and written rock and roll history.”
She went on to say, it’s because of McLean “the music didn’t die.”
McLean talked about the early start of his career when the era of orchestras was fading, and the guitar gained prominence.
“The 50s came along,” he said, “Elvis is playing the guitar, and he had a couple of guys with him, and he was singing. It wasn’t an orchestra.”
Music, and the way it was made, was changing.
“The thing that knocked me out when I was starting – was the guitar,” he said. “And we started making music ourselves.”
Through the years he spent a lot of time in Nashville where he recorded his album Crying featuring the title track by Roy Orbison. He’s still very proud of that record.
In thanking Nashville, McLean said, “I’ve been a rambling man all over the United States, I play big places, little places, I ain’t country, I ain’t rock and roll, I ain’t pop. I’m just me.”
Singer and guitarist Steve Wariner was on hand to welcome Duane Eddy. Eddy became one of the most successful instrumentalists in rock history with 15 Top 40 singles between 1958 and 1962. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had his songs featured in movies like Forrest Gump and Natural Born Killers and went on to produce albums for Phil Everly and Waylon Jennings.
“That man right there,” Wariner said, pointing to Eddy,” is the King of Twang. “He’s among the rare few who actually created a whole genre, a playing style, his own unique twang that’s still heard, copied, and reproduced in movies and TV shows to this day.”
Eddy thanked the crowd, calling his induction a great honor.
“When I was little, I’d listen to those Gene Autry records,” he said, “and I also discovered Hank Williams and others. I wanted to be in Nashville so I could hear these guys and maybe meet them. It took several years before I made it, but the dream came true and here I am.”
Music legend Vince Gill, who took the stage on behalf of Joe Galante, took a minute to commend the other three nominees, drawing laughter with his reference to Don McLean.
“Don McLean was kind enough to write a song about me called “Vincent” long before we ever met.”
Gill described Joe Galante, who ran RCA records for years, leading it to become the country’s top music label, as “the first guy who ever believed in me.” Galante, responsible for promoting the careers of Alabama, Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, and others, signed Gill after seeing Gill play guitar for Roseanne Cash. Gill would later leave RCA, at his own request and against Galante’s wishes, to pursue other opportunities. But they maintained a close friendship.
“A couple of years later, “When I Call Your Name” won single of the year at the CMA Awards. And after they announced my name, the first man I saw stand up was Galante. I’m so grateful for this friendship of 41 years.”
Galante expressed his gratitude mentioning that when he moved from RCA in New York to work on Music Row, he only intended to stay for two years. Fifty years later, he’s grateful for all Nashville has meant to him, and to have the chance evolve from what it used all those years ago, to be into the music mecca it is today.
“I love this city, I love the people, and we have a lot to be proud of. I’m very humbled by this award.”
All four become the newest “stars” adding to the Music City Walk of Fame and joining the ranks of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Jimi Hendrix, and many more.
The Walk of Fame is located in downtown Nashville across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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