LAWRENCE, BROWN, GIBSON, AND ROBERTSON TO BE 2027 ARKANSAS COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The Arkansas Country Music Awards are proud to announce Tracy Lawrence, Jim “Moose” Brown, Dave Gibson, and Eck Robertson as the 2027 Arkansas Country Music Hall of Fame inductees. They will be honored at the 10th annual awards show. The red carpet event will be held on Monday, June 7 at the Reynolds Performance Hall on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

Arkansas Country Music Awards President Nathan Hunnicutt said, "The Hall of Fame class for 2027 is four individuals that have certainly carved their own special place in Arkansas music history. Once again, these upcoming inductees solidify the magnitude and importance of the Arkansas Country Music Hall of Fame and the ones that have been inducted, both past and present."

Country music journalist and historian Charles Haymes added, "For an Arkansan in the country field, this is the pinnacle for there is no greater honor in the Natural State. The 'Class of 2027' is an undeniable mix of highly deserving Arkansans. This is another wonderful group of Hall of Fame inductees.”

Lawrence grew up in Foreman (Little River County), and was one of the most frequent and identifiable voices on country radio in the 1990s. Even though his mother wanted him to be a Methodist minister, he had a yearning to sing country music like his heroes George Strait, Merle Haggard, and George Jones. He joined his first band while in his teens. After a stint at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Lawrence relocated to Nashville in 1990. The following year, he signed with Atlantic Records and his debut album, “Sticks and Stones,” was released. The project produced four hit singles with the title cut topping the charts. This initial success led Lawrence being named the Top New Male Artist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. In his 35 year career, he has had over 40 country hits and a total of 18 number one singles, solidifying him as one of country music’s top touring and recording artists. Lawrence’s massive hit list includes such successes as “Alibis,” “Can’t Break It to My Heart,” “I See It Now,” “If the

World Had a Front Porch,” “Texas Tornado,” “Time Marches On,” “Paint Me a Birmingham,” and “You Find Out Who You’re Friends Are.” As a musician, the accomplishments of Brown stand tall. The Nettleton (Craighead County) native cut his teeth in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s touring with country artists like The Wilburn Brothers, Marie Osmond, and Dan Seals. Brown has played on more than 40 number one country singles. His musicianship can be heard on countless, major hits by such artists as Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan, Cody Johnson, Trace Adkins, and others. Brown is a three-time recipient of the ACM’s Keyboard Player of the Year. Additionally, he was a long time member of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band, and he currently tours with Vince Gill. Brown’s talents certainly don’t stop there. As a record producer, he has worked with Darryl Worley, Moe Pitney and Jamey Johnson, producing Johnson’s critically acclaimed album “That Lonesome Song,” which featured the hit “In Color.” Also, he has produced projects on independent Arkansas artists Erin Enderlin, Ward Davis, and Johnny Tolley. As a writer, Brown has had his compositions recorded by such notables as Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, David Allen Coe, Ronnie Milsap, Josh Turner, and more. Brown took home Best Country Song of the Year honors at the Grammy Awards in 2004 for “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” recorded by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett. Born in El Dorado (Union County), Gibson grew up loving the music he heard on the radio. He had a deep passion for writing and performing, and was influenced by music giants such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. In 1982 at the recommendation of his friend Tony Brown, Gibson moved to Nashville, signed a publishing deal with the Oak Ridge Boys' company Silverline, and embarked on a run as one of the genre’s most believable songwriters. Gibson’s incredible gift of storytelling led to such hits as “Midnight Fire” and “Heart Trouble,” by Steve Wariner; “If It

Don’t Come Easy,” by Tanya Tucker; “House on Old Lonesome Road,” by Conway Twitty; “Jukebox in My Mind,” by Alabama; “Ships That Don’t Come In,” by Joe Diffie; “Do You Know Where Your Man Is,” by Pam Tillis; and “Lonely and Gone,” by Montgomery Gentry. Aside from his songwriting success, his dream as a recording artist was fulfilled when he teamed with Blue Miller to form the Gibson/Miller Band. They were named the ACM Top New Vocal Group

or Duo of the Year in 1994. Everything has to have a beginning, and for commercial country music, that beginning was Robertson. He was born Alexander Campbell Robertson in 1887 in Delaney (Madison County). Simply known as ‘Eck,’ he was a son of a Confederate soldier and began playing the fiddle at the age of five. By age 16, he left home to pursue being a professional musician. Soon after, he married and started performing with his wife on the vaudeville circuit and at fiddle contests. In early 1922, he met fiddler Henry Gilliland, In June, the pair traveled to New York City and recorded four tunes for the Victor Talking Machine Company. The following day, Robertson recorded six additional tracks solo. Victor made a limited release of “Sallie Gooden” and “Arkansas Traveler” in September of that year with

wider circulation available in 1923. These releases are the first commercial country music recordings in history, preceding the famed Bristol Sessions by Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family by five years. Robertson would go on to record and perform off and on for a good number of years. In 1975, he passed away at the age of 87. 

Lawrence, Brown, Gibson, and Robertson join previous Arkansas Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, The Browns, Ed Bruce, Wayne Raney, Conway Twitty, Kye Fleming, Patsy Montana, The Wilburn Brothers, Jimmy Driftwood, Charlie Rich, Wayland Holyfield, Levon Helm, Elton Britt, The Original Rhodes Show, Bill Carter, Lefty Frizzell, Floyd Cramer, Mark Wright, Bob Robbins, Barbara Fairchild, Reggie Young, Albert E. Brumley, Irby Mandrell, K.T. Oslin, Randy Goodrum, Wood Newton, Collin Raye, Shawn Camp, John Hughey, The Whites, Allen Reynolds, and Jimmy Doyle & Patsy Gayle.