NASHVILLE -- A Grammy award-winning country music singer with deep roots in Georgia is officially being named to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
USA TODAY and the Tennessean newspaper report that Alan Jackson is one of three musicians who were tapped to join the hall which includes the names of country music's most legendary musicians.
Jackson is being inducted as Modern Era Artist 28 years after signing his record deal with Arista Nashville.
“My whole career has just been a fairy tale, all the stuff that’s happened to me,” Jackson said. “I came to Nashville with nothing and ignorant about the music business and had no experience, and then to go through all of this, this is the ultimate piece of the puzzle. I don’t even know how to describe it.”
The famed "Chattahoochee" singer was born in Newnan, Ga. and is a well-known name there as much as he is in country music nationwide with 30 No. 1 hits and 60 million albums sold.
Also being indicted are Atlanta-born Jerry Reed who is being inducted as the Veteran Era Artist. In his decades in country music, Reed has been named Country Music Association's Instrumentalist of the Year twice
Songwriter Don Schlitz is also being inducted for his behind the scenes contributions to famous musicians. Schlitz penned many famous country songs such as Kenny Rogers's "The Gambler" and Randy Travis's "On the Other Hand" and "Forever and Ever Amen."
