On March 18, the Country Music Association will elect one new member/act to the Country Music Hall of Fame in each of its three categories: Modern Era, Veteran Era and Songwriter/Musician/Non-Performer (this category rotates, and this year a non-performer will be elected).
Reba McEntire will host the announcement at the Hall of Fameâs rotunda on March 18 at 10 a.m. CT.
Letâs take a look at the Modern Era candidates, who are eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve ânational prominence.â
While there are several candidates who could also be considered in the Veteran Era (40 years after achieving national prominence), the pool of possible Modern Era candidates includes, among others, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, David Allan Coe, Crystal Gayle, Mickey Gilley, Faith Hill, The Judds, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Charlie Rich, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Shania Twain, Gene Watson, Keith Whitley, Hank Williams Jr. and Dwight Yoakam.
While all of the aforementioned names are deserving candidates, here are four of the leading nomineesâin my opinion.
Dwight Yoakam

Singer, songwriter, musician, actorâDwight Yoakam is a man of many hats in the figurative sense, but you probably recognize him from the low-tilted Stetson that frequents his dome. Underneath that cowboy hat is undeniable genius. For the last 30 years, Dwight has been swiveling his talented hips across the U.S. of A. with a distinctive croon thatâs unmatched in the genre.
Along the way, Dwight has sold more than 11.5 million U.S. units, according to the RIAA, and earned seven platinum albums, including the triple-platinum This Time. Five of those albums have topped Billboardâs Country Albums chart as well as two Billboard No. 1 singles (âStreets of Bakersfieldâ and âI Sang Dixieâ). In addition, Dwight has been nominated for 21 Grammy awards, winning two during his illustrious career.
More impressive than all of his accolades, Dwight was a pioneer in the area of country rock. Dwight mixed his Kentucky country roots with touches of Bakersfield and punk rock to create a new kind of country music, one that found its way to a youngerâand definitely hipâaudience. Toss in his movie and television roles and you have the definition of a diversified entertainer. Speaking of diversification, in 2016 Dwight added another genre-crossing album to his repertoire with Swimminâ Pools, Movie Stars, a collection of tunes from his past catalog that were reinvented as bluegrass ditties.
Plus, Johnny Cash called Dwight his favorite modern country artist. Thatâs not something you put on your Hall of Fame plaqueâthatâs something you put on your tombstone.
Hank Williams Jr.

First of all, can you believe Hank Williams Jr. is NOT in the Country Music Hall of Fame? That, itself, is a travesty. But letâs get down to brass tacks, because 2019 could be the year Rockinâ Randall carries on the family tradition (his daddy was inducted in 1961).
Hank Jr. has released 37 albums over his six-decade career, selling more than 19.5 million units in the U.S., according to the RIAA. In addition to his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jr. has topped the charts with 13 singles and has thrice been named the ACM Entertainer of the Year and twice the CMA Entertained of the Year. Add eight platinum albums, 15 gold albums and a Grammy to his rĂ©sumĂ©, and youâve got badass Bocephus who was a pioneer in bringing arena rock productions to country music with epic songs like âFamily Tradition,â âAll My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)â and âA Country Boy Can Survive.â
Brooks & Dunn

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn are the best-selling duo in country music history with 27.5 million U.S. units sold, according to the RIAA. Let that sink in for a minute
With their high-energy live show, they broke out of the box like a bull from the bucking chute, earning four No. 1 singles in a row starting with âBrand New Manâ in 1991. They remained in the Top 10, with very few exceptions, until their final release as a duo in 2009. On April 5, Brooks & Dunn will release a new album, Reboot, which features an all-star cast of artists, includingKacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Lanco, Ashley McBryde, Midland, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Tyler Booth.
With their 11 platinum albums, they have amassed more than 80 industry awards, including two Grammy, 20 CMAs and 29 ACMs, making them the second-most-awarded act in ACM history. They have been named Entertainer of the Year four times collectively by the ACM and CMA.
Shania Twain

Shania Twain remains the first and only female artist in history to have three consecutive albums certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million units each. âThe Queen of Country Pop,â a title she definitely deserved to call her own, earned five Grammys, four ACMs and two CMAs, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
With 48 million U.S. units sold, Shania is the top-selling female artist in country music history, trailing only George Strait and Garth Brooks on the all-time country list.