This week the Country Music Association announced its 2018 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees on March 27: Modern Era: Ricky Skaggs, Veteran Era: Dottie West, Musician: Johnny Gimble.

The official Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place later this year in Nashville, Tennessee. The Class of 2018 will be the 58th group of country music artists to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Big congratulations to well known legends, Ricky Skaggs and Dottie West. However we thought we'd take a moment to highlight the career of East Texas born, Johnny Gimble.

Gimble was born May 30, 1926 in Tyler, Texas. He was playing professionally as a member of a band called the Rose City Swingsters by the time he was a teen. After serving his country in World War II, Gimble returned to his native Lone Star State and performed on local radio shows. Bob Wills hired him to be a member of his Texas Playboys in 1949.

His fiddle work can be heard on hundreds of classic hit recordings including Marty Robbins’ 1952 chart-topper “I’ll Go On Alone.” In 1970, Gimble added his touch to Merle Haggard’s seminal A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills). Gimble’s work was heard on television series such as “Hee Haw,” and “Austin City Limits.”

In 1979, Gimble began a two-year stint in Willie Nelson’s band. In 1982, he portrayed Bob Wills in the Clint Eastwood theatrical release “Honkytonk Man.”

In 1983, George Strait utilized Gimble on his Right or Wrong album. He would go on to appear on ten of Strait’s albums through 1992, you'll recognize his work on such early hits as “Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye” and “All My Ex’s Live In Texas.”

Gimble’s work earned him 15 CMA Awards nominations. He won five times, in 1975, as well as 1986-87, and 1989-90. Along the way, he also tallied two Grammy trophies.
Johnny Gimble died on May 9, 2015 at the age of 88.

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