By Staff
From staff, wire reports
April 2, 2001
JACKSON Meridian's Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Electronics, was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame here Saturday night.
Peavey was one of 17 people inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Peavey started his electronic sound equipment and musical instruments company in the basement of his home. Today, Peavey Electronics is a worldwide name brand in the music industry. The company employs more than 1,600 people in Lauderdale County.
The list of inductees also included Bluesmen Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, rock-n-roll pianist Jerry Lee Lewis and gospel signer James Blackwood. Other well-known inductees were Philadelphia's Marty Stuart, the late Pop Staples and the Staples Singers, Mose Allison, Charley Pride, Dorothy Moore, the late Conway Twitty, John Alexander, Jimmie Lunceford, Charlie Patton, Guy Hovis, Glen Ballard and John V. Imbragulio for Delta Records.
The world's best music originated in Mississippi,'' said Sonny Rodgers, board member.
It's scattered out like an octopus in all directions, yet you still have a center in the great and sovereign state of Mississippi.''
During a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel emceed by television personality Judy Denson, musicians and music lovers from all over gathered in the name of music.
It's an honor,'' said Stuart of his induction. If you think about who stepped out of this state musically just to be listed on the same paper is an honor.''
Also present at the induction were Twitty's two daughters from Nashville to accept the induction award in his honor. We're thrilled,'' said Kathy Twitty.
We are very proud of his career and music,'' Joni Twitty said. He stayed on top for a lot of years.''
Lewis' wife, Kerrie, and son, Lee, traveled from Nesbit to present the Hall of Fame with a $1,000 check to help with paying the costs of building a structure to house the Hall of Fame in Clinton.
Waters' widow, Marva Morgenfield, came from Florida and his agent, Scott Cameron, from Chicago to accept the award on his behalf.
But the clear crowd favorite among the inductees in categories from blues, jazz and rock and roll to bluegrass, R&B, country, and the classics was 82-year-old gospel great Blackwood of the famed Blackwood Brothers Quartet.
Determined to be present despite a stroke in December, Blackwood said his 66-year singing career spanned appearances from the Kennedy Center to the First Baptist church of Moscow, Russia.
When I was plowing behind a mule in Choctaw County, I never imagined my life would be anything like this,'' said the Hall of Famer from Ackerman. Admission to their first gospel concerts, he said, was 5 cents for children and 10 cents for adults.
Recently tapped for his 31st Grammy nomination, Blackwood was honored at the ceremony also by Jon Hornyak representing the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.