Four new names will join the Arkansas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2027, including Nettleton native Jim 'Moose' Brown. The inductees were announced by the Arkansas Country Music Awards this week.
Brown will be honored alongside country music legends Tracy Lawrence, Dave Gibson, and Eck Robertson during a ceremony set for June 7, 2027, at the Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway.
Jim 'Moose' Brown has enjoyed a remarkable career, contributing to more than 40 No. 1 country singles and currently touring with Vince Gill. Earlier in his career, Brown played with acts such as The Wilburn Brothers, Marie Osmond, and Dan Seals during the 1970s through the 1990s. He later became a longtime member of Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band.
As a record producer, Brown collaborated with Jamey Johnson to produce the Grammy-nominated album "That Lonesome Song," which included the hit single "In Color." His songwriting talents have also been widely recognized, highlighted by his 2004 Grammy win for Best Country Song for "It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere," performed by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett.
Joining Brown in next year’s class is Tracy Lawrence, originally from Foreman, Arkansas. Lawrence emerged as a staple in '90s country music with his debut album "Sticks and Stones," which produced four hit singles. Over his 35-year career, Lawrence has had 18 No. 1 hits, including "Alibis," "Texas Tornado," and "Time Marches On," among others. Early accolades include being named the Top New Male Artist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.
Also recognized is El Dorado native Dave Gibson, whose exceptional songwriting influenced country radio for decades. Gibson’s compositions include hits such as "Jukebox in My Mind" by Alabama, "Ships That Don’t Come In" by Joe Diffie, and "Lonely and Gone" by Montgomery Gentry. As a performer, Gibson enjoyed additional recognition as part of the Gibson/Miller Band, which was named the ACM Top New Vocal Group or Duo in 1994.
Rounding out the inductees is Eck Robertson, an Arkansan widely credited as one of the pioneers of commercial country music. Born in Delaney in 1887, Robertson was a skilled fiddler who, at the age of 16, pursued a career in music. His 1922 recordings with the Victor Talking Machine Company, including “Sallie Gooden” and “Arkansas Traveler,” are recognized as the first commercial country music recordings, predating the influential Bristol Sessions by five years.
The Arkansas Country Music Hall of Fame celebrates the state’s rich contributions to country music history and honors its most influential and accomplished artists.