Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty & Johnny Bond to Join Country Music Hall of Fame.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--June 16, 1999--

Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty and Johnny Bond will be the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame when they are inducted during "The 33rd Annual CMA Awards" Wednesday, September 22, the Country Music Association announced today. "The 33rd Annual CMA Awards" will be telecast live (8-11 PM, live ET) on the CBS Television Network from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

Founded by CMA in 1961, the Country Music Hall of Fame is the ultimate recognition of noteworthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to Country Music. The performers were selected in three categories: Open (Dolly Parton); Career Achieved National Prominence During the 1950s and 1960s (Conway Twitty); and Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to 1950 (Johnny Bond).

An American cultural icon, Dolly Parton is revered for her musical genius, business savvy, ambition and humanitarian efforts. She is most recently enjoying the international success of TRIO II, her highly acclaimed musical collaboration with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, which is a follow-up to the original TRIO project of 1987.

Parton began her performing career as a child in Tennessee, appearing on local television shows and releasing a record ("Puppy Love") on the Louisiana record label Gold Band at age 11. After high-school graduation in 1964, she boarded a bus to Nashville and by 1967, she was the newest singer on the "Porter Wagoner Show." She signed a deal with Monument Records but soon moved to RCA, Wagoner's label, where they recorded numerous duets. In 1974, Parton left Wagoner's organization and branched out with her own syndicated TV show and a new sound on her records. She quickly became an international superstar, consistently topping the charts with hits like the self-penned "Jolene," "Here You Come Again," and "9 to 5," the theme song to the hit movie in which she made her first film appearance. She earned an Oscar nomination for "9 to 5" for best song in 1981. But perhaps the most well-known song Parton has written and recorded is the blockbuster hit "I Will Always Love You." She took the song to number one on the Country charts three times -- twice as a solo artist and later as a duet with Vince Gill, winning CMA's Vocal Event in 1996. Whitney Houston recorded the song for her feature film, "The Bodyguard," and sales of the movie soundtrack topped 20 million.

In addition to her career as a singer, songwriter and actress, Parton is the proprietor of her own amusement park, "Dollywood" in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, just outside her hometown of Sevierville. Parton performs frequently in the park and is actively involved in promoting its activities and attractions. Some of the park's revenues go toward the Dollywood Foundation, which helps fund educational programs in Sevier County. Known for her ability to stay true to her roots while constantly re-inventing herself, Parton is always exploring new opportunities in music, movies and television.

Conway Twitty is remembered as one of Country Music's most enduring and consistent hitmakers. Born Harold Lloyd Jenkins in 1933 in Friars Point, Mississippi, Twitty was raised in Helena, Arkansas. By age 10, he had formed his own Country group, the Phillips County Ramblers. Around 1957, he changed his name, combining the names of Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas. He soon cut his first songs for Sun records, although the recordings were never released.

During the late '50s, Twitty became a pop singer, recording for MGM and scoring with his breakthrough hit "It's Only Make Believe." Early in the '60s, he began to write Country songs and started recording for Decca in 1965. The following year, he began recording what became an astounding string of Country hits that continued into the early '90s. Just a sampling of the number-one records include: "Hello Darlin'," "To See My Angel Cry," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "I'd Love To Lay Down," "Tight Fittin' Jeans," "The Rose" and "Fifteen Years Ago."

In addition to his string of solo hits, Twitty enjoyed success as a duet partner with Loretta Lynn, including "Louisiana Woman -- Mississippi Man." His years of top-selling recordings, radio fame and regular touring ensured his status as one of Country Music's best-loved artists with legions of fans. Twitty died June 6, 1993.

Johnny Bond began his musical career with a 98-cent ukulele, purchased from a Montgomery Ward catalog, and continued through his lifetime as a songwriter, singer, actor, businessman and author. Bond joined forces with Gene Autry in 1939, performing on Autry's CBS radio show for 15 years and appearing in movies with Autry, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and Tex Ritter, as well as singing at hundreds of rodeos and state fairs across the United States.

In 1941, Bond began recording for Columbia's Okeh Records, releasing the crossover hit "Hot Rod Lincoln" and the number-one single "Ten Little Bottles" among others. Bond won numerous songwriting awards for hits including "Cimmaron" and "Tomorrow Never Comes." As an entrepreneur, he owned and operated Red River Songs and was a partner with Tex Ritter in Vidor Publishing. Bond scripted the three-hour TV portion of "Town Hall Party" during the '50s and early '60s, as well as Autry's revived "Melody Ranch" television show from 1964 to 1970. He also performed on both of these programs. Bond later wrote books about his own life and the life of his dear friend, Tex Ritter. He died in 1978.

Each year the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee selects up to 20 candidates per category for nomination into the Hall of Fame, which are then presented to the Panel of Electors. The 350-plus members of Hall of Fame Panel of Electors picks five candidates in the first round of voting, then selects the inductees in a second balloting.

"The CMA Awards" was the first music awards special to be carried on network television and has consistently scored highly in the ratings. Walter C. Miller will produce this year's special. Paul Miller will direct. Donald K. Epstein will write the script.

EDITORS' NOTE: DOLLY PARTON QUOTE

"What a great honor. I really am surprised. I thought I'd have to be as old as Roy Acuff or as ugly as Willie Nelson to get in the Hall of Fame. (Just kidding Willie!) It truly is a great honor. What else can I say?"