Why is John Denver not in the Country Music Hall of Fame?

True story: eight CMA Entertainers of the Year are eligible, but still waiting for a call from the Country Music Hall of Fame. Seven of those eight make this list, and we can only promise it will happen for four of them.

An artist becomes eligible for the Country Music Hall of Fame 20 years after they gain national prominence, which we interpret as 20 years after their first hit song. This means artists that dominated during the '90s and early '00s are now eligible, and that's odd to think about since so many are still active on country radio today. Kenny Chesney, Hall of Famer? There's little doubt about this one, but one wonders if it might be best to wait until he's good and ready for it.

The problem is there's a downpour of eligible artists, and the faucet is only trickling. One modern artist gets in yearly — the only contemporaries enshrined are Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire and George Strait, plus Randy Travis who is on indefinite hiatus — so the line is long for artists like Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn and Tim McGraw, who is absolutely eligible and deserving. Don't look now but Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban are going to be eligible very soon. Brad Paisley hits his 20th anniversary in 2019, but it's impossible to imagine he'll be recognized when the next class is announced in March. Blake Shelton becomes eligible in 2021.

After 45 years (25 years of eligibility in the Modern Era category), an artist is moved to the Veteran's Era category. The third category is Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician, which rotates so one of each is nominated every three years. In 2018, the inductees were Ricky Skaggs, Dottie West and Johnny Gimble.

Who do you think should be inducted? Let us know why you think an artist has been snubbed — and why they deserve to be included.

15 Artists Who Deserve the Country Music Hall of Fame:

The year was 1975. At the Country Music Association Awards that year the most coveted award, 'Entertainer Of The Year', went to John Denver.

Denver was on the road touring that night and Charlie Rich was the presenter. On stage Charlie announced the nominees (which included 4 eventual Hall of Fame members: Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty and Ronnie Milsap).

When Charlie announced that John Denver was the winner, John couldn't see the stage and accepted the award via satellite, thanking Charlie and giving his acceptance speech.

What he didn't see was Charlie Rich, apparently and allegedly inebriated, take out his lighter and burn the envelope after reading the name 'John Denver.' Apparently Charlie (and many of the 'mainstream' country fans) didn't think John Denver was 'country enough' to have earned the honor.

(On a personal note, I always found that interesting since I've always loved Charlie Rich music, but I don't consider it what might be called traditional country.)

Such was the musical career of John Denver.

In the 1970's he was too 'country' for pop/rock radio stations and listeners, and he was too 'pop/rock' for country radio stations and listeners.  So what did he do?

Well, he didn't change and sold millions and millions of albums to country and pop/rock fans.  And he did it with songs like 'Take Me Home Country Roads'.

John Denver took his songs around the world, and in the process brought country music to millions of people who, otherwise, would never have 'discovered' artists like Waylon, Willie, Buck, Conway, Loretta, Dolly and, yes, Charlie Rich.

One of John's 'signature' songs was 'Rocky Mountain High'.  Really, you don't think this is country?

Whether singing about his beloved Rocky Mountains, about the pure joy of going 'Back Home Again' or saying I Love You to his wife Annie, it's all rings Country pure now.

With several Top Ten Country hit's, including three #1's..Two #1 Country albums (1974's 'Back Home Again' and 1975's 'Windsong') and multiple CMA Awards, it's time now to extinguish that infamous flame from Charlie Rich's lighter and induct the great John Denver into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Yes, and Thank God He Was A Country Boy!

Here's What a Million Dollar South Dakota House Looks Like in 2022

The real estate market in South Dakota is crazy! It's a real seller's market out there, at least that's what I've overheard whenever I'm trying to get around a group of people gathered to gossip in the middle of the aisle at HyVee.

Anyways, prices for houses are up in the Sioux Empire, and it got us thinking, what does a million-dollar house in South Dakota look like? What does a cool mill get you in the 605?

There are plenty of ways to honor greatness in country music, but being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is one of the most profound. While plenty of country music greats have earned their places in the Hall of Fame, there are still some superstars, pioneers and legends who, surprisingly, are eligible but haven't made it yet.

The Country Music Association created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961, to recognize both creatives and key music business players, and in the 60 years since, the CMA has voted in country greats yearly. The CMA's Hall of Fame Panel of Electors, an anonymous group of voters appointed by the CMA Board of Directors, selects each year's class.

As of 2009, the Hall of Fame inducts artists in three categories: One Modern Era (eligible for induction 20 years after reaching national prominence) and one Veterans Era (eligible for induction 40 years after first achieving national prominence) artist are selected each year, while the categories of Non-Performer, Songwriter and Recording and/or Touring Musician rotate.

Still, looking through the Country Music Hall of Fame's list of inductees, there are some names missing. Click through the photo gallery below to learn about six artists who have been ignored:

Why is Dwight Yoakam not in the Hall of Fame?

Is Dwight Yoakam a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame?

Is John Denver in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame?

Is Kenny Chesney a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame?