Tony Brown, June Carter Cash, and Kenny Chesney to be honored with induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday, the Country Music Association (CMA) announced the Country Music Hall of Fame class of 2025 inductees.

Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill hosted the press conference, which can be watched in full on their YouTube.

This year, inductees include Tony Brown, June Carter Cash and Kenny Chesney.

Jerry Reed Brown is set to be honored in the Non-Performer category. This category is given every third year in a rotation that includes the Songwriter, Recording, and Touring Musician categories. Additionally, Johnny Cash will be recognized in the Veterans Era Artist category, while Kenny Chesney will be acknowledged in the Modern Era Artist category.

“The individuals being inducted this year showcase the unwavering determination and commitment that are synonymous with Country Music,” expressed Sarah Trahern, the CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Kenny, June, and Tony have each significantly influenced the genre, leaving a long-lasting impact through their musical contributions.”

Brown, a musician, producer and record label executive, released the following statement:

“While producing chart-topping records can instill a sense of accomplishment, being honored with an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame – especially for someone as idealistic as myself – signifies that you have truly made a significant difference. This has always been my ultimate objective,” Brown shared.

Cash, whose induction comes posthumously, was described as “Country Music’s matriarch.”

The Cash family said, “June Carter Cash represents the whole cloth of Country Music, it’s breadth and heritage. And June’s place in Country Music is undeniable. From the 1940s, across the decades and into the current century, her voice has been heard across the country and throughout much of the world, both with Mother Maybelle Carter, sisters Helen and Anita, and on her own, as well as with her duet partners, including her beloved Johnny Cash, with whom she told stories and inspired musicians both past, present, and future. She was a loving wife and mother, an actress, singer, songwriter, comedienne and a truly gifted performer whose persona was never exactly what was expected but was always and totally June. She profoundly respected, and was respected for, her craft, and that endures to this day. We, the Carter and Cash families, are most grateful and proud that the County Music Association has given June this well-deserved honor for her undeniable contribution to the fabric of Country Music and American culture.”

Chesney, who has lit up the country music charts since 2000, said, “You don’t dare dream of being in the Country Music Hall of Fame, alongside legends including George Jones, Willie Nelson, Alabama, even Dean Dillon. I’ve been lucky enough to get to call them my friends, and that was plenty. But hearing the news I’d been voted into the Hall, I can honestly say beyond my wildest dreams, it’s an honor that defies words. I am humbled, grateful, honored… as much for all the songwriters, musicians, artists and people who’ve helped me build my career; they have truly inspired me every single day.”

Since 1961, CMA has been honoring artists and industry professionals by recognizing their contributions to the genre and inducting them to the Country Music Hall of Fame.