NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Early rock pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and bluegrass performer-turned-country star Keith Whitley were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Lewis, the 87-year-old singer and pianist nicknamed “The Killer,” was unable to attend the ceremony in person in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday due to health reasons. But his friends Hank Williams Jr. and fellow Hall of Famer Kris Kristofferson accepted the honor on his behalf.
Whitley's widow, singer Lorrie Morgan, accepted his medallion during a ceremony that featured performances by Garth Brooks, Mickey Guyton, Chris Isaak, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert and Alabama.
Music executive Joe Galante was also inducted this year.