Country Hall of Fame
Studio album by
Hank Locklin
ReleasedFebruary 1968 (1968-02)
RecordedNovember 1967
StudioRCA Victor Studio
Genre
LabelRCA Victor
Producer
Hank Locklin chronology
Nashville Women
(1967)		 Country Hall of Fame
(1968)		 My Love Song for You
(1968)
Singles from Country Hall of Fame
  1. "The Country Hall of Fame"
    Released: September 1967

Country Hall of Fame is a studio album by American country singer–songwriter Hank Locklin. It was released in February 1968 via RCA Victor Records and contained 12 tracks. The album was co-produced by Chet Atkins and Felton Jarvis. The album's name was derived from its single of the same, which became Locklin's first major hit in several years. It would also be his seventeenth studio recording released in his career and one of many to be produced by Chet Atkins. Country Hall of Fame received positive reviews from writers and publications.

Background and content

Hank Locklin had not had a major hit single since the early 1960s when songs like "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" reached the top of the country charts. Yet, he continued releasing studio albums, other top 40 hits and toured. In 1968, Locklin's single that paid tribute to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum became his first to reach the top ten in many years.[2] Its success prompted the recording (and release) of a studio album of the same name.[3]

The album was a collection of 12 tracks. Despite being a songwriter as well, none of the album's material was composed by Locklin. Instead, it featured songs first recorded by other artists and songs written by other composers. Included was covers like Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues," Jim Reeves' "Four Walls" and "High Noon."[1] All of the album's songs paid homage to country artists (mostly whom Locklin was influenced by) who been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The project was recorded in November 1967 at the RCA Victor Nashville Sound Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were co-produced by Chet Atkins (Locklin's producer of many years) and Felton Jarvis.[3]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
BillboardFavorable

The album's release was preceded by its title track, which was first released as a single in September 1967.[4] Spending 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, the single would climb to number eight in January 1968.[5] The title track brought Locklin's his first top ten hit since 1962's "Happy Journey," prompting the release of the studio album.[4] The album was first released in February 1968 on RCA Victor Records. It would mark Locklin's seventeenth studio album.[3] It was originally distributed as a vinyl LP, containing six songs on each side.[6] Several decades later, it was re-released in a digital format to online music stores such as Apple Music.[7]

Country Hall of Fame entered the Billboard Top Country Albums chart following its release and spent a total of 20 weeks there. By April of that year, it reached a peak of 20. It would be Locklin's highest-charting Billboard album.[8] Following its original release, the record received positive responses from music publications and critics. Billboard magazine responded positively to it in their March 1968 issue. They highlighted the album's covers of various country songs, but called its title track "the key song of the LP."[9] Thom Owens of Allmusic would later rate the album four and a half stars. "It's a very entertaining and even moving record, and it ranks as one of his best albums of the late '60s," he commented.[1]

Track listings

Vinyl version

Side one[3]
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist(s)Length
1."High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)"
Tex Ritter2:49
2."Four Walls"
  • George Campbell
  • Marvin Moore
Jim Reeves2:36
3."The Country Hall of Fame"Karl DavisHank Locklin3:07
4."I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)"
Eddy Arnold2:15
5."Walking the Floor Over You"Ernest TubbErnest Tubb2:50
6."Lovesick Blues"
Hank Williams3:09
Side two[3]
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist(s)Length
1."Night Train to Memphis"
Roy Acuff1:44
2."Signed Sealed and Delivered"
Cowboy Copas3:03
3."No One Will Ever Know"
Hank Williams3:37
4."Blue Yodel ("T For Texas")"Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers2:07
5."When I Stop Dreaming"
The Louvin Brothers2:30
6."Peace in the Valley"Thomas A. DorseyRed Foley3:20

Digital version

Country Hall of Fame[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist(s)Length
1."High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)"
  • Tiomkin
  • Washington
Tex Ritter2:55
2."Four Walls"
  • Campbell
  • Moore
Jim Reeves2:44
3."The Country Hall of Fame"DavisHank Locklin3:15
4."I'll Hold You in My Heart"
  • Arnold
  • Dilbeck
  • Horton
Eddy Arnold2:20
5."Walking the Floor Over You"Ernest TubbErnest Tubb2:56
6."Lovesick Blues"
  • Friend
  • Mills
Hank Williams3:19
7."Night Train to Memphis"
  • Beasley Smith
  • Bradley
  • Hughes
Roy Acuff1:44
8."Signed Sealed and Delivered"
  • Copas
  • Mann
Cowboy Copas3:08
9."No One Will Ever Know"
  • Rose
  • Forre
Hank Williams3:45
10."Blue Yodel ("T For Texas")"RodgersJimmie Rodgers2:12
11."When I Stop Dreaming"
  • C. Louvin
  • I. Louvin
The Louvin Brothers2:37
12."Peace in the Valley"DorseyRed Foley3:24

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Country Hall of Fame.[3]

Musical personnel

Technical personnel

  • Chet Atkins – producer
  • Felton Jarvis – producer
  • Bill McElhiney – arrangements

Chart performance

Chart (1968) Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[10] 20

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Canada February 1968 Vinyl RCA Victor [11]
Germany [12]
United Kingdom [13]
United States [3][6]
2010s
  • Digital
  • Streaming
 Sony Music Entertainment [7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Owens, Thom. "Country Hall of Fame: Hank Locklin: Songs, Reviews, Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Erlewine, Michael. "Hank Locklin: Biography & History". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Locklin, Hank (February 1968). "Country Hall of Fame (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". RCA Victor.
  4. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  5. ↑ ""Country Hall of Fame" (single) chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Hank Locklin -- Country Hall of Fame (1968, LP) (US)". Discogs. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 "Country Hall of Fame by Hank Locklin". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Country Hall of Fame chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 10. March 9, 1968. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Hank Locklin Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hank Locklin -- Country Hall of Fame (1968, LP) (Canada)". Discogs. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "Hank Locklin -- Country Hall of Fame (1968, LP) (Germany)". Discogs. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Hank Locklin -- Country Hall of Fame (1968, LP) (UK)". Discogs. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
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