Music Hall of Fame plans Idol exhibit

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Young music fans may not know North Carolina music legends John Coltrane or James Taylor, but they probably can sing along with American Idol stars Clay Aiken and Kellie Pickler.

North Carolina has a unique ability to generate American Idol contestants, including Aiken, who's from Raleigh, and Pickler, who grew up in Albemarle.

To help attract younger visitors to the N.C. Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis, organizers want to showcase five American Idol contestants who hail from North Carolina: Aiken, Pickler, Fantasia from High Point, Chris Daughtry from McLeansville and Bucky Covington from Rockingham.

"They should be recognized," said Bill Kopald, chairman for the N.C. Music Hall of Fame. "And that helps the younger demographic identify."

The Hall of Fame this week announced 13 new inductees, including Andy Griffith and Doc Watson.

Not that the museum, housed in an old jail on West A Street near the N.C. Research Campus, lacks visitors.

Since it opened last summer, the museum has averaged between 250 and 400 visitors a week, thanks in large part to tour groups. Admission is free.

Memorabilia continues to roll in as well.

"It's coming in every week," said Kopald, who lives in Greensboro. "At the end of the month, we're going to sit down and look at what we've got. I can't even tell you all that we've got."

Kopald said he plans a bigger, better ceremony this year for the new inductees.

More than half of the 13 inductees will attend, and several will perform.

"It's going to really be an event," he said.

Tickets for the Oct. 7 dinner, ceremony and reception at the N.C. Research Campus will go on sale Sept. 1. The price has not been determined.

Eddie Ray, 83, serves as the Hall of Fame's operations director and vice chairman. An inductee himself, he often leads tour groups through the museum.

Inductees include:

- Performing artists

Maurice Williams, recording artist, Charlotte. Andy Griffith, Gospel recording artist from Mt. Airy and Wilmington. Donna Fargo, country recording artist from Mt. Airy.

Arthur Smith, country composer, performer, producer from Charlotte. George Hamilton IV, country recording artist from Winston-Salem.

Doc Watson, country/bluegrass vocalist and musician from Deep Gap and North Wilkesboro. Curly Seckler, Bluegrass vocalist and musician from China Grove.

Dr. Billy Taylor, jazz pianist and composer from Greenville. Shirley Caesar, Gospel recording artist from Durham.

- Performing artists (deceased)

Don Gibson, country recording artist and composer from Shelby. Les Brown, Big Band leader from Durham. Oliver (William Oliver Swofford), recording artist from North Wilkesboro.

- Non-performing artists

Don Schlitz, composer, guitarist and soloist from Durham.