NASHVILLE – The Music City Walk of Fame will induct legendary “tropical troubadour” Jimmy Buffett; iconic gospel quartet The Fairfield Four; visionary hospitality leader Colin Reed of Ryman Hospitality Properties; and beloved Grand Ole Opry announcer and host Bill Cody, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced today.
An induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Music City Walk of Fame Park. Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony. Reed and Cody are being honored in tribute to the Grand Old Opry celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. Jimmy Buffett passed away on September 1, 2023, after a four-year battle with Merkel cell skin cancer, and will be inducted posthumously.
“From Jimmy Buffett’s island-infused melodies to the soulful acapella harmonies of The Fairfield Four, this is an exceptional group,” said Ken Levitan, Chairman of the NCVC Board of Directors and Founder of Vector Management. “We are especially proud to induct two Grand Ole Opry icons. Colin Reed’s contributions to the growth and success of the hospitality industry, including his leadership in reopening the Opry after the 2010 flood, are unparalleled. Bill Cody has been instrumental in preserving and promoting Nashville’s music legacy as a revered Opry host, country music historian and long-time emcee of the Music City Walk of Fame ceremonies.”
The ceremony will induct the 105th, 106th, 107th and 108th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant work of preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song.
Singer-songwriter and Music City Walk of Fame member Mac McAnally, a longtime member of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, will induct Buffett. Shannon Sanders, Executive Director, Creative, at BMI Nashville and an award-winning songwriter and producer, will induct The Fairfield Four. Additional presenters will be announced closer to the ceremony, as will an additional inductee.
Singer-songwriter Buffett was a legend of pop culture for over five decades and released 31 studio albums with hits like “Come Monday” and his signature “Margaritaville.” He moved to Nashville after graduating from college to further his country music career and released his first record, Down to Earth, in 1970. The Fairfield Four’s timeless African American acapella gospel sound has earned them three GRAMMY Awards, two Lifetime Achievement Awards, and a place in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Current members include Joseph Thompson, Levert Allison, Larrice Byrd, and Bobbye Sherrell.
Colin Reed is Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ryman Hospitality Properties, formerly Gaylord Entertainment Company, after serving as Chief Executive Officer since 2001 and Chairman of its Board of Directors since 2005. Bill Cody is a pre-eminent voice in Nashville, serving as the announcer and host of the Grand Ole Opry and these very Music City Walk of Fame induction ceremonies.
The Music City Walk of Fame was created in 2006 on Nashville’s Music Mile, a roughly one- mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Permanent sidewalk medallions with the names of inductees are displayed in a star design.
The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City Inc., the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, and is produced with the support of founding partner Gibson. Additional partners include Metro Nashville International Airport (BNA), the City of Nashville, and Metro Parks and Recreation. Nominations are open to the public and are accepted in the categories of Artist, Musician, Songwriter, and Producer/Music Industry Executive. Application forms are reviewed by the Music City Walk of Fame anonymous selection committee. For more information about the Music City Walk of Fame, go to visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame.
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett was a legendary musician, songwriter, best-selling author, actor and businessman. He recorded 31 studio albums with most going gold, platinum or multi-platinum. Performing with the Coral Reefer Band, his sold-out concert tours were an annual rite of summer for his legions of fans, affectionately known as Parrot Heads. Buffett was the ninth author in the history of the New York Times Bestseller List to reach No. 1 on both the fiction and non-fiction lists. For his music, he received two GRAMMY nominations and numerous Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards. Buffett’s all-time classic, “Margaritaville,” is honored in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress, marking its impact on American culture, and was the inspiration behind the global lifestyle brand by the same name. Buffett will be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2024. jimmybuffett.com
The Fairfield Four
Known best for their appearance at the end of the film “O Brother Where Art Thou” and on the subsequent soundtrack release, the Fairfield Four sing in the traditional African American a cappella gospel style they have been known for since the group’s inception more than 100 years ago. Membership has evolved over time with current members including Joseph Thompson, Levert Allison, Larrice Byrd and Bobbye Sherrell. John Fogerty loved Fairfield’s rootsy sound so much he featured them on his second comeback album, “Blue Moon Swamp” on the track “A Hundred and Ten in the Shade” and had the group open for him on tour. Founded in 1921 in Nashville, the Fairfield Four have maintained their authenticity by carrying on traditional stylings exemplified by the Bessemer Sunset Four, the Birmingham Jubilee Singers and the Famous Blue Jay Singers with Silas Steele. The Fairfield Four are the recipients of multiple honors including three GRAMMY Awards for Best Traditional Gospel Recording “I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray” in 1997, Album of the Year for the “O Brother Where Art Thou” Soundtrack Recording in 2001, and Best Gospel Roots album “Still Rockin’ My Soul” in 2016, as well as two Lifetime Achievement Awards. They were also inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. thefairfieldfour.com
Colin Reed
Colin V. Reed became Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ryman Hospitality Properties, formerly Gaylord Entertainment Company, in January 2023. Previously, Reed served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since May 2001 and Chairman of its Board of Directors since May 2005. Upon joining Gaylord Entertainment, Reed led a strategic reorganization of the Company’s holdings, divesting non-core assets and refocusing the Company under its Hospitality and Entertainment segments. Under Reed’s leadership, Gaylord Hotels became the leading brand focused on the large group market. Today, the Hospitality portfolio includes a combined total of 11,414 rooms as well as more than 3 million square feet of total indoor and outdoor meeting space in top convention and leisure destinations across the country. In 2012, Reed led the Company through its conversion to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and, in 2022, oversaw a major strategic investment by Atairos and NBCUniversal to bolster the growth of Opry Entertainment Group (“OEG”) and expand its reach globally. In his current role as Executive Chairman of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Reed also serves as Chairman of the OEG Board of Directors and focuses on unlocking value within OEG. In addition to his responsibilities at Ryman Hospitality Properties, Reed is an advocate for the tourism and hospitality industry, both in Nashville and across the state of Tennessee. Reed also serves as Lead Director for First Horizon National Corporation. Prior to joining Gaylord Entertainment, Reed was Chief Financial Officer and a member of the three-executive Office of the President for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. He joined that company in 1977 as a financial controller for its former Holiday Inn International Division.
Bill Cody
Bill Cody’s nationally and internationally known voice has been heard over the airwaves for 48 years. As a 2008 inductee into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame, Bill is in his 25th year as morning show host of WSM’s “Coffee, Country & Cody” and is a Grand Ole Opry announcer/host. He has multiple nominations for CMA, ACM and Billboard awards. Bill’s radio syndication, television, voice over and movie credits include: “American Saturday Night: Live from the Grand Ole Opry,” GAC TV’s “Master Series and the network specials “Tennessee’s Wildside” (PBS), Ray Stevens’ Nashville (RFD), The Nashville Network (TNN), along with Bill Cody’s Classic Country Weekend, Nashville Record Review, Country’s Most Wanted, Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Walk of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and United Airlines In-Flight country programming, also heard aboard Air Force 1 and 2. Bill is married to his high school sweetheart, Rebecca. They have three children and live near Cross Plains, TN.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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