Aug. 16 (UPI) — Ray Charles, The Judds, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake are set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as the Class of 2021.
Reba McEntire announced the inductees on behalf of the Country Music Association on Monday. Plans for an induction ceremony will be announced at a later date.
The late Charles is entering the Hall of Fame as the Veterans Era Artist with The Judds as the Modern Era Artist. Bayers and Drake are entering under the Recording and/or Touring Musician category.
Charles, who died in 2004, famously released influential country album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music in 1962 and has worked with the likes of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
The Judds, consisting of Naomi Judd and her daughter Wynonna Judd, earned 20 Top Ten hits from 1984 to 1991 including 14 No. 1 songs.
Bayers is a studio drummer who worked on Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs album from 1980 and has worked with The Judds, Ricky Staggs, George Strait, Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney.
Drake is a pedal-steel guitarist who has worked with Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, George Harrison and Elvis Presley and produced albums by Ringo Starr and B.J. Thomas.
Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart and Hank Williams were a part of the Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2020.