2025 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees: Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash & Tony BrownCountry Music Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Inductees
Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, and Tony Brown make up the Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: March 25, 2025
Last Updated: September 6, 2026
The 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees are Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, and Tony Brown. The Country Music Association announced the three-member class on March 25, 2025, with each inductee selected in a different Country Music Hall of Fame category.
Kenny Chesney was selected in the Modern Era Artist category, June Carter Cash in the Veterans Era Artist category, and Tony Brown in the Non-Performer category. The three were formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during the annual Medallion Ceremony on October 19, 2025.
2025 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees and Categories
Kenny Chesney — Modern Era Artist
June Carter Cash — Veterans Era Artist
Tony Brown — Non-Performer
The Country Music Association oversees elections to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Modern Era Artist becomes eligible 20 years after first achieving national prominence, while the Veterans Era Artist becomes eligible 45 years after first achieving national prominence. A third category rotates among Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician. The rotating category for 2025 was Non-Performer.
For the newest class, see the 2026 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees, including Tim McGraw, the Stanley Brothers, and Paul Overstreet.
When Were the 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees Inducted?
Tony Brown, June Carter Cash, and Kenny Chesney were formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 19, 2025, during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's CMA Theater in Nashville.
Brown became the Hall of Fame's 156th member, Carter Cash the 157th, and Chesney the 158th. Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill formally inducted Brown, Emmylou Harris inducted Carter Cash, and Joe Galante inducted Chesney.
How the 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame Class Was Announced
Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill hosted the March 25, 2025, announcement from the Rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The announcement was also streamed live on the CMA's YouTube channel.
The class brought together three distinctly different careers in country music: a producer and record executive who helped shape decades of influential recordings, a member of one of country music's foundational families whose career spanned music, comedy, acting, and songwriting, and one of the genre's most successful recording and touring artists.
Tony Brown — 2025 Non-Performer Inductee
Tony Brown was selected for the Country Music Hall of Fame in the Non-Performer category. His career has included work as a musician, producer, and record label executive.
Brown performed with Elvis Presley’s touring band and Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band before moving into the record business. He later became president of MCA Nashville and helped shape the careers and recordings of artists including George Strait, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Steve Earle, and Rodney Crowell.
His decades of work as a producer and executive made him one of the influential behind-the-scenes figures in modern country music.
June Carter Cash — 2025 Veterans Era Artist Inductee
June Carter Cash was selected for the Country Music Hall of Fame in the Veterans Era Artist category.
Born into the Carter Family, she began performing as a child and built a career as a singer, songwriter, musician, comedian, and actress. She later became a longtime performing partner with Johnny Cash, whom she married in 1968.
Carter Cash co-wrote “Ring of Fire” with Merle Kilgore and recorded Grammy-winning collaborations with Johnny Cash, including “Jackson” and “If I Were a Carpenter.” She died in 2003 at age 73.
Kenny Chesney — 2025 Modern Era Artist Inductee
Kenny Chesney was selected for the Country Music Hall of Fame in the Modern Era Artist category.
After moving to Nashville in 1991, Chesney developed into one of country music’s most successful recording and touring artists. His catalog includes hits such as “The Good Stuff,” “There Goes My Life,” “I Go Back,” “When the Sun Goes Down,” and “Anything but Mine.”
Chesney has won the CMA Entertainer of the Year award four times and built a stadium-touring career that helped establish his No Shoes Nation fan community. In 2025, he also became the first country artist to headline a residency at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, and Tony Brown officially joined the Country Music Hall of Fame on October 19, 2025, representing the Modern Era Artist, Veterans Era Artist, and Non-Performer categories.
Their induction brought the Hall of Fame's membership to 158, with Brown becoming member No. 156, Carter Cash No. 157, and Chesney No. 158.
The Country Music Hall of Fame adds a new class each year through an election process overseen by the Country Music Association. Fans do not vote for the inductees. Members are selected through the CMA's industry voting process before being formally inducted during the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's annual Medallion Ceremony.
See the 2026 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees for the next class, including Tim McGraw, the Stanley Brothers, and Paul Overstreet.
Sources: Country Music Association; Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum