Some of Country Music's finest will once again be honored in Carthage for the third annual Texas Country Music Hall of Fame Awards Show in August. Much like last year's festivities, the event will be highlighted by a weekend menu of activity that includes the induction of three new museum inductees.

States to be honored at the August 19 event include Dale Evans, Charlie Walker, and the late Bob Wills.

Both Walker and Evans have made plans to appear at the awards ceremony.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Panola County Chamber of Commerce office.

The show will be held at the Carthage Junior High School Auditorium beginning at 7 P, M.

"I don’t think there are any bad seats in that auditorium," assured hail of fame president Tommie Smith. Reserve seats are $50. General admission balcony seats are also available at a cost of $25 each. Performing at the awards ceremony will be Jim Ed Brown & The Browns, Janie Fricke & Band, Merle Kilgore, Charlie Walker, and Comedian Sam Griesbaum. Also performing will be the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame Band, led by Leon Rausch. Special guest Ralph Emery will serve as the show’s Master of ceremonies.

To kick off the weekend celebration, John Rex Reeves will be hosting the third annual "Pickin’ Party" at the Carthage Junior High School Auditorium on August 18.

The Pickin’ Party was so large the first year that last year it was moved to the high school. In addition to the professional

Appearances, several local amateurs will be performing. John Rex Reeves will be holding auditions at the Country Music Hayride at an as yet undecided date for Panola Countians who wish to try out for a spot on stage at the "Pickin’ Party."

We'll audition all the artists and we'll pick those we feel can best represent what we’re trying to do," Reeves said.

A featured event during the gala weekend, will be the unveiling of the larger than life sized bronze statue of Tex Ritter and White Flash at 9:30 am. on Saturday.

Along with the unveiling, the newer portions of the museum will be open to the public.

In anticipation of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame’s new home, museum organizers are offering opportunities for Panola County residents to have their support of the project set in stone.

Supporters can purchase a brick that will be part of the Texas Country Music Hail of Fame "Walk of Fame" for $100 each.

The bricks, stamped with company names or used to honor individuals or their memories, will begin at Panola Street and lead up to the Tex Ritter Monument and on to the building. Proceeds from brick sales will help fund the Tex Ritter Monument and the museum.

Tommie Smith brought to mind the museum’s purpose "The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame was initiated to celebrate the contributions of Texans to the Country Music profession. The project highlights those individuals, living or dead, who are recognized nationally as outstanding in their field."

This year’s inductees are no exception in nationally recognized contributions to Country Music.

Dale Evans was a western film star along with her husband, the late Roy Rogers. Evans sang and wrote music books, and acted.

Evans and her husband starred for seven years in their own show, The Roy Rogers Show.

Charlie Walker is a singer and guitarist who is still performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. He was a popular disc jockey and shuffle beat honky-tonk singer.

Bob Wills was considered the King of Texas Swing. He was a bandleader, fiddler, singer, and songwriter. Wills made many musical westerns in the 1940s and then moved back into swing music and performing in honky-tonks.