JEANNIE SEELY TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH JO WALKER-MEADOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Grammy-award-winning Country legend Jeannie Seely will be honored with the esteemed Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement Award at the SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards in recognition of her numerous career achievements and significant contributions to the music industry.

Seely joins an elite group of Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, including Jo Walker-Meador (2004), Brenda Lee (2006), and Frances Preston (2010).

The annual awards ceremony will be presented by Springer Mountain Farms and is set for August 27, 2024, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.

I’ve always been interested in the business behind the music, and therefore, I have tremendous respect for the women in this organization. 

To be a recipient of this highest honor with my mentors is beyond my dreams!”

Jeannie Seely

 “Jeannie’s dedication to her music, work as a radio host, long-time membership of the Grand Ole Opry, and willingness to mentor and guide emerging female artists speaks to who she is.

She deserves to be celebrated and honored with the Jo Walker-Meador Lifetime Achievement Award.”

SOURCE President Kari Barnhart

Co-host of the prestigious SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards since 2006, Seely has spearheaded significant efforts to support and enhance women’s music industry roles throughout her decades.

Invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry early in her career, Jeannie today holds the distinction of having more Opry performances than any other artist.

Only the third female in country music history to receive a Grammy award and the first female to regularly host Opry segments, Seely’s many awards and accolades demonstrate her impact on the music industry.

Those awards include the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award, a Music City Walk of Fame star, and BMI hit-songwriter awards. She is also a producer, author, actress, and host – including her weekly show on SiriusXM.

In addition, Seely has been a longtime advocate for artists’ benefits and rights, serving on the Board of Directors for SAG-AFTRA and the Opry Trust Fund.

The only female to receive an honorary Nashville Musicians Union lifetime membership, Seely also received Lincoln Memorial University’s most prestigious recognition – an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
 

ABOUT SOURCE HALL OF FAME AWARDS

In 2003, the annual SOURCE Awards were established by founder Kay Smith to honor and pay respect to the Women Behind The Music who helped shape and build upon Nashville’s entertainment industry.

The SOURCE Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2004. With permission, the award was named in honor of Jo Walker-Meador.

The candidates for this award, in addition to meeting the criteria for a SOURCE Award, must have not only contributed to the Nashville entertainment industry but have made significant contributions outside of Nashville and Internationally, which brings or brought attention to the Nashville entertainment industry.

Founded in 1991 by Shelia Shipley Biddy, Judy Harris, and Pat Rolfe, SOURCE is the longest-running organization for females in the music industry in Nashville and is dedicated to fostering relationships and opportunities for its members through continuous education, networking, and community service initiatives. 

SOURCE is a nonprofit organization supporting an exclusive community of accomplished women professionals who work in all facets of Nashville’s entertainment industry.

For more information, please visit SOURCENashville.org.

ABOUT JEANNIE SEELY

Jeannie Seely’s deep, moving vocals earned her the nickname “Miss Country Soul,” a title still used today.

An esteemed singer, songwriter, producer, actress, author and on-air personality, Seely added another title, “Doctor,” to her resume when she was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Lincoln Memorial University in 2019.

The third female country artist to win a GRAMMY and the oldest female Grammy-winning artist who is still living.

She is among a select group of country artists who have scored No. 1 hits as a solo artist, duet partner and songwriter.

On September 16, 1967, Seely fulfilled her lifelong dream of joining the Grand Ole Opry, becoming the first Pennsylvania native to do so.

Nearly 56 years later, Seely makes clear that it’s still a thrill and an honor each time she performs on the world-famous stage, which she has performed over 5300 times.

From her 1966 Top 10 Billboard album, The Seely Style, which featured “Don’t Touch Me,” to her self-produced album, Written in Song, consisting entirely of songs she’s written and recorded for more than 10 Country Music Hall of Fame members, Seely’s recordings have spanned seven decades.

Seely first appeared on the Billboard charts in 1966, continued to score entries for 13 consecutive years on various Billboard charts, and as recently as 2022, has had a presence on the MusicRow charts.

Seely also garnered a No. 1 on the Record World Country Singles chart in 1971 and a No. 1 on the Bluegrass Today chart in 2019.

In his 2003 book, Finding Her Voice: The Saga of Women in Country Music, music critic Robert K. Oermann wrote, “With her chin-out, tough/tender, heart-of-gold manner, Jeannie Seely remains one of Country’s most completely modern female personalities,” and that statement still holds true.

With a strong social media following and over four million views on her YouTube channel, Seely continues expanding her international presence as music sales and fans’ messages pour in.

She appeared in Willie Nelson’s movie Honeysuckle Rose and sang on the film’s RIAA platinum-certified soundtrack, and for the past four years, Seely has hosted her own show, Sundays with Seely, on SiriusXM’s Willie’s Roadhouse.

She also served as a disc jockey on her own Armed Forces Network Show, which launched after her tour abroad for the troops.

She continues to receive letters of appreciation from American soldiers for her support.

She is also a fierce advocate for musicians’ rights and takes much pride in her involvement and support for the cause.

Nelson, along with Rhonda Vincent, Bill Anderson, Lorrie Morgan, Ray Stevens and many more of her friends, joined Seely for her most recent recording project on Curb Records, An American Classic, which has seen rave reviews and three radio releases.

Most recently, Seely won the Song of the Year Award at the Arkansas Country Music Awards and was honored with the Mississippi Career Achievement Award at the Mississippi Music Awards and 2023 recipient of the CMA’s Joe Talbot Award. 

Stay in touch with Jeannie Seely on her website and all her social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Stream and download music on Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube Music and listen to her on Sundays With Seely on SiriusXM each Sunday at 11 am CST.