LULU BELLE AND SCOTTY – they were radio LEGENDS in the 30s and 40s, known not just to country fans but the general public

SKEETER DAVIS – first woman after Kitty Wells to score a third solo top ten hit in BILLBOARD; one of the first country acts to crossover to the pop market with frequency; she had an international following for decades; in the last few years she has had some of her classic hits covered in chart-topping pop albums by Susan Boyle and She & Him, had songs featured in major movies, television episodes, even a video game. What more do you want CMA???

JOHNNY HORTON – this guy was huge in his time, his hits albums have always sold and been available and he had some of the biggest hits ever in country music history. His omission is just bizarre.

LYNN ANDERSON – she was as big as Loretta and Tammy for many years and bigger than Dolly and Barbara during that period and surely one of the most famous country stars with the general public in the 1970′s. She’s also about the only winner of one of the big three CMA awards pre-1980 that isn’t yet in the HOF.

DOTTIE WEST – at the top or near the top for about 30 years, how many HOFers are going to have a TV movie biography done on their lives as Dottie has?

JUNE CARTER CASH and/or THE CARTER SISTERS/CARTER FAMILY second generation – June is an icon on her own but the sister act were in demand for decades and many consider Anita Carter the best ever female country singer, yes even over Connie Smith.

WANDA JACKSON – What a crying shame that the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame has shown more appreciation for this country legend and inducted her into their HOF before the CMA has even put her yet on their short list of possibilities.

JOHNNY AND JACK – probably the most popular and successful of the many male duets of the 40s/50s.

HANK COCHRAN – easily the most deserving of the songwriters not yet inducted; only Harlan Howard ever topped him as a nonstar songwriter.

JOHNNY GIMBLE, DEL WOOD, PETE DRAKE – truly trailblazing musicians and incredibly important to the industry.

I can make a good case for some of the others you named but excellence in itself is worthy of recognition and there has never been a female vocalist better than Connie Smith and very few that were her equals – certainly Reba M, Barbara M, Dottie W aren’t even close

The CMHOF has shorted the stars of the 40s such as Daffan, Dexter, Wakely but that’s a whole ‘nother matter