The Blue Ridge Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The Wilkes Heritage Museum, located in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, is pleased to
announce inductees for the 2026 Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. The seven inductees
and categories will be honored during the 18 th annual Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame
Induction Ceremony at the Wilkes Heritage Museum on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
The 2026 inductees and their categories are Darren & Brooke Aldridge, Nationally
Known Artists; Riley Puckett, Pioneer Artist; Tommy Faile, Sideman or Regional
Musician; Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Songwriters; Stanley Hicks, Traditional Dance;
Carlton Haney, Special Contributor, Promoter & Organizer; and Drake Walsh, Dr. T. R.
Bryan Wilkes Heritage Music Award. Award winning, multi-instrumentalist and singer,
Carol Rifkin, who also hosts This Old Porch each Sunday afternoon on WNCW, will
emcee the ceremony.
The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame exists to showcase and preserve the rich musical
heritage of the greater Blue Ridge Mountains from northern Georgia to northern Virginia.
The Hall of Fame educates, defines, and interprets the history of music and musicians in
all genres from the region with exhibits and an annual celebration of inductees. Centrally
located at the Wilkes Heritage Museum in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the Blue Ridge
Music Hall of Fame increases the visibility of and support for the museum.
The Wilkes Heritage Museum collects and preserves historic structures, artifacts, and
documents of Wilkes County and serves as a resource center for every Wilkes County
citizen and visitor. Through exhibits, educational programs, performances, and research,
the Wilkes Heritage Museum interprets the history of Wilkes County and western North
Carolina.
Tickets for the ceremony are on sale now at the Wilkes Heritage Museum gift shop or
website.