Country Music's Biggest Guessing Game

On Monday, March 18th, we learn the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. It is the greatest honor a Country music musician, executive or player can receive.

A pointed secret committee makes decisions and the inductee is notified a day or so before the public announcement. For the inductee, it is said to be a difficult 24/48 hours -- difficult because they can't tell anybody.

You have to have national prominence for over 20 years to be nominated. Here are some of the names of the eligible" Brooks and Dunn, the Judds, Dwight Yoakam, John Denver, Hank Williams Junior, Jerry Lee Lewis, Crystal Gayle, Charlie Rich.

Some categories are only available for induction every other year or every third year, hopefully the late publisher/producer/philanthropist Buddy Killen, who produced so many records, will be allowed in soon. He passed away several years ago.

I think some of the new folks are eligible now -- Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw ... but one thing for sure, there will be some surprises. The Country Music Hall of Fame does plan to livestream that event Monday morning at 10a.

Country music stars have been filling up the NRG stadium in Houston for the last two weeks. George Strait and Brad Paisley will be the final two this weekend; many if not most have brought in over 70,000 people per night, but acts like Cardi B have broken records.

Speaking of records, Country Music Hall of Fame member Garth Brooks threw one heck of a party in St. Louis last weekend. Almost 75,000 people filled the vacant dome where the NFL used to play in St. Louis. It was the opening concert of his three-year stadium tour.

Let me just say his set was amazing; the video from Moo TV was excellent. His band was flawless; to me the whole thing was just absolutely a joy to attend. Garth played for almost three hours -- no opening act, no break. No one knows how to play a stadium crowd better than Garth Brooks ... he somehow makes that cavernous hall feel like you're in the club. There is so much positive energy during the show and as always, many special moments ... When a stage-four cancer patient held up her sign and he talked to her ... he then closed the show with "Standing Outside The Fire" ... It made the hair stand up on my arm ... What more can you say? Garth is one of the kind.

What a seven days in Country music: Kane Brown drew 70,000-plus into NRG stadium and Garth at the same time had 70-plus thousand in The St Louis Dome. Blake Shelton took over the Ole Red in Gatlinburg. Country stars were all over TV, from Idol to the Voice.

Country music is everywhere !