The Gambler, a balladeer and a cowboy will be the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and "Cowboy" Jack Clement were announced Wednesday morning (April 10) at a press conference held in the Hall of Fame's Rotunda and hosted by Bill Anderson.

Kenny Rogers, who got his start in the pop field with tunes like "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Something's Burning," made his mark in country music with huge hits including "The Gambler," "Lady" and "She Believes in Me." His classic duets include "Islands in the Stream" with Dolly Parton and the Dottie West collaborations, "Every Time Two Fools Collide" and "Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight."

The singer, who has a career that spans 50 years, will be inducted in the category of Modern Era. Having sold more than 120 million records worldwide, Rogers is the Recording Industry Association's eighth best selling male artist of all time. He has released more than 65 albums during his 52 years in music.

The legendary singer continues to tour and just made available a newly issued copy of his 1978 album, The Gambler on vinyl. He also recently teamed with Wynonna Judd for a duet of "Mary Did You Know," featured on the soundtrack to the popular mini-series, "The Bible" on the History Channel.

Bobby Bare, chosen for the Veterans Era, also had a hit in the pop field, "The All-American Boy," released under the name Bill Parsons. He was drafted before he could tour with the hit, and the record label hired another singer to be Bill Parsons and cash in on its success. After his discharge from the service, Bare found modest success in pop music before deciding to return to his country roots. He was signed to RCA by Chet Atkins and thus began a long association and many hits, including "Detroit City," "The Streets of Baltimore" and "Margie's at the Lincoln Park Inn."

Bare collaborated with friend Shel Silverstein on several records, including one of country music's first concept records, "Bobby Bare Sings Legends, Lullabies and Lies," which resulted in the hit song about the famous witch, "Maria Laveau" and "Daddy, What If?" with son Bobby Bare Jr., then just eight years old. Always a fan of songwriters, Bare was among the first singers to record songs by Guy Clark, Bob McDill, Townes Van Zandt and Billy Joe Shaver.

Bare, whose career spans seven decades, has a new album which returns him to his folk roots, "Darker Than Light," which includes traditional folk songs "Boll Weevil" and "The House of the Rising Sun."

"Cowboy" Jack Clement, who comes to the Hall of Fame in the Non-Entertainer category, is best known as a producer/songwriter, having worked with Johnny Cash, for whom he wrote "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" and "Guess Things Happen That Way." Clement was the one who came up with the idea to put the Mariachi spin on the start of Cash's iconic "Ring of Fire." He also talked George Jones into cutting "She Thinks I Still Care" and wrote Charley Pride's "Just Between You and Me" and "I Know One." Outside of the country world, Clement produced U2's Rattle and Hum sessions in Memphis and also produced an album for Louis Armstrong.

The singer/songwriter/producer continues to run his Cowboy Arms Studio in Nashville and can be found performing in clubs around town, often with Shawn Camp and Billy Burnette.

Rogers, Bare and Clement will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a special Medallion Ceremony held later this year. The Hall of Fame has 118 members, all of whom have bronze plaques in their honor on display in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, located in downtown Nashville. Induction into the Hall of Fame is considered the highest honor in country music.

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