North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Inductees: Hip-Hop, Funk, Jazz, Bluegrass, and Indie Rock Legends Honored

North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Reveals 2026 Inductee Class

The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame has officially announced its Class of 2026, recognizing six groundbreaking artists, musicians, producers, and innovators whose contributions have shaped American music across multiple genres.

The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville, North Carolina. Presented by Visit Mooresville, the annual celebration honors artists with deep North Carolina roots who have made a lasting impact on the music industry.

Tickets for the public are available now and start at $80.

2026 North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Inductees

MC SHA-ROCK (Wilmington, NC)

Widely recognized as the first female MC in Hip-Hop culture, MC SHA-ROCK helped define the early sound and style of rap music as a member of the pioneering group Funky 4 + 1.

Her groundbreaking work helped establish modern microphone techniques, lyrical delivery, and live performance standards. In 1981, Funky 4 + 1 became the first Hip-Hop group to perform on national television during an appearance on Saturday Night Live, introducing Hip-Hop culture to mainstream America.

Sugar Bear (Red Springs, NC)

Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott is best known as a founding member of Experience Unlimited (E.U.), one of the most influential groups in Go-Go music history.

The band achieved national success with the hit single “Da Butt,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Black Singles chart in 1988 and earned a Grammy nomination. E.U.’s impact helped bring Washington D.C.-style Go-Go music to audiences worldwide.

Arrogance (Chapel Hill, NC)

Formed in Chapel Hill, Arrogance is considered one of North Carolina’s original indie rock bands.

The group pioneered the DIY music movement through self-produced recordings and independent distribution strategies long before independent music became mainstream. Their influence helped lay the foundation for future generations of independent artists and bands.

Barry Poss (Durham, NC)

As founder of Sugar Hill Records, Barry Poss played a crucial role in the evolution of bluegrass and Americana music.

Through Sugar Hill Records, Poss worked with legendary artists including Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Jerry Douglas, Nickel Creek, and many others. His work helped modernize bluegrass music and introduce it to new audiences across the globe.

Billy Strayhorn (Hillsborough, NC)

One of jazz music’s most respected composers and arrangers, Billy Strayhorn is best known for his decades-long collaboration with Duke Ellington.

Strayhorn composed jazz classics such as “Take the ‘A’ Train” and “Lush Life,” both of which remain essential pieces of the American jazz canon. His contributions continue to influence musicians around the world.

Eddie Ray Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

George Clinton (Kannapolis, NC)

Music icon George Clinton will receive the prestigious Eddie Ray Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2026 ceremony.

As the founder of Parliament-Funkadelic, Clinton transformed the landscape of funk music and influenced generations of artists in Hip-Hop, R&B, rock, and pop music.

Already a member of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame since 2009, Clinton is being honored for more than five decades of innovation, creativity, and cultural impact.

2026 Induction Ceremony Details

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Location: Charles Mack Citizen Center, Mooresville, NC
Tickets: Starting at $80
Public Event: Yes

The ceremony will feature special appearances and live performances from inductees and guests. Additional performers and event details will be announced in the coming months.

Visit the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Museum

Located in Kannapolis, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Museum celebrates the state’s rich musical heritage with exhibits honoring artists from every genre.

Visitors can explore memorabilia from legendary North Carolina artists, including Charlie Daniels, Roberta Flack, Luke Combs, Jermaine Dupri, Randy Travis, The Avett Brothers, and many more.

New exhibits featuring memorabilia from the 2026 inductees will debut in October alongside the induction ceremony.

Admission to the museum is free.

North Carolina’s Musical Legacy Continues

From Hip-Hop and funk to jazz, bluegrass, Americana, and indie rock, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame’s 2026 class showcases the incredible diversity of talent that has emerged from the Tar Heel State.

Their stories remind us that North Carolina continues to be a powerful force in shaping American music and culture.

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Published by Bryan Tomlinson | DoRaleigh.com

Song Lyric Sunday – Wailin’ Jennys

Good morning! It is another Song Lyric Sunday and this week Jim has asked us to share a song that is by a singer or band that we have just discovered. I don’t think he meant someone brand new, but just new to us. I am going back to a folk group that I featured a few weeks ago called The Wailin’ Jennys. I am sharing my favorite song from them called ‘Deeper Well’. Their singing is fautless, but just listen to the musicians on this track. I thought it was an amazing sound. It was a live performance so no fancy studio enhancements were used. Overall an incredible performance by the Jennys and their musicians.

The second song is by another group called Fretless. I can also thank Pandora Radio for introducing me to them. I guess it was because I was listening to the WJs that they thought I might enjoy Fretless too. Well I did. Now I am so into Blue Grass music! I just love it. The Fretless group are also from Canada, like the Wailin’ Jennys. The song I picked is called ‘Waterbound’ which coincidently features Ruth Moody of the WJs as the singer.

I hope you enjoy my picks today.

https://youtu.be/tPShFdp44RI?si=yGFcTdhmRoVpyfsU

The Group – The Wailin’ Jennys

The Wailin’ Jennys are Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse — three distinct voices that together make an achingly perfect vocal sound.

Starting as a happy accident of solo singer/songwriters getting together for a one-time-only performance at a tiny guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Wailin’ Jennys have grown over the years into one of today’s most beloved international folk acts. Founding members Moody and Mehta along with Taos-based Masse continue to create some of the most exciting music on the folk-roots scene, stepping up their musical game with each critically lauded recording, and thrilling audiences with their renowned live performances.

In 2004, The Wailin’ Jennys released their first full-length album 40 Days to great critical acclaim, netting a 2005 Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year. Bolstered by their frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor’s public radio show A Prairie Home Companion, The Jennys exploded onto the roots music scene, performing at packed venues across Canada, the U.S. and throughout the world.

The Jennys’ sophomore album, 2006’s Firecracker, served as a powerful follow-up to their career-making debut. Artistically, the record found The Jennys stepping out of the folk realm and into the world of alt-country, pop and rock. Garnering much attention, it was nominated for a Juno Award and won a 2007 Folk Alliance Award for Contemporary Release of the Year. Firecracker had legs, spending over 56 weeks on the Billboard charts.

The trio’s 2009 release, Live at Mauch Chunk Opera House, also spent over a year on the Billboard bluegrass charts. That landmark live album bottled the lightning of The Jennys’ live performances with show-stopping harmonies, impressive instrumental prowess, breathtaking songs and, of course, witty stage banter.

For 2011’s Juno-winning Bright Morning Stars, The Wailin’ Jennys joined the ranks of Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris and recorded with award-winning producer Mark Howard. Co-produced by frequent Jennys collaborator and Juno Award-nominated David Travers-Smith, the album combined fresh and innovative sounds with the band’s signature harmonies — a perfect mix of Americana, pop and traditional folk that has become a modern classic. Bright Morning Stars took home the Juno for Roots and Traditional album of the year in 2012.

In 2017, The Jennys turned 15 years old. To mark the occasion, the band took time away from the demands of motherhood to record and release a celebratory album for their fans: Fifteen. A carefully curated collection of some of their favourite songs, the new record was recorded true to their live show sound with their long time beloved side players, Richard Moody and Adam Dobres. Steeped in the artistry and elegance that has defined their career, the album presents the Jennys at their very best, highlighting their heartfelt vocals, otherworldly harmonies, and sophisticated arrangements. Fifteen was nominated for a Juno award in 2018 for Traditional Roots album of the year.

The Wailin’ Jennys are more than just impeccable bluegrass harmonizers; they’re also terrific bandleaders who give their traditional roots music a sense of real reverence.
— NPR

Courtesy of Wailin’ Jennys website

The Lyrics – Deeper Well

https://youtu.be/jn8jqCP67lI?si=8UVfgFNB0yi5pTM6

The Group – Fretless

The Fretless is a renowned Canadian folk/roots string quartet known for transforming traditional fiddle tunes into intricate, genre-bending, and high-energy instrumental music. Consisting of three violins/violas and a cello, the Juno award-winning group (based in Toronto and BC) merges Irish, Celtic, and Canadian old-time influences with a contemporary, chamber music approach.

The group is traditionally composed of cellist Eric Wright and violinists/violists Trent Freeman, Karrnnel Sawitsky, and Ben Plotnick.

They have won multiple accolades, including Instrumental Album of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards and multiple wins at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

They are described as a “string supergroup” that brings a percussive, complex, and modern arrangement style to folk melodies.

In recent projects, they have collaborated with singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger, exploring new soundscapes.

Their albums often feature original compositions alongside traditional tunes, frequently earning critical acclaim for their technical mastery and inventive arrangements.

Background captured from AI

The Lyrics – Waterbound

3 Brothers Bluegrass Jam - Nine Pound Hammer (Banjo, Fiddle & Guitar)

https://videovortex.tv/w/aT87unGiF9TN6N4porfDm6

“Ultimately, the sound you get out of any instrument is yourself. The instrument is only a small percentage of it all. The rest is how you touch it, what your left hand does, what your right hand does, what you hear in your head, and the heart and soul that you put into your performance. Those things allow you to find your sound on any instrument you pick up.” - Dave Holland

Check out the second half of our conversation with the legendary Dave Holland. The bassist will be performing with his New Quartet - with Kris Davis, Jaleel Shaw, and Nasheet Waits- at SMOKE Jazz Club from September 4th to September 8th.

#daveholland #bass #music #jazz #smokejazzclub #krisdavis #jaleelshaw #nasheetwaits #lifecycle #bluegrassmusic #worldmusic #anouarbrahem #zakirhussain #pepehabichuela #kennywheeler #johnhartford #postgenre #editionrecords #dare2records #gatewaytrio

Photo credit: Dave Stapleton

https://postgenre.org/no-isolation-dave-holland-ii/

Solar-powered, bike-friendly (bicycle parking rack near front door of sanctuary) First Presbyterian Church of Monterey 9 am and 11am services today include bluegrass music. Speaker today is James Potts, who’ll be installed April 14 as FPC-MRY’s new assoc pastor. https://fpcmonterey.org/staff-leadership. Services livestreamed and also recorded, so you can catch a bluegrass fix anytime, e.g., https://www.youtube.com/live/H-PzpqX6IUk?si=Pbl4m8hYNhsuH_Vw&t=413. BTW, we appreciate #DuckDuckGo’s Duck Player for watching videos on Youtube; ICYMI https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/duck-player/.

Bike to church, mosque, satsang, synagogue, or other place of worship. Be inspired by Monterey County scenes: https://bikemonterey.org/bike-to-worship.html.

#BikeTooter #BikeToWorship #BikeChurch #BluegrassMusic #BikeParking #EarthStewardship #ClimateAction #church #mosque #synagogue #satsang #Monterey