The Judds — Naomi and Wynonna — became the eighth duo to earn a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame when the 2021 inductions were announced on Monday (Aug. 16). This includes seven performing duos and one songwriting duo.
Here’s a complete list of the twosomes who have achieved that career-capping honor.
Flatt & Scruggs: In 1985, the bluegrass duo of Lester Flatt (guitar) and Earl Scruggs (banjo) became the first duo to be inducted. They topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in early 1963 with “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” made famous as the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies, then the No. 1 show on TV.
Boudleaux & Felice Bryant: The husband-and-wife songwriting team was inducted in 1991. (They and Sara and A.P. Carter of The Carter Family are the only married couples in the Hall.) The Bryants wrote many of The Everly Brothers’ biggest hits, including “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and “Problems.”
The Delmore Brothers: Alton and Rabon Delmore were inducted in 2001. The Delmore Brothers had a No. 1 hit on a forerunner of Hot Country Songs in 1949, “Blues Stay Away From Me.”
The Everly Brothers: Don and Phil Everly were inducted in 2001. The duo had four No. 1 hits on a forerunner of Hot Country Songs in 1957-58 — “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream” and “Bird Dog.” All four songs were major crossover hits.
Homer and Jethro: The comedy duo of Henry “Homer” Haynes and Kenneth “Jethro” Burns was inducted in 2001. Their biggest hit was a 1953 parody of Patti Page’s smash “The Doggie in the Window” which they titled “(How Much Is) That Hound Dog in the Window.” Homer and Jethro were still tickling funny bones 15 years later. They were CMA nominees for comedian of the year in 1967 and 1968.
The Louvin Brothers: Ira and Charlie Louvin were inducted in 2001. (The Hall inducted 12 acts that year, compared to the usual three.) “I Don’t Believe You’ve Met My Baby” topped a forerunner of Hot Country Songs in 1956. Charlie Louvin had a pair of top 10 hits on Hot Country Songs in 1964-65 — “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “See the Big Man Cry.”
Brooks & Dunn: Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were inducted in 2019. They had 20 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs chart, from “Brand New Man” in 1991 to “Play Something Country” in 2005. Brooks & Dunn won 18 CMA Awards, more than any other act. Dunn won an additional award for co-writing (with Craig Wiseman) the Brooks & Dunn hit “Believe,” the 2006 song of the year winner.
The Judds: The mother-daughter duo had 14 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, from “Mama He’s Crazy” in 1984 to “Let Me Tell You About Love” in 1989. Wynonna landed four more No. 1 hits on her own from “She Is His Only Need” in 1992 to “To Be Loved by You” in 1996. The Judds won nine CMA awards, which puts them second only to Brooks & Dunn among duos.
