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2024 North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced (+ How You Can Celebrate Them!)

Published by Carl. Last Updated on October 7, 2024.

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The 2024 North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will honor a Godfather, an indy record label, Petey Pablo, and more! 

The Kannapolis-based North Carolina Music Hall of Fame (NCMHOF) will honor six North Carolinians with an induction ceremony in October. These icons have made huge impacts in the music world and beyond.

Visit Mooresville will present the ceremony held at the Charles Mack Center in Mooresville on Thursday, October 17, 2024. The ceremony is open to the public, and tickets can be purchased directly from the NCMHOF for this important annual celebration.

You’ll find more details about the ceremony below, as well as information about the NC Music Hall of Fame, and how to visit the museum throughout the year.

Here’s a breakdown of this guide to the 2024 NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony:

  • Inductees
  • Induction Ceremony Details
  • The History of the NC Music Hall of Fame (and Museum)
  • How to Visit the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis
  • More Things to Do in NC This Fall (NC Travel Guides)

Read More: 100+ Unique Things to Do In North Carolina (Your NC Bucket List)

The NC Music Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees

2024 NC Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Original Image Courtesy of the NC Music Hall of Fame.

Without further ado, the 2024 North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductees include the following people and organizations:

  • Petey Pablo (from Greenville, NC): Born Moses Barrett III, Petey Pablo is a North Carolina music icon. This Grammy-nominated platinum rap artist is largely known for recording North Carolinaโ€™s unofficial anthem โ€œRaise Up.โ€ However, โ€œFreek-A-Leekโ€ from his second album was Pablo’s biggest hit, reaching Number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. In January 2016, Pablo released “Carolina Colors,” which was quickly picked up and used as a hype song for the NFC Championship Game. The Panthers won that game 49-15, and I think the season ended happily ever after.
  • Clarence Avant (born in Climax, NC near Greensboro): Also a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Avant spent more than 50 years in the music and entertainment business. His trailblazing work and mentorship earned him the title of “The Black Godfatherโ€ and acclaim throughout the music and entertainment world. Clarence Avant has also befriended and counseled Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, and he held honorary doctorate degrees from Morehouse College and North Carolina A&T University. Avant passed away in 2023 at the age of 92.
  • Mary Cardwell Dawson (Madison, NC): Dawson founded the National Negro Opera Company in Pittsburgh in 1941. This was the first African American opera company in the United States. Ever the trailblazing educator, Dawson trained young talents to sing opera and brought the opera to African American audiences across the United States. In 1961, Mary was appointed to the National Music Committee by President John F. Kennedy. She passed away in 1962, leaving behind a huge legacy.
  • Merge Records (based in Durham, NC): Merge is an independent record label based in Durham. Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance founded Merge Records in 1989 to release songs by their band Superchunk and their friends’ bands. Merge has grown from Ballanceโ€™s bedroom to become one of the world’s most influential independent record labels. They’ve released albums from indie icons such as Neutral Milk Hotel, the Mountain Goats, She & Him, Superchunk (of course!), and many more. Merge is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2024 and will host Merge 35 in Carrboro from July 24-27, 2024.
  • Tommy Faile (Charlotte, NC): During his lifetime (1928-1998), Faile was a prolific songwriter, radio and television personality, and vocalist. He composed the 1967 hit โ€œPhantom 309โ€ and recorded โ€œThe Legend of the Brown Mountain Lights.โ€ In 1969, Faile launched The Tommy Faile Show in 1969, airing on Charlotte’s WBTV.
  • Bobby Hicks (Newton, NC): Also a member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Fiddlers Hall of Fame, Hicks is a ten-time Grammy Award-winning fiddler. Born in 1933, Bobby Hicks contributed to over 50 albums and worked with several big names in the genre, such as Bill Monroe, Porter Wagoner, and Jesse McReynolds. For 23 years, Hicks was a fiddler with the superstar bluegrass group Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

Petey Pablo, Superchunk, and other Merge performers feature on this Spotify Playlist that includes some of the best bands and musicians from NC!

The NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Details

Location: The Charles Mack Citizen Center, Mooresville, NC
Date and Time: October 17, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

As mentioned, the 2024 NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be presented by Visit Mooresville and held at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville.

For attendees, the celebration will include:

  • A reception to welcome inductees will begin at 6:00 p.m.
  • Dinner and a show with performances by inductees.
  • The ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m.
  • The event will not only commemorate the great musical artists to be inducted but will also celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the NC Music Hall of Fame.

Purchase NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Tickets

Read More: Delicious Restaurants in Mooresville and Nearby (Prepare for a Food Coma!)

History of the NC Music Hall of Fame Museum

Things to Do in Cabarrus County NC Music Hall of Fame Kannapolis

The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was formed in 1994 in Thomasville, North Carolina. Its mission is to “recognize, promote, and commemorate the musical heritage of the State of North Carolina.”

In 2008, California music executive (and industry icon) Mike Curb partnered with the NCMHOF to provide a building in Kannapolis, which also houses his extensive auto racing collection. That’s why the building is also known as The Curb Museum for Music and Motorsports.

Side Note: Some of Curb’s collection is also housed in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

The NCMHOF organization’s office then moved from Thomasville to Kannapolis. The NC Music Hall of Fame museum officially opened on June 1, 2009, and its first induction ceremony was held on October 3, 2009.

Read More: The Most Amazing Museums in North Carolina (for ALL Ages!)

How to Visit the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis

Address: 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd, Kannapolis, NC
Official Website

Things to Do in North Carolina in October NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Visit the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis throughout the year. Admission is free (donations are appreciated), and guided tours are provided upon request.

Inside, 65 exhibits display memorabilia from previous NCMHOF inductees. The NC Music Hall of Fame recognizes a diverse array of genres and music professions, from blues to bluegrass, rock and roll to hip-hop.

Famous Items on Display Include:

  • Charlie Danielsโ€™ fiddle
  • Beat machines from Jermaine Dupri and 9th Wonder
  • Arthur Smithโ€™s banjo
  • Clothing from American Idols including Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Scotty McCreery, Fantasia, and Kellie Pickler
  • Jim Lauderdaleโ€™s Grammy Award

More Things to Do in NC This Fall

The NC Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is a major event, and we’ve included it among the best things to do during fall in North Carolina. Here are some more NC Travel Guides that feature fall events.