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Wall of Fame inductees announced
Four well-known Huntingtonians will become the newest members of the Greater Huntington Wall of Fame, which honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to the community.
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HUNTINGTON -- Four well-known Huntingtonians will become the newest members of the Greater Huntington Wall of Fame, which honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to the community.
The City of Huntington Foundation has announced that Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins, Clint McElroy, Henriella Perry and Paul W. Whear will be this year's inductees.
The foundation began inducting individuals in 1986, President Maxine Loudermilk said. Past inductees include actress Dagmar and former Marshall football coach Bobby Pruett.
The Wall of Fame now has 92 members and is in the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Each member has a plaque with a picture and biography.
To be considered for the award, one must have been born in Huntington or have lived in the city for at least 10 years, performed a community service that has benefited the entire community and/or achieved national recognition in their chosen field.
Some may recognize Hawkins' name because he was on the same plane that crashed and killed Patsy Cline in 1963. What many don't know, however, is that he was born in the Harveytown section of Huntington and grew up to be a well-known star of the Grand Ole Opry at the time of his death.
His music was best described as honky-tonk, though he also drew from the blues, boogie and traditional country. His voice also was considered among the best in country music.
He struck his first record deal with King Records in 1946, and proceeded to release five top 10 country singles over the next five years. He also was a top headliner for the Wheeling, W.Va., Jamboree from 1946 to 1954 before joining the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955.
McElroy, 54, wears many hats in the Tri-State. Professionally, he is a staple in broadcast radio in the area, working for stations such as WRVC, WKEE, WEMM and WTCR.
But his contributions to Huntington extend into acting in and directing community theater as well. He has acted in more than 20 community theater productions and produced eight.
He also was one of the founders of the Ronald McDonald House.
Perry, 73, is co-founder of Heritage Farm Museum and Village along with her husband, Michael. The couple has been married 52 years. He was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 1992.
Heritage Farm features more than 20 new and restored buildings designed to preserve and showcase Appalachian heritage and culture to thousands of visitors each year. It has been named as a Prime Appalachian Destination by National Geographic Traveler.
Perry also has served as a volunteer for numerous organizations in the Tri-State and was named a Distinguished West Virginian by Gov. Joe Manchin in 2008.
Whear founded the Huntington Chamber Orchestra -- now the Huntington Symphony Orchestra -- and served as its conductor from 1971 to 1989. Currently, he is professor of music emeritus at Marshall University.
His compositions have been performed across the United States and in Canada, Japan, Australia and seven countries in Europe.
He now is working on a commission from the Library of Congress to compose a symphony to honor the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birth. It will be performed in the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress.
This year's inductees will be honored at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Following a reception and dinner, the inductees will be recognized during a ceremony.
The event is open to the public. Individual tickets are $50. A corporate table seating eight is $1,000, and a corporate table seating four is $500.
Proceeds from the event will go to the City of Huntington Foundation, which helps promote the city's image through physical improvements and creates programs that have an economic impact on Huntington.
To purchase tickets, call the City of Huntington Foundation at 304-696-5522.
