Jim Halsey, a 95-year-old music industry pioneer from Oklahoma, was recognized with the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of contributions to the music world, managing stars like Roy Clark, Wanda Jackson, and Reba McEntire.

Oklahoma’s Music Legacy

Oklahoma’s music legacy was celebrated as Jim Halsey received the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award on June 2 for his decades of contributions. Halsey represents Oklahoma’s vast music legacy, which has shaped the music industry globally.

Behind every name is a group of unsung contributors who helped shape their success, even if they remained mostly out of the spotlight. Halsey has shaped the music industry in Oklahoma and globally, managing legendary artists such as Roy Clark, Hank Thompson, and Oklahoma native Wanda Jackson.

A Legacy of Music

Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan praised Halsey, saying, “I’m always proud of Wanda Jackson, the very first female to ever have a rock ‘n’ roll hit anywhere in the world. She’s right here from south Oklahoma City, grew up in Oklahoma County. She’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Over the years, Halsey’s firm has managed hundreds of talented singers, including Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, and more recently, Alaska and Madi, a duo inspired by Oklahoma’s musical legacy.

The duo competed on The Voice in 2014 before working with Halsey. “I like to joke and say that we didn’t get to go to college because we went straight to The Voice. But we did go to the College of Jim Halsey, which, Jim Halsey is quite literally a living legend,” Alaska Rayne Holloway, part of Alaska and Madi, said.

Oklahoma has an impact on the world stage, with its music legacy continuing to inspire artists and audiences worldwide. The state draws people in with its warmth, grit, and spirit, making it a place that inspires the world.

Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.