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73-433: Alabama lead singer Randy Owen has said that the band received "hundreds of letters from all over the world saying that the song was a blessing." Owen performed the song at the funeral of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 2001, with whom he shared a personal friendship. A live recording of the song is included on Angels Among Us: Hymns and Gospel Favorites , released in 2014. Tom Roland of New Country magazine wrote that "even when

146-410: A caricature of an example honoree ( John Wayne , by some accounts ) inside a blue star on a brown background. However, caricatures proved too expensive and difficult to execute in brass with the technology available at the time; and the brown and blue motif was vetoed by Charles E. Toberman , the legendary real estate developer known as "Mr. Hollywood", because the colors clashed with a new building he

219-465: A career as a solo performer. He released his solo debut One on One in late 2008 and charted two singles from it. Owen was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019. Randy Yeuell Owen grew up on a farm near Fort Payne, Alabama. He is of English and Scots ancestry. He dropped out of high school in the ninth grade, but he returned and graduated from Fort Payne High in 1969. In

292-427: A charcoal-colored terrazzo background. The name of the honoree is inlaid in brass block letters in the upper portion of each star. Below the inscription, in the lower half of the star field, a round inlaid brass emblem indicates the category within the entertainment industry of the honoree's contributions. There are six fixed categories and honorees must fit into one of them. The six categories and their emblems are: Of

365-486: A dozen have two stars: Cher forfeited her opportunity to join this list by declining to schedule the mandatory personal appearance when she was selected in 1983. She did, however, attend the unveiling of the Sonny & Cher star in 1998, as a tribute to her recently deceased ex-husband, Sonny Bono . Sixteen stars are identified with a one-word stage name (e.g., Liberace , Pink , Roseanne , and Slash ). Clayton Moore

438-450: A history of "charitable contributions". Posthumous nominees must have been deceased at least five years. At a meeting each June, the committee selects approximately 20 to 24 celebrities to receive stars on the Walk of Fame. One posthumous award is given each year as well. The nominations of those not selected are rolled over to the following year for reconsideration; those not selected two years in

511-539: A master plan for a $ 4 million renovation to improve and "update the streetscape concept" for the Walk of Fame. Los Angeles city councilmember Mitch O'Farrell released the draft master plan designed by Gensler and Studio-MLA in January 2020. It proposed widening the sidewalks, adding bike lanes, new landscaping, sidewalk dining, removing lanes of car traffic and street parking between the Pantages Theater (Gower Street) at

584-455: A row are dropped, and must be renominated to receive further consideration. Living recipients must agree to personally attend a presentation ceremony within two years of selection. If the ceremony is not scheduled within two years, a new application must be submitted. A relative of deceased recipients must attend posthumous presentations. Presentation ceremonies are open to the public. A fee of $ 75,000 (as of 2023 ), payable at time of selection,

657-407: A second row of stars was created on each sidewalk to alternate with the existing stars. In 1994, the Walk of Fame was extended one block to the west on Hollywood Boulevard, from Sycamore Avenue to North LaBrea Avenue (plus the short segment of Marshfield Way that connects Hollywood and La Brea), where it now ends at the silver "Four Ladies of Hollywood" gazebo and the special "Walk of Fame" star. At

730-521: A short segment on Marshfield Way that runs diagonally between Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea; and 0.4 miles (0.64 km) north to south on Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard . According to a 2003 report by the market research firm NPO Plog Research, the Walk attracts about 10 million visitors annually—more than the Sunset Strip , the TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman's),

803-532: A site in front of the Pantages Theatre where his musicals, In The Heights and Hamilton , played. Carol Burnett explained her choice in her 1986 memoir: While working as an usherette at the historic Warner Brothers Theatre (now the Hollywood Pacific Theatre ) during the 1951 run of Alfred Hitchcock 's film Strangers on a Train , she took it upon herself to advise a couple arriving during

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876-503: A spot near the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. because he was twice picked up at that location by police for vagrancy (though never actually charged) shortly after his arrival in Hollywood. George Carlin chose to have his star placed in front of the KDAY radio station near the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Vine St., where he first gained national recognition. Lin-Manuel Miranda chose

949-582: Is a collaboration among the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and various Los Angeles city and county governmental offices, along with the MTA, which operates the Metro B Line that runs beneath the Walk, since earth movement due to the presence of the subway line is thought to be partly responsible for the damage. To encourage supplemental funding for the project by corporate sponsors, the "Friends of Walk of Fame" program

1022-555: Is a landmark which consists of 2,800 five-pointed terrazzo -and- brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles . The stars, the first of which were permanently installed in 1960, are monuments to achievement in the entertainment industry, bearing the names of a mix of actors, musicians, producers, directors, theatrical/musical groups, fictional characters, and others. The Walk of Fame

1095-483: Is administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce , who hold a trademark right to the combined star & movie camera symbol only, and maintained by the self-financing Hollywood Historic Trust. The Hollywood Chamber collects fees from celebrities (or their sponsors) that wish to have a star (currently $ 75K) which pays for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce does not own trademark rights to

1168-403: Is an American country musician. He is best known for his role as the lead singer of Alabama , a country rock band that saw tremendous mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Alabama became the most successful band in country music, releasing over 20 gold and platinum records, dozens of number 1 singles, and selling over 75 million records during their career. Owen also maintains

1241-428: Is being raised for the $ 50 million project. Each year an average of 200 nominations are submitted to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame selection committee. Anyone, including fans, can nominate anyone active in the field of entertainment as long as the nominee or their management approves the nomination. Nominees must have a minimum of five years' experience in the category for which they are nominated and

1314-431: Is collected to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as general maintenance of the Walk of Fame. The fee is usually paid by the nominating organization, which may be a film studio, record company, broadcaster, or other sponsor involved with the prospective honoree. The Starz cable network, for example, paid for Dennis Hopper 's star as part of the promotion for its series Crash . Traditionally,

1387-411: Is so inextricably linked with his Lone Ranger character, even though he played other roles during his career, that he is one of only two actors to have his character's name alongside his own on his star. The other is Tommy Riggs , whose star references his Betty Lou character. The largest group of individuals represented by a single star is the estimated 122 adults and 12 children collectively known as

1460-503: Is that "each of the five categories is represented by someone with expertise in that field". In 2010, Lestz was replaced as chairman by John Pavlik, former Director of Communications for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . While no public announcement was made to that effect, he was identified as chairman in the Chamber's press release announcing the 2011 star recipients. In 2016,

1533-678: Is the only honoree that was described to have a star in every category during 1983–2023, when the number of categories was five. Bob Hope , Mickey Rooney , Roy Rogers , and Tony Martin each have stars in four categories; Rooney has three of his own and a fourth with his eighth wife, Jan Chamberlin, while Rogers also has three of his own, and a fourth with his band, Sons of the Pioneers . Thirty-three honorees, including Bing Crosby , Frank Sinatra , Jo Stafford , Dean Martin , Dinah Shore , Gale Storm , Danny Kaye , Douglas Fairbanks Jr. , and Jack Benny have stars in three categories. Over

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1606-590: The Queen Mary , and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art combined—and has played an important role in making tourism the largest industry in Los Angeles County . As of 2023 , the Walk of Fame consists of 2,752 stars, which are spaced at 6-foot (1.8 m) intervals. The monuments are coral-pink terrazzo five-point stars rimmed with brass (not bronze , an oft-repeated inaccuracy) inlaid into

1679-448: The Dolby (formerly Kodak) Theatre —displayed stars on its dining room ceiling above the tables favored by its most famous celebrity patrons, and that may have served as an early inspiration. By another account, the stars were "inspired ... by Sugarman's Tropics Restaurant drinks menu, which featured celebrity photos framed in gold stars". In February 1956, a prototype was unveiled featuring

1752-510: The James Bond 007 film series; Ed O'Neill 's star is located outside a shoe store in reference to his character's occupation on the TV show Married ... with Children ; and The Dead End Kids ' star is located at the corner of LaBrea and Hollywood Boulevard. Honorees may request a specific location for their star, although final decisions remain with the Chamber. Jay Leno , for example, requested

1825-527: The Munchkins , from the landmark 1939 film The Wizard of Oz . Two pairs of stars share identical names representing different people. There are two Harrison Ford stars, honoring the silent film actor (at 6665 Hollywood Boulevard), and the present-day actor (in front of the Dolby Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard). Two Michael Jackson stars represent the pop singer (at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard), and

1898-432: The radio personality (at 1597 Vine Street). The Westmores received the first star honoring contributions in theatrical make-up . Other make-up artists on the walk are Max Factor , John Chambers and Rick Baker . Three stars recognize experts in special effects : Ray Harryhausen , Dennis Muren , and Stan Winston . Only two costume designers have received a star: eight-time Academy Award Winner Edith Head , and

1971-533: The seal of the city of Los Angeles ; the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) star emblem is a replica of a Hollywood Division badge; and stars representing corporations, such as Victoria's Secret and the Los Angeles Dodgers , display the honoree's corporate logo. The "Friends of the Walk of Fame" monuments are charcoal terrazzo squares rimmed by miniature pink terrazzo stars displaying

2044-555: The "Heart of Hollywood Master Plan", which promotes the idea of closing Hollywood Boulevard to traffic and creating a pedestrian zone from La Brea Avenue to Highland Avenue, citing an increase in pedestrian traffic including tourism, weekly movie premieres and award shows closures, including ten days for the Academy Award ceremony at the Dolby Theatre. In June 2019, the city of Los Angeles commissioned Gensler Architects to provide

2117-626: The Century in 1999. In May 2002, the band announced their retirement during the Academy of Country Music Awards telecast. For the rest of 2002 and 2003, they performed throughout the country in their American Farewell Tour. In 2005, the band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . Owen lives on his cattle ranch outside Fort Payne. He currently serves as an at-large member of the Board of Trustees of Jacksonville State University . In 2007, he

2190-518: The Moon are uniquely shaped: Four identical circular moons, each bearing the names of the three astronauts ( Neil A. Armstrong , Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. , and Michael Collins ), the date of the first Moon landing ("7/20/69"), and the words "Apollo XI", are set on the four corners of the intersection of Hollywood and Vine . The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce credits E.M. Stuart, its volunteer president in 1953, with

2263-661: The TCL (formerly Grauman's) Chinese Theatre. Oscar-winners' stars are usually placed near the Dolby Theatre , site of the annual Academy Awards presentations. Locations are occasionally chosen for ironic or humorous reasons: Mike Myers 's star lies in front of an adult store called the International Love Boutique, an association with his Austin Powers roles; Roger Moore 's star and Daniel Craig 's star are located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard in recognition of their titular role in

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2336-480: The United States , Ronald Reagan (40th President) and Donald Trump (45th President), have stars on the Walk. Reagan is also one of two Governors of California with a star; the other is Arnold Schwarzenegger . One U.S. senator ( George Murphy ) and two members of the U.S. House of Representatives ( Helen Gahagan and Sonny Bono ) have stars. Ignacy Paderewski , who served as Prime Minister of Poland between

2409-547: The Walk: George Eastman , inventor of roll film; Thomas Edison , inventor of the first true film projector and holder of numerous patents related to motion-picture technology; Lee de Forest , inventor of the triode vacuum tube , which played an important role in the development of radio and television broadcasts, and Phonofilm , which made sound films possible; Herbert Kalmus , inventor of Technicolor ; Auguste and Louis Lumière , inventors of important components of

2482-583: The World Wars, is the only European head of government represented. Film and stage actor Albert Dekker served one term in the California State Assembly during the 1940s. On its 50th anniversary in 2005, Disneyland received a star near Disney's Soda Fountain on Hollywood Boulevard. Stars for commercial organizations are only considered for those with a Hollywood show business connection of at least 50 years' duration. While not technically part of

2555-563: The addition of a new star. In 1962, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance naming the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce "the agent to advise the City" about adding names to the Walk, and the Chamber, over the following six years, devised rules, procedures, and financing methods to do so. In December 1968, Richard D. Zanuck was awarded the first star in eight years in a presentation ceremony hosted by Danny Thomas . In July 1978,

2628-458: The chair, according to the Chamber's 2016 selection announcement, was film producer Maureen Schultz. In 2023, the selection committee chair was radio personality Ellen K . Walk of Fame rules prohibit consideration of nominees whose contributions fall outside the six major entertainment categories, but the selection committee has been known to adjust interpretations of its rules to justify a selection. The Walk's four round Moon landing monuments at

2701-494: The charts and peaked at number 51 in January 1994. On the chart dated for the week ending December 31, 1994, it re-entered and went on to peak at number 28 in January 1995. Despite being charted during the holiday season, it remains one of the group's best-known songs, due to its inspirational content as well as its inclusion at funerals and in tribute videos. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Randy Owen Randy Yeuell Owen (born December 13, 1949)

2774-586: The city of Los Angeles designated the Hollywood Walk of Fame a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument . Radio personality, television producer, and Chamber member Johnny Grant is generally credited with implementing the changes that resuscitated the Walk and established it as a significant tourist attraction. Beginning in 1968, Grant stimulated publicity and encouraged international press coverage by requiring that each recipient personally attend his or her star's unveiling ceremony. Grant later recalled that "it

2847-611: The corners of Hollywood and Vine, for example, officially recognize the Apollo 11 astronauts for "contributions to the television industry." Johnny Grant acknowledged, in 2005, that classifying the first Moon landing as a television entertainment event was "a bit of a stretch". Magic Johnson was added to the motion picture category based on his ownership of the Magic Johnson Theatre chain, citing as precedent Sid Grauman , builder of Grauman's Chinese Theatre . Muhammad Ali 's star

2920-579: The cover to support the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital . Kristin Chenoweth sang the song with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in a 2018 Christmas concert. Chris Rupp released a version on his 2018 A New Day: A Cappella, Vol II featuring Tim Foust from Home Free "Angels Among Us" debuted on the Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week ending December 25, 1993. The song spent six weeks on

2993-548: The east and The Emerson Theatre (La Brea Avenue) at the west end of the boulevard. The approved phase one includes removing the parking lanes between Orange Drive and Gower Street, adding street furnishings with benches, tables and chairs with sidewalk widening. Phase two is in the schematic stage. Phase two is planned for 2024 and will include closing down the boulevard to two lanes, adding landscaping with shade trees and five public plazas made up of art deco designed street pavers and kiosks. Planned to be completed by 2026, funding

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3066-465: The exclusion of his father, whose nomination had been withdrawn due to pressure from multiple quarters. Chaplin's suit was dismissed in 1960, paving the way for completion of the project. While Joanne Woodward is often singled out as the first person to receive a star on the Walk of Fame—possibly because she was the first to be photographed with it —the original stars were installed as a continuous project, with no individual ceremonies. Woodward's name

3139-605: The fee was $ 75,000, about eight times the original amount adjusted for inflation. Grant was himself awarded a star in 1980 for his television work. In 2002, he received a second star in the "special" category to acknowledge his pivotal role in improving and popularizing the Walk. He was also named chairman of the Selection Committee and Honorary Mayor of Hollywood (a ceremonial position previously held by Art Linkletter and Monty Hall , among others). He remained in both offices from 1980 until his death in 2008 and hosted

3212-625: The final few minutes of a showing to wait for the next showing, to avoid seeing (and spoiling) the ending. The theater manager fired her on the spot for "insubordination" and humiliated her by stripping the epaulets from her uniform in the theater lobby. Twenty-six years later, at her request, Burnett's star was placed at the corner of Hollywood and Wilcox—in front of the theater. Special category stars recognize various contributions by corporate entities, service organizations, and special honorees, and display emblems unique to those honorees. For example, former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley 's star displays

3285-465: The first Grammy Awards in 1959. Construction of the Walk began in 1958, but two lawsuits delayed completion. The first lawsuit was filed by local property owners challenging the legality of the $ 1.25 million tax assessment (equivalent to $ 13 million in 2023) levied upon them to pay for the Walk, along with new street lighting and trees. In October 1959, the assessment was ruled legal. The second lawsuit, filed by Charles Chaplin Jr. , sought damages for

3358-504: The first African-American to win an Oscar for costume design, Ruth E. Carter . Sidney Sheldon is one of two novelists with a star, which he earned for writing screenplays for such films as The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) before becoming a novelist. The other is Ray Bradbury , whose books and stories have formed the basis of dozens of movies and television programs over a nearly 60-year period. Nine inventors have stars on

3431-487: The first permanent star, director Stanley Kramer 's, was completed on the easternmost end of the new Walk near the intersection of Hollywood and Gower. Although the Walk was originally conceived in part to encourage redevelopment of Hollywood Boulevard, the 1960s and 1970s were periods of protracted urban decay in the Hollywood area as residents moved to nearby suburbs. After the initial installation of approximately 1,500 stars in 1960 and 1961, eight years passed without

3504-403: The great majority of unveiling ceremonies during that period. His unique special-category star, with its emblem depicting a stylized "Great Seal of the City of Hollywood", is located at the entrance to the Dolby Theatre adjacent to Johnny Grant Way. In 1984, a fifth category, Live Theatre, was added to acknowledge contributions from the live performance branch of the entertainment industry, and

3577-459: The honor due to this condition. The only recipient to date who failed to appear after agreeing to do so was Barbra Streisand , in 1976. Her star was unveiled anyway, near the intersection of Hollywood and Highland. Streisand did attend when her husband, James Brolin , unveiled his star in 1998 two blocks to the east. The following notable entertainers have had their contributions in multiple categories recognized with multiple stars. Gene Autry

3650-429: The identities of selection committee members, other than its chairman, have not been made public in order to minimize conflicts of interest and to discourage lobbying by celebrities and their representatives (a significant problem during the original selections in the late 1950s). However, in 1999, in response to intensifying charges of secrecy in the selection process, the Chamber disclosed the members' names: Johnny Grant,

3723-452: The late 1960s, Owen and his cousin, Teddy Gentry, began playing music together. They recruited another cousin, Jeff Cook, to form a band, which they called Wildcountry. Their first public performance was at a high school talent show, which they won. Owen's music career was put on hiatus as he earned an English degree from Jacksonville State University . He was also a member of Pi Kappa Phi , Delta Epsilon Chapter. Upon his graduation, however,

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3796-594: The longtime chair and representative of the television category; Earl Lestz , president of Paramount Studio Group (motion pictures); Stan Spero, retired manager with broadcast stations KMPC and KABC (radio); Kate Nelson, owner of the Palace Theatre (live performance); and Mary Lou Dudas, vice president of A&M Records (recording industry). Since that 1999 announcement, the chamber has revealed only that Lestz (who received his own star in 2004) became chairman after Grant died in 2008. Their current official position

3869-606: The members of the band get schmaltzy with the kiddie chorus[…]they stop short of going overboard." Becky Hobbs included the song on her 1994 album The Boots I Came to Town In . On December 24, 2012, singer and actress Demi Lovato released a cover of the song to support the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting . On December 5, 2017, country singers Scotty McCreery , Carly Pearce , Sara Evans , Lucy Hale , Tegan Marie, RaeLynn , Jillian Jacqueline, Brennley Brown, CB30 and Temecula Road, all performed

3942-513: The most severe damage, were Joan Collins , Peter Frampton , Dick Van Patten , Paul Douglas , Andrew L. Stone , Willard Waterman , Richard Boleslavsky , Ellen Drew , Frank Crumit , and Bobby Sherwood . Fifty celebrities' stars received "D" grades. The damage ranged from minor cosmetic flaws caused by normal weathering to holes and fissures severe enough to constitute a walking hazard. Plans were made to repair or replace at least 778 stars at an estimated cost of over $ 4 million. The restoration

4015-472: The motion picture camera; Mark Serrurier , inventor of the technology used for film editing; Hedy Lamarr , co-inventor of a frequency-hopping radio guidance system that was a precursor to Wi-Fi networks and cellular telephone systems; and Ray Dolby , co-developer of the first video tape recorder and inventor of the Dolby noise-reduction system . A few star recipients moved on after their entertainment careers to political notability. Two Presidents of

4088-475: The original audio recording committee (and later rescinded) specified minimum sales of one million records or 250,000 albums for all music category nominees. The committee soon realized that many important recording artists would be excluded from the Walk by that requirement. As a result, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was formed to create a separate award for the music industry, leading to

4161-494: The original idea for creating a Walk of Fame. Stuart reportedly proposed the Walk as a means to "maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world". Harry Sugarman, another Chamber member and president of the Hollywood Improvement Association, received credit in an independent account. A committee was formed to flesh out the idea, and an architectural firm

4234-478: The program was voicetracked from Owen's home, drifting to a more open-ended "traditional country" format (one that includes more 1990s songs and even some 2000s songs along with country-pop tunes more commonly associated with the classic hits format while moving away from the core songs of the classic country format) and shortening the show from five hours to four. Less than a year after Owen's arrival, previous Country Gold host Rowdy Yates relaunched his version of

4307-585: The same time, Sophia Loren was honored with the 2,000th star on the Walk. During construction of tunnels for the Los Angeles subway system in 1996, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) removed and stored more than 300 stars. Controversy arose when the MTA proposed a money-saving measure of jackhammering the 3-by-3-foot terrazzo pads, preserving only the brass lettering, surrounds, and medallions, then pouring new terrazzo after

4380-417: The show as "The Original Country Gold" through Compass Media Networks . Owen ended his run as host on April 2, 2016, with Canadian-born singer Terri Clark replacing him the following weekend. Clark hosted the show until the weekend of September 7th, 2024. 2022 Gaither Easter Marathon “I Need Thee Every Hour” featuring Randy Owen and The Issacs. Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame

4453-421: The star with other symbols (i.e. television, microphone, record disc), so those symbols are free to use for commercial purposes. It is a popular tourist attraction, receiving an estimated 10   million annual visitors in 2010. The Walk of Fame runs 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from east to west on Hollywood Boulevard , from Gower Street to the Hollywood and La Brea Gateway at La Brea Avenue in addition to

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4526-484: The stars on the Walk to date , 47% have been awarded in the motion pictures category, 24% in television, 17% in audio recording or music, 10% in radio, fewer than 2% in theater/live performance, and fewer than 1% in sports entertainment. According to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce , approximately 30 new stars are added to the Walk each year. Locations of individual stars are not necessarily arbitrary. Stars of many particularly well-known celebrities are found in front of

4599-482: The then five standard category emblems, along with the sponsor's corporate logo, with the sponsor's name and contribution in inlaid brass block lettering. Special stars and Friends monuments are granted by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce or the Hollywood Historic Trust, but are not part of the Walk of Fame proper and are located nearby on private property. The monuments for the Apollo 11 mission to

4672-466: The three cousins moved into an apartment in Anniston, Alabama , and by 1973 were pursuing a full-time music career. In 1980, the band, now called Alabama , were signed to a recording contract by RCA Records and quickly reached country superstardom. For the next twenty-two years, Alabama had a tremendous impact on country music , attracting a younger group of listeners, crossing over into pop radio, and paving

4745-538: The tunnels were completed; but the Cultural Heritage Commission ruled that the star pads were to be removed intact. In 2023, a sixth category, Sports Entertainment, was added to acknowledge contributions of athletes to the entertainment industry. In 2008, a long-term restoration project began with an evaluation of all 2,365 stars on the Walk at the time, each receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F. Honorees whose stars received F grades, indicating

4818-578: The way for groups to be successful on country radio. Alabama released 21 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums, 42 singles that topped the charts at #1, and sold over 75 million records in total. They have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were named the Academy of Country Music 's Artist of the Decade in 1989, and the Recording Industry Association of America 's Country Group of

4891-482: Was a judge on Season 5 of the country talent show Nashville Star . Owen took over hosting duties for Country Gold , the Saturday night classic country request program on Westwood One , beginning July 21, 2012. The show was reformatted upon Owen's arrival, switching to a pre-recorded format (the show's predecessor, Country Gold Saturday Night , was originally live.) Requests were handled by an answering machine and

4964-656: Was erecting on Hollywood Boulevard. By March 1956, the final design and coral-and-charcoal color scheme had been approved. Between the spring of 1956 and the fall of 1957, 1,558 honorees were selected by committees representing the four major branches of the entertainment industry at that time: motion pictures, television, audio recording, and radio. The committees met at the Brown Derby restaurant, and they included such prominent names as Cecil B. DeMille , Samuel Goldwyn , Jesse L. Lasky , Walt Disney , Hal Roach , Mack Sennett , and Walter Lantz . A requirement stipulated by

5037-509: Was granted after the committee decided that boxing could be considered a form of "live performance". Its placement on a wall of the Dolby Theatre makes it the only star mounted on a vertical surface, acceding to Ali's request that his name not be walked upon, as he shared his name with the Islamic prophet Muhammad . All living honorees have been required since 1968 to personally attend their star's unveiling, and approximately 40 have declined

5110-464: Was inaugurated, with donors recognized through honorary plaques adjacent to the Walk of Fame in front of the Dolby Theatre. The program has received some criticism; Alana Semuels of the Los Angeles Times described it as "just the latest corporate attempt to buy some good buzz", and quoted a brand strategist who said, "I think Johnny Grant would roll over in his grave". Los Angeles introduced

5183-663: Was one of eight drawn at random from the original 1,558 and inscribed on eight prototype stars that were built while litigation was holding up permanent construction. The eight prototypes were installed temporarily on the northwest corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in August 1958 to generate publicity and to demonstrate how the Walk would eventually look. The other seven names were Olive Borden , Ronald Colman , Louise Fazenda , Preston Foster , Burt Lancaster , Edward Sedgwick , and Ernest Torrence . Official groundbreaking took place on February 8, 1960. On March 28, 1960,

5256-467: Was retained to develop specific proposals. By 1955, the basic concept and general design had been agreed upon, and plans were submitted to the Los Angeles City Council . Multiple accounts exist for the origin of the star concept. According to one, the historic Hollywood Hotel , which stood for more than 50 years on Hollywood Boulevard at the site now occupied by the Ovation Hollywood complex and

5329-519: Was tough to get people to come accept a star" until the neighborhood finally began its recovery in the 1980s. In 1980, Grant instituted a fee of $ 2,500 (equivalent to $ 9,245 in 2023), payable by the person or entity nominating the recipient, to fund the Walk of Fame's upkeep and minimize further taxpayer burden. The fee has increased incrementally over time. By 2002, it had reached $ 15,000 (equivalent to $ 25,410 in 2023), and stood at $ 30,000 in 2012 (equivalent to $ 39,814 in 2023). As of 2023 ,

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