Hall of Fame names Rejects ’08 rising stars

BY GEORGE LANG | Published: October 9, 2008 | Modified: October 9, 2008 at 9:36 am

MUSKOGEE — Just before rocking the Muskogee Civic Center, the All-American Rejects received the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame’s 2008 Rising Star award Wednesday, joining other inductees in a celebration of the past, present and future of Oklahoma music.

"It’s a complete honor. It feels a little like we haven’t accomplished enough, but it is the ‘Rising Star,’” singer Tyson Ritter said at a news conference prior to the induction ceremony.

"So it’s like the hall of fame is investing in us. So I hope we don’t let them down. And hopefully, we continue to rise.”

Previous Rising Star recipients include Carrie Underwood, Keith Anderson and last year’s honoree, the Oklahoma City rock band Hinder.

Other artists honored

Also inducted to the hall Wednesday were country songwriter Chick Rains, the late Bob Childers, the Wichita & Affiliated Tribes and the Cherokee National Youth Choir.

Childers, who died in April at age 61, was widely considered one of the definitive artists of Stillwater’s "red dirt” music scene. He earned the nickname "Dylan of the dust” for his evocative story songs on discs such as "Nothin’ More Natural” and "Hat Trick.

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