His Steel Guitar Hall of Fame plaque reads:
RECORDING ARTIST, COMPOSER, ROAD MUSICIAN AND PIONEER WHO REVOLUTIONIZED THE SOUND OF THE STEEL GUITAR BY HIS INTRODUCTION OF THE PEDAL-GLISS., THEREAFTER ESTABLISHING THE "MOVING TONE" AS THE DOMINANT STEEL EXPRESSION IN COUNTRY MUSIC.
BORN: MARCH 26, 1928 BEDFORD, INDIANA
INDUCTED: 1984