“The majority of my adult life has taken place here, as my wife and I got married and started our family in Oklahoma. We are honored that Oklahoma is now the foundation of our family’s history and I am grateful to have my contributions recognized as additive to our great state.”
“I’m deeply humbled and honored to be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Oklahoma holds a special place in my heart — it was there, amid Tulsa’s vibrant and diverse music scene in the 1980s, that I metaphorically earned my bachelor’s degree in country music,” Dunn said in an email to The Oklahoman.
“The Sooner State gave me the foundation to grow as an artist, offering invaluable opportunities to develop the skills that have shaped my career. I will always be grateful for the role Oklahoma has played in my journey.”
From a zoologist who has a rodent, bat and parasite named after him to one of the sibling trio behind the 1990s earworm “MMMBop,” the Oklahoma Hall of Fame announced May 15 the seven honorees who will receive this fall the state’s highest honor bestowed on an individual:
Dunn , of Tulsa, who is one-half of the Country Music Hall of Fame duo Brooks & Dunn Presti , of OKC, who is in his 18th season with the Thunder and is one of only four heads of basketball operations in NBA history to build a 60-win team with two different rostersTaylor Hanson, Grammy-nominated band Hanson , alongside his brothers Isaac and Zac HansonMautra Staley Jones ,Michael A. Mares Sam Noble Museum , which opened in 2000Eddy Gibbs , of Grove, the founder of Tulsa-based Ameristar , the largest ornamental fence manufacturer in the world, who also bought and restored the Shangri-La Resort on Grand Lake Bert Mackie ,
This year’s honorees were revealed May 15 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Announcement Luncheon, where Rachel Cannon, OKC-based actress, producer and founder and CEO of Rock Paper Cannon, was master of ceremonies.
“As we approach the 98th year of presenting Oklahoma’s highest honor, I am again filled with immense pride at the extraordinary individuals who make up this year’s class,” said Shannon L. Rich, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, in an email.
“Each of this year’s honorees embodies the very spirit of what makes Oklahoma so special — they have invested in our state’s future and also inspired millions of people around the world. Their accomplishments and commitments to making a difference serve as powerful reminders of the impact Oklahomans have.”
When is the 2025 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony?
The 98th Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is set for Nov. 13 at the Arvest Convention Center in downtown Tulsa. Tickets go on sale to the public in late August.
For more information, go to https://www.oklahomahof.com .