The band Deep River Music plays during an intermission in the Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame. A band, musician or vocalist played between every few award presentations at the event Saturday, Dec. 14, in Valdosta.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Dec. 14 was one of the best days of Shirley Maule’s life as she saw a total of 40 musicians, vocalists, musical groups, and establishments enter the Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame.

It was a culmination of three years’ worth of passion and work, one that she was proud to see come to a head.

“Oh my gosh, it was fantastic,” Maule said. “Some of the top singers in this area sang. Everybody loved it.”

The Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame Awards Program, held at the Valdosta Hilton Garden Inn, was more than just a way to honor country musicians, it was a spotlight for local musicians — southern musicians.

The 40 honorees included 32 musicians, seven organizations and one rising country star. They received awards from the categories Hall of Honor, Organization award and New Country Artist.

The board of nominations, which includes Executive Director Jerry Armstrong, Randall McClellan, Jerry Newman, Tammy Kendrick, Ron Seacrist, Julia Johnston, Nancy Widner, Anne Komacko and Gary DiBenedetto, voted on who’d enter the hallowed halls using a list of the candidates and their biographies.

The winners were given certificates and then, after every five or six artists or groups were named, they were celebrated via performances by musical guests.

Widner, a judge and wife of now hall of famer Gentry Widner, was proud to see her husband receive recognition. She’s was ecstatic.

“He’s spent his whole life playing music,” she said. “Everyone who hears him are in [awe] over his talent and when he sings a gospel song, it’ll make you stop in your tracks. He truly is a bless[ed] and anointed musician.”

Those who entered the hall this year, however, will be honored forever in the Hall of Fame museum. That’s yet come though.

“That’s going to be later on,” Maule said. “I don’t know if that’ll happen or not, but I’d really like to see it in this area.”

This year “marked a beginning” though, Maule said in a press release, and it “will move forward ensuring deserving individuals receive recognition for their achievements.” But while it’ll move forward with this goal, the event didn’t quite reach their quota for this year.

Maule originally said she was looking to gather about 60 nominations before closing for voting on Sept. 30. By Oct. 17, she had about 20, forcing her to extend the deadline to Oct. 27.

“I guess it was really hard to get anybody to believe this was going to happen,” Maule said. “Up in north Georgia they don’t have any problem nominating people, but down here, it’s something new I guess.”

Maule took inspiration from the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in building the GCMHOF. She expected more people to be willing to nominate their friends and family — people they thought deserved recognition.

Fortunately, she already has in mind plans to do next year’s GCMHOF bigger and better. They’ve got things lined up, Maule said.

“We’ve learned a lesson,” she said. “Terry Armstrong has got a whole list of good musicians in this area that need to be looked at and maybe nominated.”

So, they’ll be looking into that list in the coming year, and looking for more musicians to come down to the Seaplane Opry House at Spence Field to show off their talents and passion every Friday starting at 7 p.m.

Hall of Honor

Randall McClellan, Jerry Newman, Jerry Armstrong, David Griffin Barber, Johnny Bryant, Steve Cason, Al Clayton, Von Crosby, Gary DiBenedetto, Jay Farlow, Jerry Griffin, Billy Ingram, Tammy Kendrick, Rendi Jones, Tony McBride, Stan McClellan, Les O’Berry, Gary Page, John Robert Pitts, Robert Price, Ron Seacrist, Bert Strawder, Georgia & Johnnie Stephens, Albert Thomas, Curtis Thornton, Wayne Watson, Roy Weeks, JoAnn Wells, Gentry Widner, Theron Willis and Billy Wilson.

New Country Artist

Sebastian Sky Shattles.

Organization Award

Southern Comfort Duo, The Creeksiders, The Mullet Band, The Barn (Maxine Daughtry), Pelham Country Jamboree (Gary Page), Brooks County Music Hall (Billy Ingram) and Seaplane Opry House (Shirley Maule).