Country Singer Tony Douglas named to Southern Entertainers Hall of Fame

Courtesy Photo TONY AND FRIENDS -- Tony Douglas and The Shrimpers were joined on stage in Canton Saturday night by 2006 Nashville Star runner up Casey Rivers, and Lori Lee, to Douglas' left, and Alabama fiddle player Cory Elrod (far right).

It's been a year since Tony Douglas and his band The Shrimpers kicked off their 50th Anniversary Legends Tour in Canton, Texas. And what a year it's been.

The star-studded tour that included such country greats as Ferlin Husky, Freddie Hart, Leona Williams, Norma Jean, Frankie Miller, and Lori Lee came to a close Saturday evening back at the Canton Civic Center.

Special guests 2006 Nashville Star runner up Casey Rivers; and Lori Lee, joined Tony and The Shrimpers for the big show.

"That stage was loaded with dynamite talent," Douglas said.

A new talent on the horizon, 13-year-old fiddler Cory Elrod, from Alabama, was also on board for the show, and has promised he will join Tony for the rest of his shows.

"That's the first time I saw a fiddle player do what he did," Douglas said. "He's been playing for seven years. He's awesome! "

The big event of the evening happened when Douglas was inducted into the Southern Entertainers Hall of Fame. But the surprise was when Canton Mayor pro tem Robert Brockman presented Douglas with an honorary citizenship to the City of Canton for all his dedication to his fans in the Canton area.

"I couldn't talk," Douglas said. "It filled me up. I knew about the legends thing (Southern Entertainers Hall of Fame), but I didn't know about the Canton award until he (Brockman) walked out on the stage. That really overwhelmed me."

With no plans of retirement, Douglas said he is looking forward to his next show on June 16 in Sherman, Texas. Then he plans to get back into the studio to record a new CD.

"I'd like to do another Christmas album, or a gospel album," he said. "But I need to do a Country album."

More shows and more albums. That's what Tony's fans love to hear.

"The Lord has blessed me," he said. "Here at my age, I never dreamed these things would happen to me. Sometimes I want to sit and laugh and sometimes I cry. It's really something."