Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inducts Asleep at the Wheel, Johnny Horton

CARTHAGE, Texas (KLTV) - The stars shined bright Saturday night in Carthage as the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame welcomed its newest inductees.

Ray Benson & Asleep at the Wheel

For 55 years, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been the champions of western swing.

“It’s a kind of music that is unique to the area and it was formed by bands that that were playing dance halls. It’s our cultural heritage,” Benson said.

In 1970, at the age of 19, Benson founded the group in Paw Paw, West Virginia. Benson and the group relocated in 1974 to Austin, Texas.

The group’s hits include Route 66, Miles and Miles of Texas, Hot Rod Lincoln, and The Letter That Johnny Walker Read. The group is celebrating 50 years in Texas with its latest album, Riding High in Texas.

When asked what the fu