Randy was going to say:

I remember once when I was a kid chopping cotton, bare footed, wearing a pair of shorts my mother had made for me out of a fertilizer sack, my daddy and I were looking up in the sky and he said, “I wonder what it would be like to fly in an airplane.”

Tonight, standing here, I flew in an airplane from Alabama to New York City to be part of the ceremony inducting Alabama into Country Music’s Hall of Fame. It is a very, very special thing. We couldn’t have gotten here without the help of a lot of people. We’ve had the same manager, Dale Morris, for all of these years, and the same booking agent, Barbara Hardin.

We had an incredible team of folks over at RCA led by Joe Galante. I want to mention that we miss Gaylen Adams and Wayne Edwards, two guys that went to bat for us and helped us so many times. Thanks to the great team of promotion guys and the sales team at RCA and the folks at BMI who have been so wonderful to me.

Tonight, for me, is just an incredible time. It’s the first time at any awards show ever that all three of my children and my wife have been present. It’ s just a wonderful night for me.

On a personal note, I want to say again thanks to country radio and the men and women that make up country radio because their hearts have saved the lives on many children at St. Jude and I hope they never forget, I won’t.

It is a great night.

God bless the CMA. I’m very honored to be part of Country Music’s Hall of Fame.

What Mark started to say:

"I don't know whether to have a hot flash or turn to wax."

"There are thousands of people I want to thank but we don't have time for that. I'll get to them later."

"I'd like to thank my beautiful wife Karen for enduring all of this with me over the years, 20 of them, and kept me on the payroll despite my job performance sometimes."

"The guys of the crew, the guys and girls on the crew always got us there, always got the show up, against unbelievable odds sometimes, (pause) I will (taps heart)...I'd like to also" (microphone cuts off).

What Jeff said:

"You know, I thought when we got Entertainer of the Year some eight times that was great; when we got Artist of the Decade for the 80's that was wonderful; being Country Group of the Century was amazing; and, this is the pinnacle of the awards right here."

"Thank You."