Fullers inducted into Western Swing Hall of Fame

Deep within their hearts lie a melody and now Jim and Doye Fuller have an award for their wall to prove it. And it’s an award they share with Canton.

Since the mid 1970s, the Fullers have been bringing music – and visitors – to Canton.

Their music festival was recognized by the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest as the Venue of the Year. And last weekend, the Fullers were inducted into the WSMSS Hall of Fame.

“Both Jim and Doye grew up listening to Western Swing and classic country music, enjoying Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Johnnie Paycheck, Gene Watson, Hoyle Nix and others,” according to information from Grady Smith, the WSMSS Hall of Fame coordinator.

In 1977, the Fullers started a Bluegrass festival in Canton. It “continued for a few years, but Jim wanted to have a music festival that reflected Texas,” Smith said. “So in 2007, he and Doye had the first Western Swing Valentine Party, Valentine weekend at the Canton Civic Center. It has continued to be a much sought after venue.”

In the fall of 2014, the Fullers initiated a revival of honky tonk and classic county music by hosting a festival dedicated to those genres, also at the Canton Civic Center.