Secretary of State Cord Byrd Announces Florida Artists Hall of Fame Inductees

Secretary of State Cord Byrd Announces Florida Artists Hall of Fame Inductees

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. -

Today, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced the 2025 inductees into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

"As we commemorate America250FL, I'm pleased to recognize the importance of music in Florida," said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. "Music tells our stories, brings us together and improves our lives, and the musicians honored today have helped shape the narrative of our state."

Established by the Florida Legislature in 1986, the Florida Artists Hall of Fame recognizes people, living or deceased, who have made significant contributions to the arts in Florida. Inductees will receive a commemorative bronze sculpture commissioned by the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and made by Enzo Torcoletti, an artist in St. Augustine. A plaque for each inductee will be permanently installed on the Florida Artists Hall of Fame wall located in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol building.

The Florida Artists Hall of Fame consists of more than 50 inductees, including musician and performer Ray Charles, actor and director Burt Reynolds, writers Zora Neale Hurston, Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway, filmmaker Victor Nunez, and visual artists Duane Hanson, Robert Rauschenberg and James Rosenquist.

Highlighting the importance music has on Florida, Secretary of State Cord Byrd is pleased to announce the induction of four musicians into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame: John Anderson, Alvin Downing, Brian Kelley, and Jim Morrison.

John Anderson, Apopka

John Anderson is a country vocalist and guitarist who has a career lasting over 40 years. His vocal timbre and instrumentation places him in the neo-traditionalist movement with other artists such as Ricky Scaggs and George Straight. Known for hits like "Swingin'" and "Seminole Wind," his career has spanned several decades and earned him numerous awards, including being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014.

Alvin Downing, Jacksonville

Alvin Joseph "Al" Downing was an influential jazz musician, educator, and civic leader. He was known as the "Ambassador of Jazz" for his work in preserving and promoting jazz music in the Tampa Bay area. During World War II, Downing served as a Tuskegee Airman and later became a squadron commander and leader of the 613th Army Air Force Band, reaching the rank of Major. In 1981, he established the "Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association" an organization committed to providing performance and educational opportunities for jazz musicians. It continues to preserve jazz as an American art form.

Brian Kelley, Ormond Beach

Brian Kelley is a country music artist known for being one of the members of the duo Florida Georgia Line, a position he held from 2009 until the group's indefinite hiatus in 2022. Raised in Ormond Beach, Florida, he pursued baseball before dedicating himself to music. He met fellow duo member Tyler Hubbard at Belmont University in Nashville. Since 2021, he has pursued a successful solo career, releasing multiple albums and EPs that explore a more personal, beach-influenced sound. In addition to his music, Kelley traveled to Florida after Hurricane Michael delivering food, money and volunteering to help Floridians impacted by the storm.

Jim Morrison, Melbourne

Jim Morrison was a charismatic American singer-songwriter and poet, best known as the frontman for the rock band The Doors. Born in Melbourne, Florida, in 1943, his early life was marked by his father's military career, which involved frequent moves. After attending Florida State University, he eventually settled on studying film at UCLA. He formed The Doors in 1965 with fellow musicians Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore. A rebellious and enigmatic figure, Morrison became a counterculture icon known for his poetic lyrics and electrifying stage presence until his death in Paris in 1971.

An induction ceremony for the 2025 inductees will be announced once details are finalized.

For more information on the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, visit https://dos.fl.gov/cultural/programs/florida-artists-hall-of-fame/.

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About the Florida Department of State

Established under Florida's 1838 Constitution as the Office of the Secretary of State, the Florida Department of State is the keeper of the Great Seal, the clearinghouse for corporate filings, and custodian of the Laws of Florida. Today, the Department leads Florida's election integrity efforts, preserves the state's rich history and heritage, oversees arts and cultural programming, promotes civic literacy, and maintains the Florida State archives, the Museum of Florida History, and several additional historic properties. The Department is also the lead agency for America250FL, Florida's observance of America's Semiquincentennial.