Clement's name may not be quite of the household variety, but this fun-loving, free-spirited musical genius was a hugely influential force across country, folk and rock for more than half a century.

Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year (but not yet officially 'inducted'–that will happen later this year), Clement was nominated in the "non-performer" category–even though he has at various times in his career been a performer, including releasing a pair of solo albums. He is, though, best known as a studio engineer (at Sun Records in the 1950s), producer (for Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Don Williams), and songwriter. His best-known songs include "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" and "Guess Things Happen That Way," both early hits for Johnny Cash; "Just Someone I Used to Know" for Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner; "Gone Girl" for the Glaser Brothers; and "Just Between You and Me" for Pride.

A native of Memphis, Clement got his early start at that city's famous label Sun Records alongside Sam Phillips. There he worked with and helped shape the sound and songs of such legends as Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. He later settled in Nashville and worked with Chet Atkins at RCA. He convinced Chet to sign Charley Pride, and went on to produce or coproduce Pride's first 13 RCA albums.

Clement also produced the very first album by legendary Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, as well as the concept album A Bird Named Yesterday for fellow Country Music Hall of Fame 2013 inductee Bobby Bare.