When Emmylou Harris released “Wrecking Ball” in 1995, the album earned acclaim as a departure for the country-folk star. Harris, a Birmingham native, took her already impressive career in a different direction, teaming with producer Daniel Lanois and exploring new territory as an Americana artist.

“‘Wrecking Ball’ knocked down the pillars of Emmylou Harris’ sound — the clean production; the mix of country ballads and rootsy rave-ups; the loose connection to mainstream country music — and rebuilt her career from the ground up,“ American Songwriter said, looking back at the album in 2021.

”Daniel Lanois, a rock & roll producer with little connection to the Nashville scene, did much of the heavy lifting, filtering Harris’ folksy influences through a swirl of keyboards, drones and echoing guitars,“ the magazine continued. ”Emmylou Harris was the undisputed star, though, holding her own on an album filled with heavyweights like Steve Earle and U2‘s Larry Mullen, Jr.

“Mighty and moody, ’Wrecking Ball’ sounded like the Americana equivalent of a watercolor painting, its shades and textures bleeding in and out of one another.”

Harris won a Grammy in 1996 for “Wrecking Ball,” in the category of Best Contemporary Folk Recording. This only added to her impressive stash of awards. (She has 13 Grammy wins and 47 nominations as of 2025, making her the top Grammy winner from Alabama.)

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Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that “Wrecking Ball” has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It’s one of eight albums and five singles honored this year by the Recording Academy. Recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame must be at least 25 years old, and display “qualitative or historical significance,” according to a press release.

Along with Harris’ “Wrecking Ball,” this year’s album inductees include “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross, “Supernatural” by Carlos Santana, “Tea for the Tillerman” by Cat Stevens, “Reasonable Doubt” by Jay-Z and “Zombie” by Fela Kuti & Afrika 70.

The album “#1 Record” by Big Star and the self-titled “J.D. Crowe & The New South” were inducted, as well. See the full list of 2025 inductees here.

“I’m proud to share that my record, Wrecking Ball, will officially be recognized as one of this year’s GRAMMY Hall of Fame inducted recordings on May 16!” Harris said in an Instagram post. “Thank you so much to the @recordingacad & @grammymuseum for this incredible honor.”

New additions to the Grammy Hall of Fame were announced on Feb. 13 by the Recording Academy, along with an event to honor the releases and their creators. The Grammy Hall of Fame Gala is set for May 16 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

The Grammy Hall of Fame now includes 1,165 recordings and was started in 1973, the press release says. All titles are listed in a database that’s searchable on the Grammy website.

“The Grammy Hall Of Fame serves as a vital bridge between music’s past and present, honoring recordings that have left a lasting mark on our cultural landscape,” Michael Sticka, president and CEO of the Grammy Museum, said in the release. “We’re proud to preserve and share these influential works.”

The enduring impact of Harris’ “Wrecking Ball” was noted in a 2021 review on Guitar.com.

“Emmylou Harris’ ethereal voice, history with Gram Parsons, and the marrying in her music of traditional Nashville stylings and a Laurel Canyon folky edge, had long ensured her spot as a darling of the alternative country crowd,“ writer Paul Robson said. ”But as she headed towards 50, and as her voice aged gracefully to become slightly more of the earth than that heavenly 1970s timbre, she faced up to a problem as old as the hills: do you settle for more of the same, keeping Nashville happy while trading on those significant past glories, or do you strike out again to discover new ground?

“In teaming up with French Canadian guitarist and producer Daniel Lanois for ‘Wrecking Ball,’ Harris went exploring. And what she found … changed what was possible in country music forever.” (Listen to Harris perform the title track in the video below.)

Harris, 77, has never been one to rest on her laurels or stick to an established music formula. The pioneering country legend has a long and distinguished career in music, starting with her 1970 debut album, “Gliding Bird.”

Her catalog includes more than 20 studio albums, as well as live records, compilations and a holiday album. Harris has collaborated with countless artists and earned a stellar reputation for her heartfelt vocals, elegant guitar playing and willingness to cross boundaries in music.

Although Harris has spent most of her career as a renowned interpreter, performing tunes written by others, she’s also a skillful songwriter. Harris is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Alabama Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and more.

Harris was born in Alabama and spent her early childhood here, until age 6. She moved away with her family, but returned for summers and holidays at her grandparents’ house. Harris also gave some seminal performances near Birmingham, including one at Horse Pens 40 in Steele.

“I remember being hired by (the park’s founder) Warren Musgrove and how beautiful it was — and probably how nervous I was,” Harris said in a 2003 interview with The Birmingham News.

According to the folks at Horse Pens, Harris played and sang barefoot at that show, standing on a wooden door balanced on the rocks. The park’s lore says she was paid a platter of fruit for her efforts, although the artist has never verified that.

Harris has performed in Alabama several times over the years, including a show at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Center in 2012.

“Music lovers in this city take a fierce pride in Harris, a country-folk artist known for her abundant talent, enduring integrity and silver-white hair,” AL.com said in its review. “Harris sang with passionate precision and played an elegant rhythm guitar. Consistency is one of her strong points, and Harris did not disappoint.”