<p><strong><em>Country music hitmaker Billy Dean has been officially inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. On </em></strong>February 23<strong><em> in Gainesville, Dean entered this year&#8217;s class alongside former Eagles member Don Felder, country legend Jim Stafford, and poet/anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins.</em></strong><strong><u><br />
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<p><strong><u></u>About Billy Dean</strong></p>
<p>In his music career spanning more than 25 years, Dean has claimed eleven top ten Billboard country singles, including <strong>five #1 hits</strong>: &#8220;<strong>I Miss Billy The Kid</strong>,&#8221; &#8220;<strong>Somewhere In My Broken Heart</strong>,&#8221; &#8220;<strong>If There Hadn&#8217;t Been You</strong>,&#8221; &#8220;<strong>You Don&#8217;t Count The Cost</strong>&#8221; and &#8220;<strong>It&#8217;s What I Do</strong>.&#8221; Dean recorded eight major label studio albums, three of which have been certified gold by the RIAA, as well as a greatest hits album which is also certified gold.</p>
<p>Earlier in his career, the <strong>Academy of Country Music</strong> named Dean <strong>Top New Male Vocalist</strong> and also awarded him <strong>Song of the Year</strong> for &#8220;<strong>Somewhere In My Broken Heart</strong>.&#8221; In 2000, Dean sang harmony vocals alongside <strong><a title="Alison Krauss" href="https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/1224809/264167/4272?subId1=WPScmnbAKrauss&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Falison-krauss-tickets%2Fartist%2F731928&partnerpropertyid=5213910&MediaPartnerPropertyId=5213910">Alison Krauss</a></strong> on <strong>Kenny Rogers</strong>&#8216; rendition of &#8220;<strong>Buy Me A Rose</strong>,&#8221; which earned a <strong>GRAMMY®</strong>. In addition to his successful recording career, Dean has also acted in several movies and appeared in numerous television shows.</p>