As a teenager, Jimmy Young made $25 a week working 10-hour days at the Humpty Dumpty grocery store in Oklahoma City.

He remembers one summer day his brother chased him down at a local swimming spot.

"He told me a guy was giving $5 to sit down and play in a beer joint there in Oklahoma City," Young said. "I had my bathing suit in my pocket and my hair was still wet, but I got up there and played a tune."

A man in the audience recruited Young to play another set the upcoming Sunday afternoon. He worked his fiddle for four hours and walked out with $20 in tips.

But more than the money, he found a love.

"I thought boy, this is for me," he said. "I messed around making more money busting them joints in Oklahoma City than some of the bigger bands."

Although he continued to work, his passion to play western swing kept growing.

"We didn't have TV back in those days," he said. "I'd listen to the radio and had dreams of playing in those remote dance halls."

And after polishing his playing, he made that wish a reality.

"I got to get on the radio," Young said. "I was very nervous when that red light went on. I did OK after that."

Young went on to perform with Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

His western swing peers think he ended up pretty well, too.

Young and 25 others will be inducted into the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame today in Yukon, Okla., for their dedication to the music business.

Among those will be four other locals: Chet Calcote, Jimmy Cox, Tiny Duncan and Kenny Williamson.

"I guess it's just a hotbed of talent here," Cox joked about the number of Panhandle Texans being honored.

An election committee goes through the pile of nominees and votes on which candidates should receive the hall of fame honor, said Harry Coffman, treasurer and society cofounder.

"Most of these fellows played with big name stars such as [Bob] Wills, Ray Price and the list goes on and on," he said. "We are just elated to get these gentlemen into the hall of fame."

The feeling is mutual.

"Oh lord, I didn't really know what to think," Cox said about receiving the honor. "I was so thrilled to death. Words can't even express it. It's been the highlight of my years."

He has been picking his guitar and singing for more than 55 years.

"Western swing isn't for young people who like rock and rap and stuff," Cox said. "It's for us older people who grew up on that kind of dance music."

These Panhandle musicians have played together for more than 50 years. However, they'll be inducted into the hall of fame individually.

"The fun thing about these guys, when we play together, we've been playing together so long, that we unconsciously know what the other is thinking," Williamson said. "It all comes together. It's just like a family here."

Famous Five

Five local musicians are being inducted into the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Yukon, Okla., today: