Keith Maddox Inducted Into TCHOF

The Hat King is a 2021 Texas Cowboy Hall Of Fame Inductee.
Keith Maddox texas cowboy hall of fame American Hat Company positive times tchof

NEWS RELEASE: The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame has announced the 2021 Hall of Fame inductees: Bobby Cox, Taylor Sheridan, Stran & Jennifer Smith, Keith Maddox and our Spirit of Texas Award Recipient – Bob Wills. In special recognition of the 20th Anniversary of the Hall of Fame’s arrival to the Fort Worth Stockyards, Bobby Kerr, the founder of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, will be inducted as well.

The induction ceremony for these accomplished nominees is one of the premier western events in Fort Worth, and will be held at Billy Bob’s Texas on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at 6 p.m. Sponsored by Norris Foundation & Bobby Norris Farm and Ranch Realty, the event includes cocktails, a silent auction and cowboy cuisine prior to the 7 p.m. induction ceremony.

Tickets to the event are $150 per person or $1,200 for a table of eight. Proceeds benefit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and its ongoing capital campaign for its relocation and buildout, education programs, and Western lifestyle preservation efforts. For sponsorship and ticket information, call 817-626-7131 or email [email protected] with “Induction Ceremony” in the subject line.

Keith Maddox

Keith Maddox 1945 – 2019

The late Keith Maddox is welcomed into the esteemed Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame at the recommendation of several Hall of Fame peers and to the delight of his connections.

Dubbed “the hat king,” Maddox rodeoed from a young age. Much like his father, Maddox rode everything from bucking bulls and bareback broncs to fresh team roping horses. After graduating from Eastern Oregon University in 1971, Maddox sprang into the western apparel industry, working for companies such as Tem-Tex, Hyer Boots, Tony Lama Boots, and Larry Mahan Boots.

A successful sales rep, Maddox was determined to own his own piece of the western industry. After a deal to purchase American Hat Company fell through, Maddox opened up The Best Hat Store in the Fort Worth Stockyards where they made and sold hats. Seven years into hat-making, Maddox was able to save The American Hat Company from bankruptcy. Being a business owner didn’t come without hardship, though. Two years after taking the reins at the American Hat Company, $13 million of inventory was lost in a grassfire. Some people may have called it quits, but Maddox kept firing on all cylinders, determined to rebuild. He succeeded.

The American Hat company is one of the many places Maddox’s history thrives, and “The Hat King’s” legacy remains. Click here to learn more about Keith Maddox.

About the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame

After moving from the mule barns on Exchange Avenue to the Historical Exhibits Building in 2018, The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame has undergone many changes including receiving a new director, Andrea Ruby. Although the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame’s appearance and leadership has changed, the dedication to representing and celebrating this states’ western heritage is still at the center of the operation.  Education remains a large focus, attracting visitors from around the world and students studying Texas history.

The Hall of Fame is home to more than 140 inductees who represent the best of the best in ranching, business, entertainment, rodeo, and agriculture. Along with the personal mementos of Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees on display, the museum also hosts the John Justin Trail of Fame.  When expansion and renovation is complete the Sterquell Wagon Collection and Amon G. Carter’s Cadillac will again take a place in the museum.