Keith, Civil Rights Pioneer And New NBA Team Owner Among 8 Chosen For Oklahoma Hall Of Fame

Sunday, May 27th 2007, 3:44 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Toby Keith is among eight people, including the new majority owner of an NBA franchise and a civil rights pioneer, chosen to be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

The hall was established in 1928 and has 613 members.

Keith, who was born in Clinton and is now living in Norman, has performed 22 No. 1 country hits, including his debut single, ``Should've Been A Cowboy.'' He has sold 30 million CDs.

Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett led a group of investors to purchase the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics last year. Rounding out the class are civil rights activist Clara Luper, a Hoffman native, and Muskogee native Linda K. Twine, a renowned conductor, composer and music educator.

Luper coordinated one of the nation's early publicized sit-ins at a drug store lunch counter in Oklahoma City.

Twine's Broadway credits include ``The Color Purple,'' ``Carolina, or Change,'' ``A Year with Frog and Toad,'' ``Jelly's Last Jam,'' ``Big River,'' ``Ain't Misbehavin''' and ``The Wiz.''

The induction banquet will be Nov. 8 in Oklahoma City.