Songwriters are the backbone of Nashville and on Wednesday evening, six of Music City’s finest were honored for their contributions at the 54th Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) Gala.
The songwriting community, including rising songwriters and other Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members, descended upon Nashville’s Music City Center to honor the Class of 2024 during the celebration, which was filled with music, camaraderie, and a shared appreciation of songwriting.
This year’s class included writers behind iconic hits such as “If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me),” “Trip Around The Sun,” “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “The Dark End Of The Street” and “The River.”
Al Anderson and Liz Rose joined in the songwriter category, Dan Penn and Victoria Shaw were welcomed in the veteran songwriter category, and the late Tony Joe White was inducted into the Hall’s Legacy category, which is designed specifically to honor NaSHOF-worthy candidates who have passed away.
Tony Joe White
White was the first to be inducted, with NaSHOF Board member and music historian Robert K. Oermann, delivering remarks. Americana artist Nikki Lane, who was accompanied by Kenny Vaughan, performed his classic song “Polk Salad Annie.”
Tony Joe White was honored with a heartfelt speech from his son, Jody White. Jody reminisced about his childhood in Memphis, surrounded by legendary musicians he didn’t realize were famous at the time. To him, watching Monday Night Football with the late Waylon Jennings felt completely normal—until he realized that wasn’t something everyone got to experience.
White shared that during his college years at the University of Tennessee, his father would visit his fraternity house to perform for him and his fraternity brothers on the biggest college football game day of the year.
“We had the best time. And it was actually then that I realized I was never going to be cooler than my dad,” he joked.
He ended his speech by reciting some of his father’s lyrics, which drew roaring applause from the crowd.
Liz Rose
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Hillary Lindsey paid tribute to her fellow “Love Junkie,” Liz Rose, describing her as “a fire that cannot be put out.” Lindsey praised Rose for being both a mentor to their songwriting peers and the “mother hen” of the Love Junkies, their songwriting trio that also includes Lori McKenna.
Rose was welcomed into this exclusive club of songwriters by Little Big Town, who appeared to deliver an acoustic rendition of “Better Man” in her honor.
Ahead of the gala, Rose admitted she “lost her mind” when she got the call informing her that she was to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
She told us she never imagined this honor would be in the cards for her.
“I started writing so late. I just thought I was lucky that I was let in and got some songs cut and made some great friends and maybe made some changes or just some kind of mark on this and got some songs out there,” she explained. “That was amazing. But you don’t go into it expecting this. If you do, you’re doing it all wrong.”
As the writer behind several Taylor Swift hits, “Tim McGraw,” “You Belong With Me,” and “White Horse” to name a few, some of Rose’s proudest moments come when she sees her songs performed live. She recently attended Swift’s Eras Tour stop in Miami, Florida and admits the feeling is truly indescribable.
“There’s nothing like it. If you don’t stand there and listen and look and cry your eyes out, you have no heart whatsoever,” she said.
As someone who is constantly creating, Rose told us she’s staying busy with her publishing company and has been spending quite a bit of time working with Parker McCollum on his next record.
“Whatever I’m doing tomorrow is what I’m excited about,” she concluded with a smile.
Al Anderson
The evening continued with the induction of Al Anderson, who was welcomed by Hall of Fame member, Sharon Vaughn. Per Anderson’s request, Vince Gill, Glenn Worf and Carolyn Dawn Johnson joined forces to perform the fan-favorite, “Some Things Never Get Old.”
Anderson made his way to the stage with his friend and GRAMMY-winning songwriter Tia Sillers by his side.
Speaking on behalf of Anderson, Sillers shared, “Looking back, I can see that getting sober just traded one addiction for another. I funneled all of my obsession into making music and crafting songs. I could have written 24/7 if you would’ve left me. It’s such an honor. It’s been such a great ride and it ain’t over. I just cut 16 songs yesterday. I’m Big Al Anderson!”
Dan Penn
Dan Penn’s induction was led by Hall of Fame member Gretchen Peters. Performing in his honor was jazz vocalist and The Voice finalist, Wendy Moten. Accompanied by Kevin McKendree, she delivered a stirring performance of “The Dark End Of The Street.”
While chatting with Country Now prior to the event, a soften-spoken Penn admitted, “These awards shows aren’t really on top of my list of wanting to do, but I’m glad to be here tonight to do this one.”
When looking back on his catalog, Penn listed “I’m Your Puppet” as the song he’s most proud of.
“I just like it. I like the song. I like the record that we cut on it,” he told us.
He’s been writing songs since he was 17 and has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“I’m not as hungry as I used to be, but still there’s a hunger inside to write a better song. I hope I haven’t written my best song.”
David Bellamy
Following a presentation by Hall of Fame member Larry Gatlin and a performance by “Redbeck Girl” from Country Music Hall of Famer John Anderson, David Bellamy delivered touching remarks about the honor.
Before the show, he told us he was in “shock” over his induction and that he didn’t even realize he was eligible to be inducted into the 54th Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in the first place.
“I was kind of shocked that they included me, but I was really, really happy,” he shared.
When reflecting on his catalog of songs, Bellamy pointed out two tunes that he is most “attached to.”
“We had a hit with a song I wrote called ‘Old Hippie’ I like the way it came out. It’s a story song, which I really like. A Good story, like a Tom T. Hall-type story. He was really great at that. So I think ‘Old Hippie’ is one of the songs that I like the most just because of that,” he explained.
He also listed “If You Ever Leave,” citing the fact that the record came out exactly the way he envisioned it when he wrote it.
Victoria Shaw
The final inductee of the evening was Victoria Shaw, who was welcomed into the NaSHOF by Hall of Fame member Gary Burr. Her longtime friend and Hall of Fame Member, Garth Brooks, performed “The River,” in her honor. Just before his acoustic performance, Brooks recalled being with Shaw in the writing room and going back and forth over the term “vessel” in the song.
Shaw, like the other inductees, was “stunned” when she received the call from NaSHOF executive director Mark Ford.
“I was at a a little breakfast place here in Nashville, and Jim Brickman, who’s a wonderful artist and writer in his own right, who’s a frequent co-writer of mine, was having breakfast with me. We were having this very wonderful conversation just about music and writing, and also how there’s other things to life, not just the music business. We were kind of getting philosophical. And then in the middle of all that, I get a call from Mark Ford saying, ‘Victoria, you’re being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame!’ At first, I said, ‘No, I’m not on the ballot.’ And he said, ‘Well, there’s a vote that doesn’t happen on the ballot for everybody. It’s only voted in by the veteran songwriters in the Hall of Fame. I had no idea.’”
She admitted this makes it “special” and that she was “so shocked and completely flabbergasted” by the news.
Looking back on her songwriting journey, Shaw recalled her first visit to Nashville.
“I came down here for one trip and I was completely addicted, and I wanted in so bad, and I just thought, I’m not going to stop trying. It’s not because I want to. I have to,” she recalled.
After traveling back and forth between Nashville and New York for years, she finally made the move.
“I did that for years. And until finally something happened eight years later. But it never occurred to me to stop. I was either really determined or really stupid.”
Shaw went on to write songs such as “I Love The Way You Love Me” recorded by John Michael Montgomery and “Too Busy Being Love” by Doug Stone. She continues to write to this day and says she’s now writing with a purpose.
“Tonight we welcomed six more extraordinary songwriters into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” Rich Hallworth, Board Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, said. “It was gratifying to present them with this highest of honors in front of family, friends and well-wishers from all facets of the music industry during Nashville songwriting’s most legendary night.”
The evening also featured a memorial tribute to nine Hall of Fame members who passed away since last year’s ceremony: Wayland Holyfield, Mark James, Will Jennings, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Loggins, Hugh Prestwood, Bill Rice, and Billy Edd Wheeler. In their honor, fellow Hall of Fame members Gary Burr and Mike Reid performed the heartfelt song “Wherever You Are Tonight,” which was recorded by Kenny Chesney.
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