Amy Grant Archives - Nashville Music Line

Hit writers inducted into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Classes of 2020 and 2021 honored at double gala event

by Preshias Harris

It was a scintillating evening of songs, stars, special memories and – above all – some of the worlds finest songwriters being honored by their peers when The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame welcomed ten new members to its ranks.

*Garth Brooks paying tribute to Kent Blazy during his induction into the NaSHOF. Photo: Preshias Harris*

It was a unique gala: because of the pandemic, the 2020 gala was postponed so it was double the pleasure, double the fun as the Classes of both 2020 and 2021 were inducted at the same ceremony as part of the NaSHOF’s supersized 50^th and 51^st Anniversary Hall of Fame Gala. The musical contributions of the newest inductees were celebrated through star-studded performances of some of their biggest songs for the capacity crowd at Nashville’s Music City Center.

The Class Of 2020: Kent Blazy and Brett James in the songwriter category; Spooner Oldham in the veteran songwriter category, Steve Earle in the songwriter/artist category and Bobbie Gentry in the veteran songwriter/artist category.

*Class of 2020 Pictured (l-r) are: NaSHOF Board Chair Sarah Cates, inductees Brett James, Kent Blazy, Steve Earle, Spooner Oldham and NaSHOF Executive Director Mark Ford. Photo: Bev Moser*

The Class of 2021: Rhett Akins and Buddy Cannon in the songwriter category; John Scott Sherrill in the veteran songwriter category; Toby Keith in the songwriter/artist category and Amy Grant in the veteran songwriter/artist category.

Class of 2021 Pictured (l-r) are: NaSHOF Board Chair Sarah Cates, Inductees Rhett Akins, Toby Keith, Buddy Cannon, Amy Grant and John Scott Sherrill and NaSHOF Executive Director Mark Ford. Photo: Bev Moser

The inductees and the musical guests who honored them shared so many fascinating stories and insights about how they reached the pinnacle of their artistry.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame to induct five of Music City’s finest

Class of 2021 and Class of 2020 to be honored at November Gala

By Preshias Harris

Country music fans think of Nashville as a city built on the success that many Country recording artists found in the studios of Music City. But the artists themselves will readily tell you that the real stars are the songwriters. When Number One parties are held in Nashville, they celebrate the songwriters who wrote the chart-toppers, rather than the singers and bands on the recording. The 1982 hit song “16^th Avenue” (written by Thom Schuyler and recorded by Lacy J. Dalton) summed it up this way: “God bless the boys who make the noise on 16^th Avenue,” referring to one of the streets than comprise Nashville’s fabled Music Row.

For many years, the songwriting community mainly consisted of “boys” (and old boys) and while more females are now seeing their names on songwriting credits, only one female writer will be among the inductees into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

Amy Grant, Toby Keith, Rhett Akins, Buddy Cannon and John Scott Sherrill will be inducted into the Hall this November, according to an announcement made July 13 by Sarah Cates, chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall off Fame Foundation board of directors, and Mark Ford, its executive director.

Hal Ketchum dies, Chris Stapleton album, Vince & Amy

Preshias and Jon talk about what’s happening in country music this week

The Y’all Show is back after the Thanksgiving break, and Preshias and Y’all Show host Jon Rawl have plenty to talk about, including:

90s country artist Hal Ketchum passes
Vince Gill and Amy Grant plan Christmas at the Ryman – for 2021
Chris Stapleton’s new album Starting Over debuts at No. 1
Collin Raye co-writes all the songs on his new album
New dates for Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
Bluegrass music celebrates 75 years
Grammy nominees in Country categories announced
Dennis Quaid releases ‘unifying’ single
This week’s “I Know Country” Q&A from Preshias’ ebook and more

Watch the entire show at the Y’all show website (complete with all the background notes, links and info) or at the Y’all Show YouTube channel.

Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com