Alan Jackson (photo: Paul Drinkwater)
Singer-songwriters Garth Brooks, Larry Gatlin, Amy Grant, Alan Jackson and Townes Van Zandt are among the 15 latest nominees for induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“This is an amazing group of songwriters and songwriter/artists,” said Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation chair John Van Mol in a statement. “Every one of them is extremely worthy of induction, and it is our honor to place each of their names in nomination.”
Brooks, Gatlin, Grant, Jackson and Van Zandt are nominated in the Songwriter/Artist category, while the other 10 writers received nods in the songwriter category (though many of them are singers as well). The nominated songwriters are: John Bettis (“Slow Hand” by Conway Twitty, “Top of the World” by The Carpenters and Lynn Anderson); Robert Byrne (“Two Dozen Roses” by Shenandoah and “”Rose Bouquet” by Phil Vassar); J.J. Cale (Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Call Me The Breeze); Jan Crutchfield (“Statue of a Fool” by Jack Greene, Perry Como’s “Dream On Little Dreamer"); Mark James (“Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley, “Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson); Dan Penn (“I’m Your Puppet” by James & Bobby Purify, “The Dark End Of The Street” by James Carr and many others); Gretchen Peters (“Independence Day” by Martina McBride,” “The Chill Of An Early Fall” by George Strait); Thom Schuyler (“16th Avenue” by Lacy J. Dalton, “Love Will Turn You Around” by Kenny Rogers); Allen Shamblin (“I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt, “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert); and John Scott Sherrill (“Nothin’ But The Wheel” by Patty Loveless, “Would You Go With Me” by Josh Turner).
From those groups, two songwriters and one songwriter/artist will be inducted into the Hall at a Renaissance Hotel dinner on Sunday, October 16. Tickets for the event will go on sale in late August.