Vince Gill, Roger Murrah, Jerry Reed Join Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Posted in News on October 17, 2005

Vince Gill, Jerry Reed and Roger Murrah are the newest additions to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. They were inducted Sunday, October 16 during annual ceremonies conducted by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Hugh Prestwood, Jeffrey Steele, Dennis Morgan

In addition to the Hall of Fame inductions, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) conferred a series of Songwriter Achievement Awards, with the top prizes won by BMI affiliates. BMI Award-winning writer Jeffrey Steele earned his second NSAI Songwriter of the Year title, honored this year for his compositions "Gone," recorded by Montgomery Gentry, and "Help Somebody," recorded by Van Zant. NSAI's Song of the Year honors went to "Bless the Broken Road," written by Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon. The song, previously recorded by Hummon, was a recent hit for Rascal Flatts.

Del Bryant, Patty Loveless

Longtime friend and fellow Hall of Famer Rodney Crowell gave a poignant introduction speech for Vince Gill, followed by a stunning performance of "Whenever You Come Around" by Gill's wife, Amy Grant. Patty Loveless brought the house down with her rendering of Gill's "Go Rest High on That Mountain," backed by John Hobbs and Al Anderson, who also paid tribute to Gill by treating the audience to a sampling of his other signature songs, including "When I Call Your Name," "Never Knew Lonely," "Pocket Full of Gold," "Don't Let Our Love Start Slipping Away," "I Still Believe in You," "Look at Us," "Whenever You Come Around," and "Which Bridge To Cross (Which Bridge To Burn)."

NSAI's Mark Alan Springer, Phillip White, Roger Murrah, Jeff Hanna, Bobby Boyd, Vince Gill, Jeffrey Steele, Del Bryant, James Dean Hicks

Blake Shelton and BMI's Thomas Cain saluted Murrah, whose hits include "Goodbye Time," "Don't Rock the Jukebox," "High Cotton," "I'm in a Hurry (and Don't Know Why)," "We're in This Love Together," "Ozark Mountain Jubilee," "It Takes a Little Rain (To Make Love Grow)," "Life's Highway," "It's a Little Too Late" and "National Working Woman's Holiday." Murrah's induction speech was provided by Hall of Fame member Bobby Braddock.

Billy Montana, Del Bryant	Jeffrey Steele

Steve Wariner joined Jeffrey Steele, Reed band member Mark Thornton and guitarist John Knowles to celebrate Reed, whose classics include "East Bound and Down," "Amos Moses," "When You're Hot, You're Hot," "A Thing Called Love," "Guitar Man," "The Claw," "Crazy Legs," "Misery Loves Company," "Talk About the Good Times" and "Tupelo Mississippi Flash." Longtime friend Bobby Bare provided the induction speech.

Besides honoring the Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist of the Year, the writers of NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division also singled out 13 songs and their writers for its 2005 Achievement Awards (informally dubbed "The Songs I Wish I'd Written").

BMI recipients were Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon for "Bless The Broken Road," Bart Butler and Bobby Pinson for "Don't Ask Me How I Know," James Dean Hicks and Roger Murrah for "Goodbye Time," Phillip White for "He Gets That from Me," Hank Williams, Sr. for "Hey, Good Lookin'," Joe Diffie, Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro for "My Give a Damn's Busted," Billy Montana for "Suds in the Bucket," Ed Hill, Karyn Rochelle for "Georgia Rain" and Paul Overstreet for "Some Beach." "Bless The Broken Road" was the top choice of the NSAI Pro writers.

SOURCENews TAGS Country Rock International Al Anderson Bobby Braddock Del Bryant Montgomery Gentry Vince Gill Amy Grant Jeff Hanna James Dean Hicks Ed Hill Marcus Hummon Patty Loveless Tony Martin Billy Montana Paul Overstreet Bobby Pinson Hugh Prestwood Rascal Flatts Karyn Rochelle Tom Shapiro Blake Shelton Jeffrey Steele Steve Wariner Phillip White Hank Williams