BMI Writers Owen, Steele, Jennings and Martine Honored at NaSHOF
On Sunday, October 13, 2013, friends, family and music industry notables celebrated the induction of Broadcast Music, Inc.’s legendary songwriters Jeffrey Steele, Layng Martine Jr., Will Jennings and Randy Owen into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Among other chart-busters, Steele’s work includes “The Cowboy in Me,” “Everytime I Hear Your Name,” and “Something to Be Proud Of,” while Martine’s catalog includes the smashes “Rub It In,” “Way Down” and “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” among others. As for Jennings, “Up Where We Belong,” “Higher Love,” and”Tears in Heaven” are among his many hits, while Alabama frontman Randy Owen contributed the classics “Tennessee River,” “Feels So Right” and “Mountain Music.”
Before the inductions, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation’s sister organization, Nashville Songwriters Association International, honored BMI songstress Taylor Swift with her sixth Songwriter-Artist of the Year award and named BMI writer Rodney Clawson its Songwriter of the Year. In addition, the poignant “I Drive Your Truck,” co-written by BMI writers Connie Harrington and Jimmy Yeary, was named Song of the Year.
Among NSAI’s member-voted list of “The 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” the BMI winners were “Cruise,” co-written by Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Joey Moi, and Chase Rice; “Hard to Love,” co-written by Billy Montana and John Ozier; “Highway Don’t Care,” co-written by Brad Warren and Brett Warren; “I Drive Your Truck,” co-written by Connie Harrington and Jimmy Yeary; “Like Jesus Does,” written by Casey Beathard and Monty Criswell; “Merry Go ‘Round,” co-written by Kacey Musgraves; “Mama’s Broken Heart,” also co-written by Kacey Musgraves; “Pontoon,” written by Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby and Luke Laird; and “Wagon Wheel,” co-written by Ketch Secor.
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