Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala honors ‘Class of 2024’

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Nashville Songwriting’s Most Legendary Night

It was truly a Gala Night at the Music City Center on November 6, 2024, as Nashville’s music community came together to honor the latest inductees into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame while enjoying some breathtaking performances and heartwarming stories.

The ‘Class of 2024’ honored during the 54^th Anniversary Gala were the late Tony Joe White (Legacy category), Al Anderson and Liz Rose (Contemporary Songwriter category), Dan Penn and Victoria Shaw (Veteran Songwriter category), and David Bellamy (Veteran Songwriter/Artist category).

PHOTO (L–R): Jody White, David Bellamy, Liz Rose, Dan Penn, Victoria Shaw and Al Anderson. Photo: Moments by Moser

TONY JOE WHITE: White has been described as one of the musical world’s great minimalists who needed nothing more than his ‘whomper stomper’ guitar and swampy baritone to mesmerize listeners. In 1969, “Polk Salad Annie” made him an international star and he continued to record while writing iconic songs such as “Rainy Night in Georgia” (a hit for Brook Benton), “Steamy Windows” and “On Silent Wings” (Tina Turner), “I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby” and “For Ol’ Times Sake (Elvis Presley). White’s son Jody White accepted on his father’s behalf and shared some memories; Nikki Lane and Kenny Vaughan performed White’s classic song “Polk Salad Annie.”

LIZ ROSE: NaSHOF member Hillary Lindsey introduced Rose who came to songwriting comparatively late in life (at age 37) after beginning her music career as a song plugger, moving to Nashville from her hometown of Irving, TX. After co-writing (with Pat McLaughlin) her first Top 20 single – “Songs About Rain” recorded by Gary Allan – she began writing with a newcomer named Taylor Swift. Together, they wrote “Tim McGraw,” “Teardrops On My Guitar” (2008 BMI Country Song of the Year), “You Belong With Me” (2010 BMI Country Song of the Year), the Grammy-winning “White Horse,” and more. Other Rose-penned hots include “Burn It Down” (Parker McCollum) and “It All Comes Out In The Wash” (Miranda Lambert). Little Big Town took the stage to perform “Girl Crush” with Hillary Lindsey, Rose’s cowriter (with Lori McKenna) on the Grammy-winning smash hit. 

AL ANDERSON:  Introduced by NaSHOF member Sharon Vaughn, Anderson was inducted into the Contemporary Songwriter category. The Windsor, CT, native found fame as the lead guitarist of the highly-regarded rock outfit NRBQ and on several solo outings, being recognized as one of the top 100 guitarists of the 20^th century by Musician magazine. Shifting his focus to country music, Anderson scored a hit as Carlene Carter took their co-written “Every Little Thing” to No. 3 Country. Anderson’s many writing credits include “Unbelievable” (Diamond Rio), “The Cowboy In Me” (Tim McGraw), “Should’ve Asked Her Faster” (Ty England), “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” (George Strait) and more. Anderson was named the 2000 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year. Vince Gill, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, and Glenn Worf performed one of Anderson’s personal favorite cuts, “Some Things Never Get Old” from Gill’s album These Days. 

DAN PENN: Hailing originally from Vernon. AL, Penn was introduced by NaSHOF member Gretchen Peters. Penn’s songwriting talents have landed hits in the diverse realms of country, pop, rock, and R&B.  Following his first hit, Conway Twitty’s “Is A Bluebird Blue,” Penn moved to Muscle Shoals to become FAME Studio’s first staff songwriter.  Another move took him to Memphis, collaborating with Chips Moman on R&B hits like Aretha Franklin’s “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.” More hits were spawned cowriting with Spooner Oldham, including “I’m Your Puppet” (James & Bobby Purify), “It Tears Me Up” (Percy Sledge), “Cry Like A Baby” (The Box Tops), “Sweet Inspiration” (The Sweet Inspirations) among others. Moving to Nashville, country hits followed such as “Hillbilly Heart” (Johnny Rodriguez) and “Another Woman” (T.G. Sheppard). Penn’s country songs have been cut by Willie Nelson, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, and Charlie Rich among others.  Attendees were treated to a jaw-dropping rendition of the Penn-Oldham hit for James Carr, “The Dark End Of The Street,” performed by Wendy Moten and Kevin McKendree.

DAVID BELLAMY: NaSHOF member Larry Gatlin made the introductory remarks about David Bellamy who, with his brother Howard, has enjoyed a long and successful international following as The Bellamy Brothers, soon to embark on yet another world tour. David’s first major songwriting credit was a cowrite with Jim Stafford on Stafford’s Top Ten 1974 hit, “Spiders & Snakes.” The following year, the Bellamy Brothers signed their own recording contract, releasing close to 40 albums and counting. David has "solo" writing credit on a large number of songs cut by the Bellamy Brothers, including “If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me),” “Sugar Daddy,” “Dancin’ Cowboys,” “For All The Wrong Reasons” and “Old Hippie” that was named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.  Stepping up to the mic, legendary country artist John Anderson sang the David Bellamy-penned hit (and 1982 Bellamy Brothers Number One song), “Redneck Girl.”

VICTORIA SHAW: Gary Burr – himself a NaSHOF member and former member of Pure Prairie League  – then introduced Victoria Shaw who by the age of 18 was managing a studio in NYC by day and playing in piano bars by night, working to launch her career as a singer-songwriter. By 1983, she was commuting to Nashville for writing dates, signing a publishing deal in 1990. Shaw received the prestigious CMA Triple Play Award in 1993 for writing three No. 1 hits in a 12-month period: The River” (Garth Brooks), “Too Busy Being In Love” (Doug Stone), and “I Love The Way You Love Me” (John Michael Montgomery) which was also the 1993 ACM Song of the Year.  Additionally, Shaw penned “She’s Every Woman” (Garth Brooks), “We Don’t Have To Do This” (Tanya Tucker) as well as songs cut by Jim Brackman, Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera and more.  To the delight of the audience, Garth Brooks joined Shaw on stage and together they sang “The River,” “She’s Every Woman” and “A Friend To Me.” 

During the event, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame also paid tribute to members who have passed away in the previous twelve months: Wayland Holyfield, Mark James, Will Jennings, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Loggins, Hugh Prestwood, Bill Rice, and Billy Edd Wheeler.

It was a night of thrills and music education for the group of young emerging songwriters who joined me for an unforgettable evening, justifiably described as Nashville Songwriting’s Most Legendary Night!  We are already anticipating next year’s Gala!

About The Hall: The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is a property of the 501( c )( 3) nonprofit Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. Since 1970, the Hall has inducted 241 of the greatest writers ever to put words to music in Music City. Induction into this select body is one of the nation’s most prized songwriting achievements.