Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Welcomes 5 New Members
Nashville makes a huge announcement as it reveals five new additions to its long line of talented and world-class songwriters. Joining them are inductees Jim McBride, Walt Aldridge, Dewayne Blackwell, Tim Nichols, and Vern Gosdin.
The artists' families were present for the induction, although not all five could make it. Blackwell was unfortunately not feeling well at that time, while Gosdin, the then-dubbed 1970's and 80's The Voice, passed away in 2009.
To add a more world-class entertainment to the prestigious evening, the inductees were also serenaded by renowned singers like Alan Jackson, Earl Thomas Conley, James LeBlanc, Luke Bryan, Lee Ann Womack, Dustin Lynch, Lonesome River Band, Craig Campbell, and the Bundy's. The amazing and award-winning writers of the song Blue Ain't Your Color, namely Clint Lagerberg, Steven Lee Olsen, and Hillary Lindsey graced the four-hour-long gala as well.
Honoring the works of the five new additions to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, each of the inductees' greatest contributions was enumerated.
Blackwell had his string of big hits performed by renowned country singers, such as Garth Brooks' Friends in Low Places, The Fleetwoods' Mr. Blue, Johnny Darrell's Mama, Come'n Get Your Baby Boy, and Marty Robbins' Honkytonk Man. In place of Blackwell was his son, Gentry, who came and accepted his induction for him.
Aldridge, who now juggles teaching at the University of North Alabama with his passion for writing and performing, has had notable songs written for Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt, Heartland, and Ronnie Milsap. Fans remember his works dearly in the form of songs like The Fer of Being Alone, Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde, I Loved Her First, and (There's) No Getting Over Me.
Meanwhile, Gosdin's widely known compositions and self-recorded hits that include If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong, Today My World Slipped Away, and Chiseled in Stone show how much he has grown from being a fresh-faced singer in his hometown in Alabama to collaborating with his brother, Rex for their bluegrass group, the Hillmen.
McBride shares a humble beginning story a bit similar to that of Gosdin's, as he used to be a mail carrier in Alabama prior to the start of his career as a singer and songwriter in Nashville. The steady growth of his career involved composing and co-penning hit songs like Bet Your Heart on Me for Johnny Lee, Rose in Paradise for Waylon Jennings, and A Bridge That Just Won't Burn for Conway Twitty.
Last but definitely not the least, is Tim Nichols. Nichols, like his fellow inductees, worked his way slowly until he reached immeasurable success in his chosen path in music. Among the songs that helped defined his career include Heads Carolina, Tails California, I'm Over You, That'd Be Alright, Live Like You Were Dying, and I Got The Boy. Nichols shares that along with so many opportunities, he has also encountered dead ends and failures in the span of his career.
We know that these five talented artists who've been recently added into Nashville's Songwriters Hall of Fame still have so much more musical talent to wow us with and we simply can't wait to witness what's next for them. Kudos!
Dewayne Blackwell, Jim McBride, songwriters, Tim Nichols, vern gosdin, Walt Aldridge
2019 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees says:
[…] Songwriters Hall of Fame will welcome its new members during its 49 anniversary gala at the Music City Center on October 14, 2019. 6 new members will join […]
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