On Oct. 14 at Nashvilleâs Music City Center, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2019: Larry Gatlin, Dwight Yoakam, Marcus Hummon, Kostas, Rivers Rutherford and Sharon Vaughn.
The star-studded dinner and induction ceremony featured performances from a cache of country luminaries who performed songs from the inducteesâ catalogs, including Garth Brooks (âMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboysâ), Brandy Clark (âThe Heart That You Ownâ), Vince Gill (âIâve Done Enough Dyinâ Todayâ), The Oak Ridge Boys (âAll the Gold in Californiaâ), Brooks & Dunn (âAinât Nothing âBout Youâ), Holly Williams (âTimber, Iâm Falling In Loveâ), Sara Evans (âBorn to Flyâ) and more.
The six new inductees follow in the footsteps of more than 200 previous honorees, including Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Buck Owens, John Prine, Tammy Wynette, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton and more.
Class of 2019 (with partial songwriting credits)
Songwriters
- Marcus Hummon: âCowboy Take Me Awayâ (The Dixie Chicks), âBorn To Flyâ (Sara Evans) and âBless The Broken Roadâ (Rascal Flatts)
- Kostas: âTimber, Iâm Falling In Loveâ (Patty Loveless), âBlame It On Your Heartâ (Patty Loveless) and âAinât That Lonely Yetâ (Dwight Yoakam)
- Rivers Rutherford: âReal Good Manâ (Tim McGraw), âWhen I Get Where Iâm Goingâ (Brad Paisley w/ Dolly Parton) and âAinât Nothing âBout Youâ (Brooks & Dunn)
Songwriter/Artist
- Dwight Yoakam: âGuitars, Cadillacs,â âFast As Youâ and âYouâre The One,â
Veteran Songwriter
- Sharon Vaughn: âMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboysâ (Willie Nelson), âYâall Come Back Saloonâ (The Oak Ridge Boys) and âLonely Too Longâ (Patty Loveless)
Veteran Songwriter/Artist
- Larry Gatlin: âAll The Gold In California,â âStatues Without Heartsâ and âBroken Ladyâ
photos by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com