Ashley Gorley Inducted Into Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame

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Ashley Gorley speaks onstage during the 2025 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Ashley Gorley was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame last night, alongside Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers; George Clinton; Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins; Mike Love and Tony Macaulay. Honored with special awards were Stephen Schwartz with the Johnny Mercer Award and Gracie Abrams with the Hal David Starlight Award.

To honor Gorley, Dan + Shay performed a sing-a-long medley of “You Should Probably Leave,” “Last Night,” “Play It Again,” “All American Girl” and “I Had Some Help,” before Sadie Gorley delivered a heartfelt speech for her father and a performance of “You’re Gonna Miss This.”

“I spent the last few weeks trying to internalize that this is a real thing, and that I somehow belong on this list, and in this room with you guys,” Gorley shared during his speech. “And as much as part of me is still in shock, I look around this room, and I know I belong. I belong because it’s a room full of people who love music. People who are passionate about creating. Who have 10,000 untitled voice memos on their phones of random gibberish and melody scats, like me. Who write down titles and ideas in the middle of the night and hope the next morning they look half as brillant…I look around this room, and I see family.”

Garth Brooks, Aaron Dessner, John Stamos, Pasek and Paul, Kristin Chenoweth, Mary Kate Morrissey, Teddy Riley, Mōriah, Sam Opoku, Daphne Browdy, Debbie Gibson and more also made appearances to honor various inductees. The celebratory evening concluded when Johnston, McDonald and Simmons of The Doobie Brothers performed “Black Water,” “Takin’ It To The Streets” and “Listening to the Music.”

Sadie Gorley and Ashley Gorley. Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Dan Smyers, Ashley Gorley and Shay Mooney. Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Ashley Gorley and Mandy Gorley. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Sadie Gorley, Abby Law, Dan Smyers, Ashley Gorley, Mandy Gorley, and Shay Mooney. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Lauryn Sink
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