It was an all-star celebration Sunday evening (Oct. 5) at Nashville’s Music City Center, as John Anderson, Paul Craft, Tom Douglas, and Gretchen Peters were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“Once again four incredibly talented songwriters have taken their rightful place as the newest members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Pat Alger, Board Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation and a member of the Hall of Fame. “John Anderson, Paul Craft, Tom Douglas and Gretchen Peters represent the best our great songwriting community has to offer. With long fruitful careers of memorable songs, they set the highest creative standard for all of us.”

Paul Craft was inducted by Hall of Fame songwriter Layng Martine, Jr. Thomas Rhett performed a medley of songs, including “Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life” and “Brother Jukebox.” Britt Ronstadt performed “Keep Me From Blowing Away” and Bobby Bare closed out the set with “Drop Kick Me, Jesus.”

Gretchen Peters was inducted by Hall of Fame songwriter Rodney Crowell. Brandy Clark performed a medley of “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am” and “Independence Day” while Trisha Yearwood sang “On A Bus To St. Cloud.” Bryan Adams sent a congratulatory video message to Peters.

Tom Douglas was inducted by his longtime publisher Troy Tomlinson. The music segment featured Collin Raye performing “Little Rock,” Hall of Fame member and co-writer Allen Shamblin singing “The House That Built Me” and Tim McGraw with “My Little Girl.” Lady Antebellum sent their congratulations to Douglas via video.

John Anderson was inducted by Big & Rich’s John Rich, who also performed a medley of Anderson penned hits, including “Wish I Coulda Been There” and “Chicken Truck.” Hall of Fame songwriter Bobby Braddock sang “Seminole Wind,” while Josh Turner performed “Swingin’.”
Hall of Fame songwriters Matraca Berg and Don Schlitz presented the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award to publisher Pat Higdon.  

The evening also featured a presentation to Troy Tomlinson, president and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville, in recognition for his efforts to raise funds for the construction of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Music City Center.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) also presented its annual Songwriter Achievement Awards.
The organization’s professional songwriter members voted “Automatic” (written by Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby and Miranda Lambert / recorded by Miranda Lambert) as their Song of the Year.
The Songwriter of the Year prize went to Ashley Gorley.  The Songwriter/Artist of the Year was awarded to Jack White.
In addition to honoring the Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, NSAI presented “The 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” Awards, voted on by NSAI’s Professional Membership, to the following writers and their songs: “All Kinds Of Kinds” (Phillip Coleman, Don Henry / recorded by Miranda Lambert), “Boys ’Round Here” (Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Craig Wiseman / recorded by Blake Shelton), “Cop Car” (Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Matt Jenkins / recorded by Keith Urban), “Drink A Beer” (Jim Beavers, Chris Stapleton / recorded by Luke Bryan), “Drunk On A Plane” (Dierks Bentley, Josh Kear, Chris Tompkins / recorded by Dierks Bentley), “Follow Your Arrow” (Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves / recorded by Kacey Musgraves), “Give Me Back My Hometown” (Eric Church, Luke Laird / recorded by Eric Church), “I Hold On” (Dierks Bentley, Brett James / recorded by Dierks Bentley), “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” (Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston, Jeffrey Steele / recorded by Tim McGraw w/ Faith Hill) and “Mine Would Be You” (Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Deric Ruttan / recorded by Blake Shelton).

Tuesday night’s (Oct. 7) Gospel Music Association Dove Awards will be a showcase for multiple genres, says GMA President and Executive Director Jackie Patillo. “The Dove Awards is the only platform where all of these different styles of music come together on one stage. It really looks like The Kingdom,” she says. “It has been really important to me to unify our community, and it’s very rewarding to see that happen in one night on the Dove Awards.” The diversity is reflected in co-hosts Bart Millard of MercyMe (a CCM/pop artist) and hip-hop/rapper Lecrae, who recently held the No. 1 spot on the all-genre albums chart. Patillo adds there will be a Southern Gospel segment, black gospel choir and a worship song backed by a choir of star artists.
It is the awards show’s second year at the Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville. GMA and the university have forged a relationship, which includes the GMA offices moving to campus.
For the first time, the show will be broadcast exclusively on The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), with the air date set for Sunday, Oct. 12.
While other awards shows, including the ACM and CMA Awards, have not always made tickets available to consumers, Patillo doesn’t remember a time when fans weren’t invited to the Doves, and this year they’ve upped the ante. “For the first time we are offering a VIP experience,” says Patillo. “The fans will have an opportunity to do artist meet and greets, have dinner with artists, and enjoy premium seating. Christian music is all about sharing with the people. There’s a spiritual bond as well as a musical bond.”
Events surrounding the Dove Awards keep expanding. Among three events tonight (Oct. 6) is a comedy show with headliner Bone Hampton at Lipscomb’s Shamblin Theater. There will be a nominee luncheon today at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center featuring speaker Beth Moore. “Everybody should be honored, even though not everybody is going to be a winner on Tuesday,” says Patillo. “The nominee luncheon is a great time of fellowship and letting them see each other, because the show is hectic.”
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As the GMA marks its 50th anniversary, its slate of events is biggest than ever, including the addition of the GMA Honors in the spring. “We want what we do to celebrate the past, present, and future,” says Patillo. “GMA Honors is our way of acknowledging the trailblazers that came before us. The Dove Awards is the platform that we use to raise those who are presently on the front lines making an impact with their music. And we do an event called Immerse which is geared toward the future. It is a three-day program, where we gather the industry for panels, training, vocal competitions and speak to the aspiring artists and Christian business people who want to learn more about the industry.
“Every year we induct four or five people into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and this year we decided to broaden the Hall of Fame event into GMA Honors. We added five honorees, we focused on companies and artists who are making an impact through their philanthropic endeavors. And we did a sit-down family style dinner in the Allen Arena. It was powerful.”
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Tuesday, Oct. 7, Dove Awards day schedule—The preshow begins at 2 p.m. at Collins Alumni Auditorium at Lipscomb, sponsored by SoundExchange. The Dove Cares Red Carpet in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital starts at 3:30 p.m. Both will stream live at www.hearitfirst.com/live. The Dove Awards will be presented at 6:30 p.m. at Lipscomb’s Allen Arena.