Aaron Barker, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Bob Morrison and the late Townes Van Zandt were officially inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in Sunday night (Oct. 9) at the Music City Center.

In addition Ashley Gorley was named Songwriter of the Year and Lori McKenna claimed Song of the Year for “Humble and Kind” (and sang an acoustic version of it after her speech). Cole Swindell was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year and he emotionally accepted the award in a pre-taped video.

The event began with the announcement of the list of 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written, voted on by members of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

“Every year our organization has the distinct pleasure of honoring four of the best of the best songwriters in our community with induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Pat Alger, Board Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation and himself a Hall of Fame member. “Once again the current group of inductees exemplifies the high standards that have helped make Nashville the songwriting capital of the world.”

Following welcoming remarks by Alger, the evening kicked off with inductions and performances.

Morrison was inducted by Hall of Fame songwriter Layng Martine Jr. William Michael Morgan performed a traditional-leaning “Looking For Love” and Phil Vassar sang a sterling rendition of “You Decorated My Life.”

Barker was inducted by Phyllis Williams, widow of late Hall of Fame songwriter/Barker co-writer Kim Williams. Curb artist Mo Pitney performed a heartfelt version of “Baby Blue.” The legendary Mac Davis stepped in for “Love Without End, Amen.”

Chapman was inducted by longtime friend/hit songwriter Annie Roboff. Kim Carnes, Emily Saliers (of The Indigo Girls) and Pam Tillis joined Bill Lloyd to offer “This Kiss.” Pop superstar Olivia Newton-John joined Lloyd, singer/songwriter Amy Sky and Chapman’s son, Ernest Chapman, to sing “Sand and Water,” a lovely performance that received a standing ovation.

Van Zandt was inducted by producer Jim Rooney. Van Zandt, who died in 1997, was shown performing “Pancho and Lefty” via a video clip from the 1976 film Heartworn Highways. Darrell Scott delivered a strong take on “White Freightliner Blues.” Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White performed the exquisite “If I Needed You.” Van Zandt’s award was accepted by his children Katie Belle Van Zandt and Will Van Zandt.

In a special tribute alongside the inductions, Hall of Fame songwriters Alger, Davis and Ray Stevens presented the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award to the late Atlanta music icon Bill Lowery. Butch Lowery accepted on behalf of his father. The event also paused to remember five inductees who have died since the 2015 ceremony: Guy Clark, Merle Haggard, Ted Harris, John D. Loudermilk and Kim Williams.

The evening featured a special presentation to Robert K. Oermann, industry journalist and NaSHOF board historian. He was presented with the organization’s Keystone Award in appreciation for his long-term commitment to the Nashville songwriting community and the Foundation’s Hall of Fame nominating process.

Presented to the songwriters, the selections for 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written include: “Break Up in a Small Town,” “Burning House,” “Buy Me a Boat,” “Die a Happy Man,” “I Got the Boy,” “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” “Like a Wrecking Ball,” “My Church,” “Record Year” and “Sangria.”

After nearly 25 years at Sony/ATV, Dale Dodson jokes that he’s seen the carpet change three times. Of course, the name on the building has been adjusted quite a few times too, yet Dodson has remained a cornerstone for the publishing company.

A West Virginia native, Dodson worked as a disc jockey before moving to Nashville in 1987. He was hired at the publishing company in 1992 at the request of Donna Hilley, who went on to become president and CEO of Sony/ATV. A knowledgeable country music fan, Dodson was initially assigned to sift through the catalogs of legendary songwriters like Harlan Howard, Hank Cochran, Buck Owens, Red Lane and Curly Putman.

His mission was to find overlooked songs that still sounded like they could get cut, and then try to make it happen by recording a fresh demo. Along the way he befriended these writers and can rattle off anecdotes faster than most industry newcomers can drop names.

He can talk about how Red Lane and Max T. Barnes used to write songs over the phone, sometimes fleshing out verses or choruses provided by Merle Haggard, or that Hank Cochran preferred to write really late at night at home in Goodlettsville while Harlan Howard would show up on Music Row in the mornings and then go have drinks at lunch.

“I love the past, and I love all these guys,” he says, gesturing toward the vintage album covers pasted on the wall. “I’ve got all their records and I’ve got all their boxed sets. I could listen to that stuff forever. But the thing is, I want my phone to ring.”

In the mid 2000s, Dodson — who is a songwriter himself — started working with hot contemporary writers but has since gone back to focusing on the catalog. This time, though, he’s looking for material only two to five years behind the modern day. Along with his employment at Sony/ATV, he’s also a consultant for Carnival Music.

Dodson explains that he spends most of his daily commute listening to catalog. When he finds a hidden gem, he plays it at different times of day to see if it holds up.

Asked what exactly he’s listening for, Dodson answers, “I listen to two different things. I listen for something that tells me something – that makes me either laugh or cry or say, ‘Oooh, what a lyric!’ Then I listen for radio. So when I listen, I’m listening from a different angle. That’s why it takes me some time. With all these catalogs, and all these songs, I want to give everyone the respect as a songwriter.”

The deep dive has served a number of artists well, including Martina McBride, when “A Broken Wing” was pulled out of the vault. George Strait recorded “The Seashores of Old Mexico” after Dodson gave it a second wind. He’s secured cuts with Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Scotty McCreery, Reba McEntire, Jo Dee Messina and Lee Ann Womack as well.

Dodson also sets up writing dates for Carnival songwriters like Scooter Carusoe, Troy Jones or Marla Cannon-Goodman with outside artists and someone who does tracking (commonly known as a track guy). Often he tries to connect at least one person from Carnival and Sony/ATV to make the co-write click. And when it comes to pitching, Dodson says he can go in a couple of directions.

“If you were a producer, or in A&R, or an artist, you’d come in and sit down and I would play you songs. Or I could come to your office and play you three or four. Or we’ll have group meetings where a producer will bring [a Sony/ATV group] in and we’ll go around the room and play a song,” he says. “A company like this is huge and you’ve got to get as much opportunity as possible. But that being said, the best way to do it is to come in with one song at a time. I like that!”

Using that singular tactic, he’s launched an email blast every week called The Dodson Files, where he pitches precisely one song to a select number of people in the industry—or as he refers to them, “the ones who make the town spin.” Although it’s a low-key approach, he’s landed a few cuts. He says he learned the one-off trick from Cochran, who taught Dodson to pay attention to the emotion in the room and react on it.

Along with a keen ear for lyrics and melodies, the underrated skills of watching and learning from the masters has served him well. When Dodson arrived in the 1990s, it was understood that you needed to know about country music history before getting into the music business. Today, that quality isn’t as common.

“I wish that there was a little bit more respect,” he says. “Because when I came here, these people we’re talking about—Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty, greats like Billy Sherrill and Chet Atkins, the Bradley family, the Dennys, Fred Foster, Bob Montgomery, Paul Worley, Tony Brown—they were giants. And when you were around them, that’s how you treated them. If you were in the room, you shut up and hope that nothing stupid rolls out of your mouth and learn and watch.”

Naturally, as anyone who’s spent decades in the music industry can attest, the pace has the potential to wear you down. Nonetheless, Dodson says he wants to reach his 40-year milestone at Sony/ATV and continue working with Carnival. He answers quickly when he’s asked about the reward of working in such a temperamental business.

“I love great songs!” he says. “It’s the beginning. If you don’t have a great song, you don’t have an artist. And songwriters! I love writing songs. It’s my outlet but I consider it my second job. Songplugging is my first job because I love songs and I love the deal and I love this game of getting in here and getting songs recorded. And I love, most of all, making songwriters happy.”

Andrew Dorff is one of five songwriters profiled in the 2016 MusicRow Publisher Issue. Dorff has penned five BMI Award-winning songs and four No. 1 hits including Blake Shelton’s “My Eyes” and “Neon Light,” in addition to Kenny Chesney’s “Save It For a Rainy Day,” and Hunter Hayes’ “Somebody’s Heartbreak.”

A bonus Q&A from Dorff’s interview with MusicRow is below. To learn more about his first cut at age 15 and how he made his way to Nashville in 2003, pick up a copy of MusicRow’s 2016 Publisher Issue.

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MusicRow: Who are your musical heroes?

Andrew Dorff: I’ve always just loved songs. I didn’t have every Beatles record, I would just love a song from a random [album]. Elton John and Bernie Taupin are influences. I read a lot. I love books with just lyrics. The Beat Poets were a big inspiration to me, like Gregory Corso. I read a lot of his work. I actually got to meet him before he passed away.

What inspires you as a songwriter?

It sounds cheesy, but just living life in general. I’m inspired by a lot—the ebb and flow of life. I still live with my two dogs and do a lot by myself. I love it. I observe. I’ll sometimes just watch at a restaurant or bar. I see language as an instrument. Where some people may go home and practice their guitar, I like to read. I like words—to mess with them and play with them, I exercise it a lot.

Also, the competitiveness of sports—baseball, basketball, football—with highs and lows has always been an inspiration for me. Sports is a great metaphor for most things. I find myself referencing sports all the time. Now I’m a big hockey fan. I go to all the Predator games.

Who is in your writing circle in Nashville?

I like to see people coming up in group, like if they graduate from Belmont and start making their way. Coming to Nashville was kind of like grade school for me. I had a lot of friends—I may have lunch with the pretty girls one day, the football team, the science club, the math nerds. I could chameleon myself. Being here, there has been a lot of navigating these groups who come up together. I feel welcome in most of them. Being a lyricist helps too.

How has your publisher (UMPG) and performance rights organization (BMI) impacted your career?

We had a dinner celebrating “Save It For a Rainy Day” recently and BMI surprised me with four Million-Air Awards. BMI has been great. I remember the first time I opened a company with them when I was 12 years old.

[UMPG] sees that I’m a hard worker and team player. I’ve had a few different point-people on the creative staff, but they’ve done a good job at branding me as a lyric dude. They’ve done good PR and championing—getting me in really good rooms I couldn’t get into before. When you’re with a bigger company, they’ll sign artists like Hunter Hayes. He was my first No. 1 (“Somebody’s Heartbreak”).

Once I got that No. 1, I started getting a lot of, “Hey we should get together again.” At the BMI Awards, you’re looked at different if you’re wearing a medal around your neck. They’re fun to be at, but when you have a medallion around your neck, it feels a whole lot better.

Did you ever feel pressured towards success, with your brother being actor and your father as a songwriter?

I was very supported by my family, still am. I’ve never felt pressure. I joke with my father now. We were at some No. 1 thing for me, and he said, ‘You only have so many more to go to catch me.’ There’s definitely a healthy competition. It doesn’t feel like I have to live up to him at all. Probably because of my niche with lyrics, which has opened doors for me.

What other moments have stood out thus far?

Doing what we do to make a living makes me proud. Or being accepted makes me proud. One of my favorite awards I’ve won was last year at the NSAI Awards, in the 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written. That was from my peers. I love that. When my peers in this town love a song, that’s really special.

Also, just climbing the ladder—having a song on the radio just seems so far away at the beginning. So those baby steps of getting a song on hold. I figured a song has to go on hold before it can get cut, before it makes an album, before it can be a single, before it can be a hit. Then if it does, is it going to happen again? There’s a weird depression after watching a song climb, climb, climb then peak. Not like you can’t get out of bed, but that’s such a fun roller coaster to ride—let’s do it again!

I want to keep writing songs that matter. There’s not quite a greater feeling than having a song of yours come on the radio. You can’t help it, you just turn it up a little louder. Having people tell you they heard your song on the radio and it affected them in some way, whether it’s laughing, crying, dancing—that’s why I do what I do.

Pick up a copy of the MusicRow Publisher Issue to read the full feature on Andrew Dorff.

Abe Stoklasa is one of five songwriters profiled in the 2016 MusicRow Publisher Issue. He achieved his first No. 1 single with Chris Lane’s “Fix” this year, along with cuts from numerous artists including Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, David Nail and Charles Kelley. Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay were also featured on Kelley’s “The Driver,” which earned the performers a Grammy nomination this past year.

Bonus Q&A from Stoklasa’s print feature is below. To hear Stoklasa’s experience with streaming royalties and if he ever plans to release his own album, pick up a copy of MusicRow’s Publisher Issue print magazine.

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MusicRow: How did it feel to see Charles’ recording of “The Driver” receive that Grammy nomination?

Stoklasa: I feel like I can say I have a Grammy-nominated song, although I’m not a Grammy-nominated songwriter. We were in Charleston, I think, when I heard the news. I woke up like, “I’ve never had so many notifications in my feed in my life, what’s going on?!”

What other proud career moments stand out?

For a long time “Beginning of Things” was my favorite song that I was very proud of. I wrote it with Donovan Woods, and Charlie Worsham just cut it. It’s so songwriter-y, in that there are two or three levels and meanings to the lyrics that you will not get on one or two listens, which is a fun puzzle to put together. The whole story is made up with some influences in real life, but it was just an exercise in a certain way to be Shakespearean in a way. But I would feel confident handing that to Paul Simon, and I wouldn’t do that with any of my other songs.

What significance did your first cut have on you?

A year passed after I signed with Big Yellow Dog before my first cut (“Portland, Maine”), which came two weeks before my second and third (Blake Shelton and Lady Antebellum). I looked awesome for a day! I was most proud that they were outside cuts. Those artists didn’t know me. Especially the Tim McGraw song was so out of left field. You’re taught you have to get to know the artist and all that BS. It was nice to prove a song can be good enough.

Discuss your musical inspirations.

I pretty much totally missed the 90s. I had a very sheltered listening experience growing up. I never got to pick the radio stations and never had my own CD player. My dad feels like the only music in the world that exists is country music from 1950-1975. I know every decade of music pretty thoroughly, except my own.

I will always love Merle Haggard and Elvis. James Taylor, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder—anything Motown—just pleased my ear so much when I finally started venturing out. I studied everything in their catalogs and wanted to be like them. Since then, I’ve grown into Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon.

Lately, I ended up getting to write with Mike Reid. He was amazing. It took us four times getting together to write one song and we talked about life most of the time. He’s a philosopher. We definitely connected and have similar outlooks on life and ways of coping with existence. Mark D. Sanders was another of those spectacular songwriters I’ve gotten to write with.

Who is in your writing circle?

I have a very small writing circle that I feel like I was in the trenches with, although some had a lot of success way before I came along. I think every song Donovan Woods and I have written together has been cut so far, which is crazy. Sarah Buxton is another one I’ve had success with. Daniel Tashian, Jesse Frasure, Charles Kelley and Mark Trussell.

Who have been champions of you outside of your family?

If it wasn’t for Carla Wallace, I don’t know where I’d be. She had faith early on and was unabashed about it. Kerry O’Neil always has our backs. Even if it has nothing to do with Big Yellow Dog, he knows as much about everything as anyone else and offers advice. Laura [Wright] Alexander got me my first two cuts ever (“Portland, Maine” and Blake’s “A Girl”). She was pitching songs that weren’t “smashes” but just great songs.

And artists like Billy Currington. He was the first person to care about my songwriting. David Nail is a good friend, we don’t even have to talk about music. We both experienced a lot of firsts together on a tour bus. Charles Kelley has always been like a brother to me. He’s an amazing writer. We’ve written songs other people have cut… and he likes to cut my songs!

Do you feel any certain pressure to write to radio? Some of your cuts seem more complex than what is usually featured on air.

Except “Fix” (laughs). Any pressure I feel [to write a radio hit] would be self-imposed. I don’t feel pressure from my publisher. I can always tour if I needed money. But I do want radio hits, so I definitely try to write them and have spent a lot of time investing in trying to write Dallas Davidson songs or Craig Wiseman songs and there’s a reason I’ve failed, because I’m not them. I’ve found my skill-set and, more importantly, how it can be new to the marketplace.

Pick up a copy of the MusicRow Publisher Issue to read the full feature on Abe Stoklasa.

3 Ring Circus Music has re-signed songwriter Davis Naish to an exclusive publishing agreement.

The Nashville native has been part of the 3 Ring family for two years. He is the son of contemporary Christian producer Phil Naish. He began writing songs at the age of 16, influenced by writer Richard Marx and composer/arranger Rob Mathes.

“Davis brings such a rich knowledge of composition, thought, and instincts to everything he writes. Pure passion, seriousness, and fun!” said Jeffrey Steele, President, 3 Ring Circus.

“I’m very excited to be re-signing Davis,” said Darrell Franklin, GM of 3 Ring Circus. “He is a great fit for us and I feel like he’s just beginning to come into his own. With an old soul, a nonstop work ethic and tremendous respect for the craft of songwriting, Davis is one of the most talented young songwriters I’ve had the pleasure to work with.”