The songwriting giants behind the hits “If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me),” “Trip Around The Sun,” “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “The Dark End Of The Street” and “The River” will soon become the newest members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF).
David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers), Al Anderson, Liz Rose, Dan Penn and Victoria Shaw – the Hall’s Class of 2024 – will join the legendary body in November, according to an announcement made today by Rich Hallworth, chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its executive director director at a luncheon held in Nashville’s historic Columbia Studio A, part of Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
“Gathering for this occasion – to recognize and welcome the members of our incoming class – is always one of the highlights of our year,” says Hallworth. “To this stellar group of songwriters, we say thank you for your songs and for your artistry. You are exceptional talents, and we will proudly honor you this fall, when you officially join your legendary peers in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
Ford introduced each member of the new class. Anderson and Rose were elected in the contemporary songwriter category with Penn and Shaw in the veteran songwriter category and Bellamy in the veteran songwriter/artist category. The top vote getter in the contemporary songwriter/artist category, Brad Paisley, is unable to attend this year’s ceremony due to a scheduling conflict and will be officially inducted next year as a member of the Hall’s Class of 2025.
This year’s five electees will join the 241 previously inducted members of the elite organization when they are formally inducted during the 54th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Wednesday, November 6, at the Music City Center.
Al Anderson’s songwriter credits include “Trip Around The Sun” (Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride), “Unbelievable” (Diamond Rio) and “The Cowboy In Me” (Tim McGraw). Liz Rose’s resume is known for “White Horse” (Taylor Swift), “Crazy Girl” (Eli Young Band) and “Girl Crush” (Little Big Town). Dan Penn’s hits include “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” (Aretha Franklin), “The Dark End Of The Street” (James Carr) and “I’m Your Puppet” (James & Bobby Purify). Victoria Shaw is best known for “The River” (Garth Brooks), “I Love The Way You Love Me” (John Michael Montgomery) and “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” (Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera). David Bellamy recorded many of his own compositions, including “If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me),” “Old Hippie” and “Crazy From The Heart.”