The rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame reward artists for their music. The Songwriters Hall of Fame rewards the men and women who create the songs.
On November 7 the Songwriters Hall of Fame released the list of nominees eligible for induction in The Hall on June 14.
In order to be eligible for the Songwriters Hall of Fame a songwriter must have had his or her first published 20 years ago and demonstrate a successful catalog of hit songs.
The list of nominees are:
Bill Anderson – the only songwriter to have his songs appear on the music charts for seven decades and one of a few Country stars to crossover into the Pop music charts. Anderson has had 24 number one hits and has had his music recorded by numerous artists including Ray Price, Connie Smith, Porter Wagoner, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Roger Miller, Kitty Wells, Steve Wariner, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, George Strait and Brad Paisley.
Australian native Mike Chapman has penned hit songs for The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Exile, Toni Basil, Tina Turner, and Pat Benatar.
Steve Dorff has written hit songs for Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Ann Murray, George Strait, Eddie Rabbit, and Vanessa Williams. Dorff has also composed music for film and television.
The songwriting duo of Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan have composed hit songs for Barbara Mandrell, Ronnie Milsap, and Sylvia.
Jermaine Dupri was only 12 when he started in the entertainment world as a Hip-Hop dancer. He is one half of the duo known as Kris Kross. Along with writing music for Krs Kross, Durpi has penned music for Lil Kim, Xscape, Da Brat, Destiny’s Child, Bow Wow, Usher, and Mariah Carey.
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Randy Goodrum helped to put Anne Murray on the map with her hit song “You Needed Me”. More than a Country music songwriter, Goodrum has also composed the Steve Perry hit “Oh Sherrie” and the DeBarge hit “Who’s Holding Donna Now”. He has also composed music for Dottie West and Kenny Rogers.
The songwriting duo of Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell have written songs for the Toys, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and The Monkees; along with joining forces with other songwriters.
British songwriter Tony Macaulay started at Pye Records. He has written songs for The Foundations, Herman’s Hermits, The Hollies, the Flying Machine, Edison Lighthouse, and The Fortunes.
Maurice Starr has created and written for the New Edition and New Kids on the Block.
Motown A&R director William “Mickey” Stevenson went beyond just discovering talent and teamed up with Ivy Jo Hunter to pen hit songs for Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and The Four Tops. He was also a co-writer on “Devil with the Blue Dress On”.
Award winning songwriter Allee Willis has penned hit songs for Earth Wind and Fire, the Pointer Sisters, The Pet Shop Boys, Dusty Springfield and The Rembrandts. She has also worked with Bob Dyan, James Bown, Herbie Hancock, and Oprah Winfrey on the Broadway musical “The Color Purple”.
Pop diva Mariah Carey has co-written a number of her own songs. She currently holds the record for the solo artist with the most number one Pop hits at 18.
Grammy Award winning performer and songwriter Tracy Chapman has catapulted her original song “Fast Car” into a successful music career that has earned her four Grammy Awards. During her career she has recorded with B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, Luciano Pavarotti, Dave Matthews, and Buddy Guy. The American Conservatory Theater commissioned Chapman to compose the music for their production of the Apartheid play “Blood Knot” by Athol Fugard.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Raggae star Jimmy Cliff has penned a number of his own hit songs.
Shock rocker and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper has penned a number of his own hit songs under his birth name Vincent Damon Furnier including a favourite of every teen “School’s Out”.
Country music songwriter and storyteller Tom T. Hall has penned hit songs for Jeannie C. Riley, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings and Alan Jackson; as well as, his own.
Lead singer for Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde has composed a number of the band’s hit songs.
The Isley Brothers – Ernie, Marvin, O’Kelly, Ronald, and Rudolph with brother in law Chris Jasper – have been penning their own hit songs since 1959. Jimi Hendrix, Ice Cube, and Notorious B.I.G also recorded songs composed by The Isley Brothers.
Country Music and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Alan Jackson notched 35 number one hits on the Country music charts in the past nearly 30 years with 26 of them his own compositions. He has also composed songs for Randy Travis, Faith Hill, Clay Walker and Chely Wright. Along with his Grammy, CMA, and ACM awards, Jackson has earned over 50 ASCAP awards for his songwriting.
Kool and The Gang – Robert “Kool” Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown and James “JT” Taylor – have composed a number of the group’s own hit songs. DJ Kool, Mase, Too Short, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Boogie Down Productions, Brand Nubian, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, N.W.A., Kris Kross and Jermaine Dupri have all used Kool and The Gang’s music in their records.
Originally known as John Cougar, Grammy Award winning rocker John Mellencamp penned numerous hit songs that have earned him a roomful of awards including an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
NWA – Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella – were influential in the world of Rap with their Gangsta Rap and used the lyrics to raise awareness of the violence that occurred in their Compton neighborhood. NWA are also members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Grammy Award winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Waits has had his songs recorded by Bruce Springsteen, Sir Rod Stewart, The Eagles, Sarah Mclachlan, Bob Seger, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Patty Smyth have also recorded Wait’s songs.