Toby Keith, Taylor Swift among NSAI winners at annual songwriter, hall of fame event

October 20, 9:59 PMNashville Country Music ExaminerLisa L. Rollins

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From left, NSAI President Steve Bogard, honors Heidi Newfield, Deanna Bryant and Stephony Smith,
co-writers of artist Newfield's "Johnny & June" hit, with an NSAI honor. (Photo courtesy of Wortman Works)

Hit songwriters Kye Fleming, Mark D. Sanders and the late country music icon, Tammy Wynette, were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Fame during its 39th Anniversary Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony on Oct. 18 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel during a celebration of music via star-studded performances of some of their biggest hits.

Roger Murrah, chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, summed up it, saying, "What an honor it is to welcome Kye, Mark and Tammy into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. They have obviously demonstrated the talent and done the work that's worthy of such a tribute from the professional songwriting community."

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inducts Fleming, Sanders and Wynette

As for the formal inductions, Murrah oversaw Wynette's entry into the hall, with help from Raul Malo, who performed a beautiful rendition of "Til I Can Make It On My Own." Gaylord Entertainment provided a vintage video clip of Wynette performing her signature hit, "Stand By Your Man."

Tunesmith Fleming, meanwhile, was inducted by Barbara Mandrell, and Eden's Edge performed a medley of "Give Me Wings," "Nobody," "Sleepin' Single In A Double Bed," "In Times Like These" and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" before Ronnie Milsap took the stage to perform "Smoky Mountain Rain" and "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World."

Acknowledging the honor, Fleming said, "I'm honored to receive this award; it's drawn my attention to 30 years of a life I have loved. I deeply appreciate everyone who has co-created it with me."

Last but not least, Sanders was inducted by Hall of Fame songwriter Bob DiPiero and longtime co-writer Tia Sillers. Shawn Camp, Megan Mullins and John Bolinger performed a medley of his hits that included "This Ain't No Thinkin' Thing," "Heads Carolina,Tails California," "Money in the Bank," "Daddy's Money," "No News," "It Matters To Me" and "Blue Clear Sky," while Lee Ann Womack closed the set with "I Hope You Dance."

"When I was a young man playing basketball in high school and college," Sanders remarked, "I would dream about making the winning shot in the championship game. Tonight, it feels like, some 40 years later, that dream is really coming true."

The late Bill Hall garners Mentor Award

In a special tribute alongside the hall of fame inductions, Hall of Fame songwriter Bob McDill named the late Bill "Colonel" Hall--who passed in 1983--as recipient of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation Mentor Award, an honor that acknowledges those in the industry who've ttaken special care to nurture and encourage songwriters. The veteran publisher formed one of the most successful country music publishing companies in Nashville, Hall-Clement (BMI) and Jack and Bill (ASCAP).

NSAI presents host of Songwriter Achievement Awards

In addition to the NaSHOF inductions, the hall's sister organization, the Nashville Songwriters Association International, presented its annual Songwriter Achievement Awards to a host of industry talent. 

Beyond its membership voting "Waitin' On A Woman" by Don Sampson and Wynn Varble, as its Song of the Year and Varble being named NSAI's Songwriter of the Year, thanks to co-writes on hits such as "Cheater Cheater" by Joey+Rory, "Sounds Like Life To Me" by Darryl Worley and "Waitin' On A Woman" by Brad Paisley, the still-on-a-roll Taylor Swiftwas presented with its Songwriter/Artist of the Year prize for scoring self-penned hits of her own such as "Love Story" and "Our Song."

Additionally, Toby Keith--who is shunned by the CMA Awards each year--was named Songwriter/Artist of the Decade (2000-2009) for his hits that span from "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" and "Who's Your Daddy?" to "As Good As I Once Was" and "God Love Her." Meanwhile, Craig Wiseman was named Songwriter of the Decade (2000-2009) for creating hits such as "The Good Stuff" by Kenny Chesney (2003 ACM Song of the Year) and "Believe" by Brooks & Dunn (2006 CMA Song of the Year), to "Summertime" by Kenny Chesney and "Love Is A Beautiful Thing" by Phil Vassar.

Beyond honoring the song, songwriters and songwriter/artists, the writers of NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division also singled out 10 songs and their writers for the organization's 2009 awards, informally dubbed "The Songs I Wish I'd Written."

NSAI honors authors of 10 'Songs I Wish I'd Written'

Recipients of this particular honor were "Down The Road" (Mac McAnally / recorded by Kenny Chesney & Mac McAnally); "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" (Jim Collins, Marty Dodson / recorded by Kenny Chesney); "I Told You So" (Randy Travis / recorded by Carrie Underwood); "In Color"(Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto / recorded by Jamey Johnson); "Johnny & June" (Deanna Bryant, Heidi Newfield, Stephony Smith / recorded by Heidi Newfield); "Last Call" (Erin Enderlin, Shane McAnally / recorded by Lee Ann Womack); "People Are Crazy" (Bobby Braddock, Troy Jones / recorded by Billy Currington); "Troubadour" (Monty Holmes, Leslie Satcher / recorded by George Strait); "Waitin' On A Woman" (Don Sampson, Wynn Varble / recorded by Brad Paisley); and "What Hurts The Most" (Steve Robson, Jeffrey Steele / recorded by Cascada).