Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Unveils Class of 2025

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) announced Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Jim Lauderdale, Don Cook, Steve Bogard, and Tony Martin as the Hall’s Class of 2025 during a special event held at Nashville’s historic Columbia Studio A, part of Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business on Wednesday morning (Aug. 6). 

Rich Hallworth, chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its executive director, were on hand to reveal the exciting announcement alongside existing Hall of Fame members, family, friends, and media. 

“Gathering as we do each year – to reveal and welcome the members of our incoming class – is truly one of the highlights of our calendar,” Hallworth said. “To these outstanding songwriters, we say – thank you for sharing your songs and your artistry with us. We are proud to honor you this fall, when you will officially join your legendary peers in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”

The six electees include: Bogard and Martin, elected in the contemporary songwriter category; Lauderdale in the contemporary songwriter/artist category; Cook as the veteran songwriter, Harris as the veteran songwriter/artist, and Brad Paisley, who was elected in 2024 but deferred at his request to 2025. 

Steve Bogard 

Bogard admitted to being both “humbled and excited” over the honor. He thanked the board of directors and the voters, joking,  “I don’t really know who they all are, but they have pretty good taste.”

“I’m thrilled to be in a group with my songwriting heroes. These are men and women that I looked at the back of records and read their names. I learned their songs and covered their songs. I saw their names on Billboard and tried to live up to him. Never dreamed I’d be actually in their company. So it’s for me, the ultimate acceptance, and I can’t express my gratitude enough,” he stated before thanking his wife for suggesting they move to Nashville in the first place. 

“The creative community, the songwriters, the musicians, engineers, producers, publishers, artists, and all the folks who dedicate their careers to music make Nashville completely unlike any other city on earth,” he pointed out. They’re soulful, caring, and welcoming people. So I want to thank all those folks, those folks along the way, who opened their arms and their hearts, who, me and my family, and made this place home. I’m so proud and grateful to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.” 

Bogard’s songwriting credits include “New Fool At an Old Game” by Reba McEntire, George Strait’s “Carried Away” and “Carrying Your Love With Me,” “Prayin’ For Daylight” by Rascal Flatts, and “Every Mile A Memory” and “Long Trip Alone” record by Dierks Bentley. 

Tony Martin 

Martin is credited with writing hits such as “A Little More Summertime” by Jason Aldean, “I’ll Think of a Reason Later” by Lee Ann Womack, “Just to See You Smile” by Tim McGraw, “Living and Living Well” and “Go On” by George Strait, “No Place That Far” by Sara Evans, “Settle for a Slowdown” by Dierks Bentley, “Third Rock from the Sun” by Joe Diffie, and “You Look Good in My Shirt” by Keith Urban.

He took to the podium to share his gratitude and told the audience, I can’t tell you how much this means to me.” 

He continued, “I always said, half jokingly, that writing a song is either the easiest thing in the world to do or it’s impossible. And that’s kind of how I feel about trying to describe how I feel right now. It’s very easy to express, but finding all the right words is going to be impossible.”

Martin thanked the board and voters and admitted, “To have the words Nashville and songwriter forever attached to my name. That’s a privilege and I thank you.” 

Jim Lauderdale 

Elected into the Contemporary Songwriter/Artist category is Jim Lauderdale, who penned songs like “Gonna Get a Life” by Mark Chesnutt, “Halfway Down” by Patty Loveless, and “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me” by Loveless and George Jones. Toward the end of the decade, George Strait landed Top 5 hits with Lauderdale’s “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” and “What Do You Say to That.”

Lauderdale has also enjoyed an impressive career as an Americana artist, releasing 37 albums, earning two GRAMMY Awards, including one for Bluegrass Album of the Year, and charting bluegrass hits such as “Mighty Lonesome,” “One Blue Mule,” and “Iodine.”

He was unable to attend today’s event but sent a video message expressing his excitement over the news.

“This just means the world to me to be in the company of so many of my songwriting heroes,” he said. “And I would be there with y’all today, but I’m out on the road or I would be in a heartbeat and I’m looking forward to October and thank you so much and really appreciate it.” 

Don Cook 

Cook, elected into the veteran songwriter category, reflected on his time in Nashville and the many roles he’s played in Music City during his emotional speech. 

“Thanks so much. Thanks to the Hall of Fame Board and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for this incredible honor. I’ve worn a lot of hats in this community. I’ve been here for a long time. Elvis was alive when I got here, and some people say he’s still alive, but if I’m remembered for anything, I hope I’m remembered for my part in this beautiful community. I can’t believe that I get to do this for a living. My first demo session, Grady Martin, played guitar on it. That’s how long I’ve been here. And my last demo session, Jeff King played on it and my first co-writer was Ray Van Hoy, who’s in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. My last co-writer was Kix Brooks,” he said.

Brooks, who is also a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, was in attendance and joked about it being his last songwriting session to which Cook remarked, “I think we have a couple more to write probably!”

Cook wrapped up his speech by expressing heartfelt gratitude for being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

“It is such an unbelievable honor for me. I don’t know what to say other than I just, the blessing of my life is my wife, Charmaine, that I’ve been married to for a long time. But the blessing of my career is being a Nashville songwriter, and it’s absolutely topped off by this honor. I thank you so much for it.” 

Don Cook’s early songwriting credits include “Cryin’ Again” by The Oak Ridge Boys and “Lady Lay Down” by John Conlee,  his first No. 1 hit as a songwriter. He also wrote “Julia” by Conway Twitty, “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again” by T. Graham Brown, “Small Town Girl” by Steve Wariner, and “Somebody’s Gonna Love You” by Lee Greenwood. In the early 1990s, Cook co-wrote “Brand New Man,” the debut single for Brooks & Dunn, and went on to produce the duo. Their partnership led to a string of chart-topping hits he co-wrote, including “My Next Broken Heart,” “Only in America,” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone.”

Emmylou Harris 

Harris was unable to attend Wednesday’s event but shared that she’s looking forward to celebrating with everyone at the gala in October.

While she’s had songs recorded by other artists, most notably “In My Hour Of Darkness” by Gram Parsons, Harris is best known for her work as both a songwriter and artist. She penned many of her own standout songs, including “A River For Him,” “Amarillo,” “Red Dirt Girl,” “The Pearl,” and “Woman Walk the Line.”

She was elected into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in the veteran songwriter/artist category.

Brad Paisley 

Paisley was initially selected for the 2024 class but chose to defer his induction to 2025. Though he couldn’t attend the announcement event in person, he shared a video message to mark the occasion.

“I really wish I could be there…What an honor this is to be included in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. I moved to town to do this because of all of you in this room and so many of the people in this Hall of Fame and to be included in it, it’s still sinking in what that means. It’s really an amazing thing to be in this group and to know that I’m accepted enough in the town that I wanted to live in so desperately and to be a part of this industry is such an amazing honor and blessing. And thank you so much for this.” 

Early in his career, Paisley earned cuts from artists like David Kersh, David Ball, and Tracy Byrd. He eventually signed with Arista Nashville and began recording his own material. As an artist, he’s charted 33 self-written songs on Billboard’s Top 20, including 15 No. 1 hits and 14 more that reached the Top 10.

His songwriting credits include fan favorites like “He Didn’t Have To Be,” “Alcohol,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Celebrity,” “Ticks,” “Letter To Me,” “Then,” “This Is Country Music,” “Water,” and the duet with Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me.”

Brad Paisley was elected into the contemporary songwriter/artist category.

The six inductees will become part of the prestigious group of 247 members when they are officially welcomed into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame during its 55th Anniversary Gala on Monday, October 6, at the Music City Center.