September 22 ,1997 Hank Thompson, Wayne Carson, and Roger Cook Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame NASHVILLE - History-making composers Hank Thompson, Wayne Carson and Roger Cook were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame on Sunday, September 21, 1997 by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation. Held at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel, the ceremonies attracted approximately 675 music-industry figures and guests. Following the awards banquet each inductee was celebrated with performances of his best known songs.  Kitty Wells, Curtis Potter, and guitarist Brent Rowan presented a medley of Hank Thompson hits. Tim Mensy and Johnny Paycheck paid lyrical tribute to Wayne Carson. Don Williams and Lari White spotlighted several Roger Cook standards. Famed for his artful fusion of western swing and honky tonk, Waco-born Hank Thompson rode high on the country charts for 33 years.  In 1952, his recording of "The Wild Side Of Life" stayed at No. 1 for 15 consecutive weeks. It also opened the door for Kitty Wells, whose answer song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," was a No. 1 hit for six weeks. As a songwriter, Thompson created such classics as "Humpty Dumpty Heart," "A Six Pack To Go," "Whoa Sailor," "Waiting In The Lobby Of Your Heart," "Green Light " and "Hangover Tavern" . In 1989 Thompson was elected to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Denver-native Wayne Carson has been practicing his craft in Nashville since 1962. During the 1970s and early '80s, he recorded for a variety of country labels and charted four singles. In 1966, Eddy Arnold scored a No. 1 hit with Carson's "Somebody Like Me." Conway Twitty followed suit in 1974 with "I See The Want To In Your Eyes," as did Gary Stewart a year later with "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)". However, it was Willie Nelson's rendering of "Always On My Mind" (earlier recorded by Elvis Presley) that became Carson's most massive hit. In addition to earning two Grammys, it was also the Country Music Association's and the Academy Of Country Music's Single of the Year; the CMA's Song of the Year for both 1982 and 1983; and the Nashville Songwriters Association International's Song of the Year. Other Carson chart-toppers include "Who's Julie" for Mel Tillis, "The Letter," a pop hit for The Box Tops, and Mel Tillis' "The Clown". Roger Cook first achieved musical fame in his native England as a member of the Kestrels, a pop group. After leaving the group, he teamed with Roger Greenaway to write some 70 Top 30 hits, including The Hollie's "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" , The Fortunes' "Here Comes that Rainy Day Feeling Again" and The New Seekers' "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" (which also became the long-running commercial theme for Coca-Cola). Twice during the early 1970's Cook was named England's Songwriter of the Year. In the U.S., he has had six No. 1 country hits, the most recent being George Strait's "One Night At A Time."  Among Cook's other top compositions are "I Believe In You", and "Love Is On A Roll" (Don Williams) and "Talking In Your Sleep" (Crystal Gayle) With these most recent additions, the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame now numbers 123 songwriting greats. mail@nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com