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November 4, 2001 Everly Brothers, Dennis Linde, Johnny Russell Inducted into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
"I Hope
You Dance" is NSAI Song of the Year; Darrell Scott
The Everly Brothers, Dennis Linde and the late Johnny Russell are the newest additions to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The four men were inducted Sunday, Nov. 4, during annual ceremonies conducted by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel in Nashville. In conjunction with the Hall of Fame inductions, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) conferred a series of Songwriter Achievement Awards. "I Hope You Dance," by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers, was named Song of the Year. The Songwriter of the Year prize went to Darrell Scott, writer of "It's A Great Day To Be Alive." Singer/Songwriter Sharon Vaughn opened the evening with a stirring rendition of "America The Beautiful." Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd reunited for the evening to perform selections from the Everlys' catalog of classics. Together, the Everlys wrote such hits as "I Wonder If I Care As Much" and "The Price Of Love." Phil Everly's compositions include "Made To Love" and the multiple-award-winning "When Will I Be Loved." Don Everly wrote such pop and country evergreens as "('Til) I Kissed You," "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)" and "Cathy's Clown." Hall of Fame member Sonny Curtis, who penned the Everly Brothers' standard "Walk Right Back," officially inducted the duo. Singer/songwriters Tim Mensy and Jim Collins treated the audience to a sampling of Dennis Linde's many chart-toppers, a collection that includes "Burnin' Love," "Callin' Baton Rouge," "Queen Of My Double Wide Trailer," "Bubba Shot The Jukebox," "John Deere Green," "Walkin' A Broken Heart," "It Sure Is Monday," "Then It's Love" and "Goodbye Earl." Linde was the NSAI Songwriter of the Year in 1993 and BMI's Country Songwriter of the Year in 1994. Hall of Fame member Norro Wilson formally welcomed Linde into the Hall. Grand Ole Opry stars Jim Ed Brown and Jeannie Seely revived favorites from Johnny Russell's catalog. Russell, also a member of the Opry, died earlier this year. Among his most celebrated songs are "Act Naturally," "Let's Fall To Pieces Together," "Got No Reason Now For Going Home," "Making Plans," "You'll Be Back (Every Night In My Dreams)" and "Hurt Her Once For Me." Hall of Fame member Dickey Lee presided over Russell's induction. Each Hall of Fame inductee was presented with the coveted "Manny" (short for "Manuscript") Award. Besides honoring the Song and Songwriter of the Year, the writers of NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division also singled out 11 songs and their writers for its 2001 Achievement Awards (informally dubbed "The Songs I Wish I'd Written"). Recipients were "There Is No Arizona" (Lisa Drew, Jamie O'Neal and Shaye Smith), "One More Day" (Steven Dale Jones, Bobby Tomberlin), "It's A Great Day To Be Alive" (Darrell Scott), "Unbreakable Heart" (Benmont Tench), "Grown Men Don't Cry" (Tom Douglas, Steve Seskin), "My Next Thirty Years" (Phil Vassar), "Goodbye Earl" (Dennis Linde), "The Little Girl" (Harley Allen), "I'm Already There" (Gary Baker, Richie McDonald, Frank J. Myers), "Why They Call It Falling" (Roxie Dean, Don Schlitz) and "I Hope You Dance" (Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers). "I Hope You Dance" was the top choice of the NSAI Pro writers. Two Darrell Scott songs - Sara Evans' "Born To Fly" and Travis Tritt's "It's A Great Day To Be Alive" - placed among the top 40 vote-getters and earned Songwriter of the Year honors for Scott. mail@nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com
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