Honorees at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner

(L-R): John Van Mol, chairman of the board, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation; Gregg Morton, President of AT&T of Tennessee and inductees Tony Arata, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Larry Henley and Kim Williams.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 42nd Anniversary Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony was held last night (10/7) at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Nashville Songwriters Hall Fame inductees 
Larry Henley: “Til I Get It Right,” “Is It Still Over,” “The Wind Beneath My Wings”
Kim Williams: “Papa Loved Mama,” “New Way To Fly,” “Three Wooden Crosses”
Mary Chapin Carpenter: “The Hard Way,” “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her”
Tony Arata: “Here I Am,” “Holding My Own,” “The Change,” “The Dance”

Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award: the late Donna Hilley, former president and chief executive officer of Sony/ATV Nashville

Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Songwriter Achievement Awards
Song of the Year: “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, which returned to radio this year following the untimely death of superstar Whitney Houston.

Songwriter/Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift won for the fifth time in six years for self-penned hits including “Sparks Fly,” “Ours,” “If This Was A Movie,” and “The Story Of Us.”

Songwriter of the Year: Dallas Davidson, co-writer of hits such as “We Owned The Night” and “Just A Kiss” by Lady Antebellum, “I Don’t Want This Night To End” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” by Luke Bryan, “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” by Justin Moore, “Where I Come From” by Montgomery Gentry, “This Ole Boy” by Craig Morgan, “Take It Off” by Joe Nichols and  “A Buncha Girls” by Frankie Ballard.

“The Songs I Wish I’d Written”
“A Woman Like You” (Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone / recorded by Lee Brice)
“Better Than I Used To Be” (Ashley Gorley, Bryan Simpson / recorded by Tim McGraw)
“Cost Of Livin’” (Phillip Coleman, Ronnie Dunn / recorded by Ronnie Dunn)
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Will Hoge, Eric Paslay / recorded by the Eli Young Band)
“Fly Over States” (Michael Dulaney, Neil Thrasher / recorded by Jason Aldean)
“I Will Always Love You” (Dolly Parton / recorded by Whitney Houston)
“Just Fishin’” (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell, Ed Hill / recorded by Trace Adkins)
“Red Solo Cup” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren, Brett Warren / recorded by Toby Keith)
“Springsteen” (Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell / recorded by Eric Church)
“You And Tequila” (Matraca Berg, Deana Carter / recorded by Kenny Chesney w/ Grace Potter)

As announced last week, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame will soon have a physical home in the new Music City Center.

For exclusive awards coverage, read the subscriber-only column, “Bobby Karl Works The Room.”