Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gets Permanent Home

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame -- whose members include Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson and Dolly Parton -- is getting a new home. The elite organization will find a permanent residence in Nashville's new Music City Center convention center, located next door to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

"I think that a lot of people going to the Country Music Hall of Fame will see this wonderful building and out of curiosity, will come in," Hall of Fame member Bobby Braddock tells the Boot. The writer behind Billy Currington's No. 1 "People Are Crazy" thinks the facility will offer knowledge to the unsuspecting, adding, "A lot of people will be educated about songwriters and realize that singers don't always write their own songs. Plus there are a lot of songwriting fans out there, many of whom are aspiring songwriters. It will be a big thrill for them. I'm a fan and it will be a thrill for me to go in and learn additional stuff about them."

2005 inductee Roger Murrah, who penned Alan Jackson's "Don't Rock the Jukebox" clarifies the venue's use, "It's not going to be a museum as much as a Hall of Fame, but each member will be represented with works of art in bronze. There will be a lot of information if someone wants to look up things about a songwriter or a song they are interested in."

The Hall of Fame will feature songwriting artifacts as well as three 55" interactive screens where visitors can learn about the history of songwriters, hear music and watch videos. Each inductee's name will be engraved in a special outdoor Songwriters Square at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Demonbreun, and on the stone steps leading from Fifth Avenue up to the interior display.

"The music industry is a vital part of Nashville's unique culture, and songwriters are often the 'unsung heroes' of the business," Nashville Mayor Karl Dean says. "This location at the Music City Center is a fitting space to honor songwriters and their creativity, and it gives both local residents and visitors from out of town yet another reason to stop by our new convention center."

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is expected to open for visitors when the Music City Center opens in the spring of 2013. Additionally, the organization will admit four new members -- Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Arata, Larry Henley and Kim Williams -- at the 42nd Annual Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony on Sunday (Oct. 7).