Sony/ATV's Mellencamp and Isleys Are Nominated for Song Writers Hall of Fame
Mellencamp and the Isleys have been nominated to enter the Song Writer's Hall of Fame. The three writers are part of a newly-announced shortlist for the prestigious annual event, which will be held on June 14 next year in New York City. As one of his generation’s most celebrated songwriters, Mellencamp scored a succession of self-penned hits such as “Hurts So Good”, Pink Houses”, “R.O.C.K. In The USA” and the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Jack And Diane”.
The Isley Brothers’ career stretches back to the 1950s and among the most successful songs composed by the brothers Ronald, O’Kelly and Rudolph are “It’s Your Thing”, “That Lady”, “I Turned You On” and “Fight The Power”, the latter also written by Ernie and Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper.
Alan Jackson has scored 35 country No. 1 hits, beginning with his song “I’d Love You All Over Again” in 1991 and also including “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” and “Chattahoochee”, which were respectively Billboard’s No. 1 country song of the year in 1991 and 1993.
Mellencamp, the Isleys and Jackson are part of the performing nominees category alongside Tom T. Hall whose Sony/ATV-published “Harper Valley PTA” was a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 for Jeannie C. Riley.
Sony/ATV’s non-performing nominees include Bill Anderson who has had songs recorded by artists including Ray Price, George Strait and Conway Twitty as well as having a long and successful career as a performer himself. The category also includes William “Mickey” Stevenson who co-wrote Motown classics such as “Dancing In The Street”, “It Takes Two” and “Devil With The Blue Dress On” as well as Maurice Starr whose hits include “Candy Girl” for New Edition and “Hangin’ Tough” and “Step By Step” for New Kids On The Block.
Other non-performing nominees for Sony/ATV include Jermaine Dupri who has written hits for artists including Mariah Carey, Kris Kross and Usher, Allee Willis whose most famous songs include Earth, Wind & Fire smash “September” and the songwriting duo Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer whose compositions include “Let’s Hang On” and “Working My Way Back To You”, which were both recorded by The Four Seasons.
Eligible voting members will be tasked with choosing three nominees from the non-performing list and two from the performing songwriters category. Voting will close December 17 and the results will be announced around spring next year.
