Harrison, Gaye, Gordy Among Songwriting Nominees

George Harrison, Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy and Tom Petty are among the nominees for induction at the 2016 Songwriters Hall of Fame. Members have until 11 December to vote on the nominations, and the winners will be celebrated at the 2016 Songwriters Hall of Fame Annual Induction and Awards Gala on 9 June in New York, the 47th event in its history.

Other performing nominees include Jimi Hendrix, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Blondie (specifically Deborah Harry and Chris Stein), Gloria Estefan, the Isley Brothers, Sly Stone, Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards, Michael McDonald, Tom T. Hall, Jeff Lynne and Steve Miller.

Gordy is in the non-performing songwriter category along with Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Max Martin, Teddy Riley, Rudy Clark, Dallas Frazier, John D. Loudermilk, Bob McDill, Chip Taylor, Curly Putman and Rod Temperton. Lionel Bart, Roger Miller and Bert Berns are among the deceased nominees.

Rudy Clark’s nomination provides a neat link to Harrison, as he wrote the former Beatle’s 1987 smash ‘Got My Mind Set On You,’ as well as other hits such as ‘It’s In His Kiss’ and ‘If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody.’

Hall of Fame members vote for three nominees from a non-performing category, two from a performing category and one from a deceased category. In June this year, the Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted Bobby Braddock, Willie Dixon, Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia, Toby Keith, Cyndi Lauper and Linda Perry.