Frank Brown Songwriter Performer Hillary Lindsey Inducted Into Songwriter Hall of Fame

The Songwriters Hall of Fame’s 53rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner took place Thursday night (June 13) in New York City.

The evening honored 2024 inductees Hillary Lindsey, Timothy Mosley (Timbaland), Dean Pitchford, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Walter Becker and Donald Fagan of Steely Dan. Each were saluted for the immeasurable impact of their songs.

Additionally, multi-award-winner Diane Warren received the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award, and four-time Grammy winner SZA was given the Hal David Starlight Award. The night also followed the posthumous induction of legendary country songwriter Cindy Walker to the SHOF in a special tribute held at a SHOF Master Session in Nashville.

To honor Nashville-based hitmaker Hillary Lindsey, country superstar Carrie Underwood gave a powerful performance of the Lindsey-penned “Jesus Take the Wheel.” Underwood bestowed her with the title “the queen of modern Nashville songwriting,” and Keith Urban joined her on stage for the induction.

“Music has so much power. It can bring you to your knees and make you feel every single piece of your heart that is breaking. It can send an electric shock through you and make you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt,” Lindsey said in her speech. “It has been one of the biggest blessings in my life.”

The inductee performed a stripped-down medley of some of the songs she has written, with a rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons” turning into a duet with Urban on “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

Other performers and presenters included Trey Anastasio, The Bacon Brothers, Cary Barlowe, Andra Day, El Debarge, Missy Elliott, Jason Isbell, Nile Rodgers, Irving Azoff, Deniece Williams and Paul Williams.

Lindsey was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. Born in Washington, GA, Hillary Lindsey moved to Nashville in 1994 to attend Belmont University. During her senior year she signed her first publishing deal. In 2002 she celebrated her first #1 hit – “Blessed” by Martina McBride.

In 2005 Hillary scored Carrie Underwood’s first single from her first album – “Jesus Take The Wheel,” a multi-genre hit that earned the 2006 Grammy for Best Country Song, as well as the 2006 ASCAP Country Song of the Year, the 2006 NSAI Song of the Year and the 2005 ACM Single of the Year. Underwood has recorded nearly 40 of Hillary’s songs, including “So Small” and “Wasted.”

Other chart-toppers from Hillary’s pen are “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum, “A Little Bit Stronger” by Sara Evans, “Shotgun Rider” by Tim McGraw, “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town (which earned the 2015 Grammy for Best Country Song, the 2015 CMA Song and Single of the Year, the 2015 NSAI Song of the Year) and “Blue Ain’t Your Color” by Keith Urban (the 2017 CMA Single of the Year, the 2017 NSAI Song of the Year). Additionally, “I’ll Never Love Again” by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper (from the film A Star Is Born) earned the 2019 Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Hillary was named ACM Songwriter of the Year in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Frank Brown Songwriters Festival was honored to have Lindsey perform on the Main Stage at Flora-Bama last year to tell the stories behind her incredible list of hit songs and sing them the way she pinned them to a sold out crowd hanging on her every word. The festival is so proud of you. Congrats Hillary!!