Almost 11 months ago the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced plans to open its physical location by the end of 2008. Now officials say it will likely be the end of 2009 before the building, in the old Columbia Studio A at 34 Music Square East, will open to the public.
In the meantime, the organization isn't leaving its songwriters or the public empty-handed.
The organization is revamping its rarely updated, rudimentary Web site, and the new, advanced version of the site is projected to go online Wednesday at www.nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com.
Roger Murrah, chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, said the new site would be more interactive, contain more information and evolve into a comprehensive body of information "for people to enjoy."
But the site doesn't replace the need for a physical home for the organization, and when the new hall opens in 2009, Murrah said it will "give us the opportunity to do what we've only been able to do with an online presence.
Lyrics, film to be shared"People are going to be able to go there and view lyrics and film, some relics and basically just have a physical place to go and be made aware of a songwriter's work," he said.
Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton was on hand almost a year ago when plans for the physical structure were announced, and she said a building for the organization had been a long time coming.
"I'm just a poor wayfaring songwriter proud to finally have a home," Parton said. "I'm very excited about the new Hall of Fame."
A physical hall is important, Murrah said, not only because it will honor and preserve its members' contributions to Music City; it will also put those contributions on display for all to see.
"I think the building will bring to light just how fundamental writing is to the whole music business," Murrah said. "Nothing happens without a song, and a song doesn't happen without a writer. There's no telling how many millions of dollars have been generated and enjoyed by countless people from the hit songs these writers write. Really it's so fundamental and imperative for it to be documented and for people to be more aware. The general public, they don't know the singers don't write the songs. They don't know anything about songwriters."
History begins in 1970The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1970 by board members of the Nashville Songwriter's Association, a predecessor to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Association, which governs the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Today the Songwriters Hall of Fame boasts 167 members, including songwriting greats Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell and Bob Dylan.
Every year 10 songwriters and five artist/songwriters are nominated for induction into the hall, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3).
Of the nominees, at least two songwriters and one artist/songwriter will be selected. The winners are determined by a voting committee made up of members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, members of the professional songwriters division of Nashville Songwriters Association International, the board of directors of NSAI, and the board of directors of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation.
The victors are honored each fall at an awards dinner at which their songs are performed.
"Our members cover a broad genre, it's not just country," Murrah said. "In a nutshell, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation is dedicated to honoring and preserving the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with the Nashville music community. We're going to be the first organization honoring songwriters that moves from having an online presence to having a building. If we don't have the passion to pull this together ourselves, no one else is likely to do it for us. It's up to us to get it out there, and that's what we're doing to get the recognition the songwriters deserve."
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