Garth Brooks
, John Bettis and Allen Toussaint are among this year's inductees into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame, it was announced Tuesday (Feb. 22). Although Brooks is best known as a performer, his songwriting
credits include his No. 1 hits "If Tomorrow Never Comes," "The Thunder Rolls" and "Unanswered Prayers," along with "We Shall
Be Free." Bettis' country songwriting credits include No. 1 singles such as
George Strait's
"Heartland" and
Barbara Mandrell's "One of a Kind Pair of Fools" and pop hits such
as Madonna's "Crazy for You," Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" and the Pointer Sisters' "Slow Hand." A mainstay of the New
Orleans music scene, Toussaint wrote
Glen Campbell's No. 1 hit, "Southern Nights,"
and other classics, including Lee Dorsey's "Workin' in the Coal Mine" and LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade." This year's other inductees
are Leon Russell and the songwriting team of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. The 42nd annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction
and awards dinner is scheduled for June 16 in New York City.
