Loretta Lynn Joins Songwriters Hall

Loretta Lynn
2006 Copyright. Grand Ole Opry® Photo by Chris Hollo, Hollo Photographics

March 3, 2008 - Loretta Lynn will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York on June 19, UPI reports.

Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 15 years ago, Loretta now will have her name enshrined along with a much more diverse slate of writers, including Broadway icon Cole Porter; rock-era composers John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan; and R&B figures Smokey Robinson and Fats Domino.

Loretta's induction will be shared with four male pop songwriters, though three of those new members have their own connections to country music. Desmond Child — known for his work on hits by Bon Jovi, Cher and Aerosmith — co-wrote several LeAnn Rimes cuts and the Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood song "Where Your Road Leads." Albert Hammond, best known for his own hit "It Never Rains In Southern California," co-wrote "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" with Songwriters Hall of Fame president Hal David. And as a member of the Lovin' Spoonful, John Sebastian wrote "Nashville Cats," hailed in the Country Music Foundation book Heartaches By The Number as one of the 500 greatest country singles in history. Also joining the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year will be Disney movie composer Alan Menken.

Among the country figures who've been previously inducted are Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams, "I Fall To Pieces" author Harlan Howard, Jimmie Rodgers, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Mac Davis.