Vassar Nominated Alongside Toby Keith, Brad Paisley
and Shania Twain in Songwriter/Artist Category
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Multi-platinum selling Phil Vassar, whose career has garnered 10 No. 1 singles and 26 Top 40 hits including signature self-penned hits “Just Another Day in Paradise” and “Carlene,” is a 2021 nominee for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Nominated in the Songwriter/Artist category, Vassar has also written top-charting songs for artists Tim McGraw (“My Next Thirty Years,”” For a Little While”), Alan Jackson (“Right on the Money”), Jo Dee Messina (“Bye Bye,” “Alright”) and many more.
“It is such an honor to be a nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. I am so humbled to be nominated as not only a songwriter, but also an artist alongside such great company,” shared Vassar.
Vassar is among four nominees in the Songwriter/Artists category alongside Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Shania Twain. Nominees in the Songwriters category which includes Rhett Akins, Buddy Cannon, Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, Mary Ann Kennedy, David Malloy, Frank J. Myers, and Tia Sillers.
All nominees experienced their first Top 20 song at least 20 years ago. Two songwriters and one songwriter/artist will be elected in these categories by their professional songwriter peers and members of the Hall of Fame. In addition, two more will be named to the Class of 2021. A separate body of veteran voters will elect a veteran songwriter and a veteran songwriter/artist, both of whom experienced their first Top 20 song at least 30 years ago. As part of that process, nominees in those categories are not announced.
The new group will be among those honored at the “50/51” Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, November 1, 2021, at the Music City Center alongside the organization’s previously named Class of 2020: Steve Earle, Bobbie Gentry, Kent Blazy, Brett James and Spooner Oldham.
“We were forced to postpone our 50th Anniversary celebration last year, so this will be our ‘50/51’ party—celebrating two years and two classes in a special double-sized event,” says NaSHOF Executive Director Mark Ford. “We congratulate all of this year’s nominees and look forward to next month, when we will announce those who will be inducted as members of the Class of 2021.”