You have to ask yourself: how is this possible?
After all these years of gala dinners and hoopla the following songwriters are still not in the Songwriters Hall of Fame:
Steely Dan, Heart, Blondie, the Doobie Brothers, George Clinton, or David Gates from Bread? Really? The Guess Who?
All of these groups have been “nominated for induction” this year. Just put them all in.
Not to mention REM and Tracey Chapman (who will get in this year, absolutely because “Fast Car” was revived on the country charts).
And then there’s Narada Michael Walden, Chuck D and Public Enemy, and Maurice Starr. Plus Bryan Adams, Timbaland.
How is it possible that Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who wrote all these songs — Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got), Don’t Pull Your Love, Nightshift, One Tin Soldier (Theme from Billy Jack), and We Built This City — weren’t in a long time ago?
David Gates, 82, had more than a dozen top 10 hits with Bread in the 1970s that are still played now.
Back on the nominees list is Tony Macaulay, who wrote top 70s hits like Baby Now That I’ve Found You, Build Me Up Buttercup, Don’t Give Up On Us, Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All, Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) . He’ll be 80 soon. Should we wait til they’re dead?
Unfortunately the SHOF voting tends to be dependent on publishing companies pushing their people in. Tracy Chapman is already a cinch. My guess is Timbaland and Chuck D will each somehow get in no matter what.
As for all the others I mentioned at the top, this is kind of ridiculous. Kenny Loggins? Again, a dozen or more hits solo and with Jim Messina.
