Keith Urban is officially a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The New Zealand-born superstar was inducted into the prestigious hall last week by Dolly Parton, after he invited her by sending her a hand-written letter.
Urban shared his thoughts on his induction, especially by the Country Music Hall of Fame member, on social media.
“Thank you to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for inviting me into the family,” Urban posted. “It was the songwriting community that I was first welcomed into when I arrived in Nashville. They told me I could choose someone to induct me in and I never imagined she’d say yes. Thank you Dolly Parton for saying ‘yes!’ It means the world to me.”
Urban also expressed his gratitude to Eric Church, who performed one of Urban’s biggest hits, in honor of his induction.
“To my ‘brother from another planet’ Eric Church: I am hugely honored that you came out and did an incredible Eric rework of ‘Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me,'” Urban wrote. “Congratulations to all of my fellow inductees – Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard, Rafe Van Hoy, David Lee Murphy, and the late John Jarrard. I am very honored to be included in this group.
“I love songwriters, and I love songwriting,” he concluded. “I’ve learned soooo much and continue to learn from every single one of you. Thank you.”
Thank you to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame for inviting me into the family. It was the songwriting community…
Posted by Keith Urban on Saturday, October 14, 2023
Urban was, ironically enough, in the middle of a songwriting session when he found out he was going to be one of the newest members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“I was in the studio,” Urban recalled to Music Mayhem. “I always like that you should be doing that thing that you’re being honored for at the time you get told… And particularly where I was at Backstage Studios, because I was at the back door looking over towards, I could see where Shoney’s [Inn] on Demonbreun used to be. It’s called Comfort Inn or something now, but it’s still there.
“And that’s where I stayed on my very first trip to Nashville,” he remembered. “I’m looking at that while I’m on the phone hearing this news and it was just a beautiful metaphor of, it’s not that far from this place I’m looking at to here and it’s multiple lifetimes at the same time.”
Urban’s Keith Urban: The Las Vegas Residency will resume on November 1. He will also co-host the All for the Hall benefit, alongside Vince Gill, on Tuesday, December 5. Find music and tour dates at KeithUrban.com.