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Toby Keith Among Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees

Other inductees this year include Amy Grant, Buddy Cannon, Rhett Akins and more

Today, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that Toby Keith is among this year's inductees.

The "Should've Been a Cowboy" hitmaker will be honored alongside fellow inductees including legendary Contemporary Christian Music artist Amy Grant, as well as songwriter Rhett Akins (who had his own enduring hit in the 1990s as an artist with "That Ain't My Truck" and has penned songs including Blake Shelton's "All About Tonight" and Brooks & Dunn's "Put a Girl In It," among others), songwriter/producer/musician/label exec Buddy Cannon (George Strait's "Give It Away," Vern Gosdin's "I'm Still Crazy" and "Set 'Em Up Joe," among others), and John Scott Sherrill (Shenandoah's "The Church on Cumberland Road," and Neal McCoy's "No Doubt About It," among others).

In 1993, Keith's debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy," was a solo write from Keith, and went to No. 1 on the country chart. To date, Keith has notched 45 self-penned Top 20 songs on the Billboard charts, including 16 No. 1 hits. Among his chart-impacting songs are “You Ain’t Much Fun,” “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” “Beer For My Horses,” “I Love This Bar,” “American Soldier,” “A Little Too Late” and “God Love Her.” “As Good As I Once Was” was BMI’s 2006 Country Song of the Year. He was also performing rights organization BMI’s 2001 Songwriter of the Year, 2004 Writer/Artist of the Year and 2006 Songwriter of the Year. Keith was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York in 2015.

These artists and songwriters will be inducted on Nov. 1 as part of the 50/51 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala, which will also honor last year's inductees Kent Blazy, Steve Earle, Bobbie Gentry, Brett James and Spooner Oldham. Last year's ceremony was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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