John Mellencamp and Bill Anderson among 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees

(top row, left to right ) Alan Jackson, Allee Willis, Jermaine Dupri, Bill Anderson, John Mellencamp. (bottom row, left to right) Ronald Bell, George Brown, Robert "Kool" Bell, James "JT" Taylor and Steve Dorff
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp and Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson are among the 2018 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF).
Also to be inducted at the organization’s 49th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner are Kool & The Gang’s Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown and James “JT” Taylor; Steve Dorff, Jermaine Dupri, Alan Jackson (inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame last year), and Allee Willis.
“The 2018 roster of Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees is a prodigious representation of creators of cross-genre hits, certain to resonate with everyone,” said SHOF co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and president/CEO Linda Moran in today’s induction announcement. “Each year, the slate of songwriters we induct is more diverse and illustrative of the history and contributions that we strive to acknowledge and honor. We could not be more excited to preside over this year’s event and to give these songwriters their due respect.”
This year’s induction event will take place on June 14 at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.
Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing the work and lives of those composers and lyricists who create music around the world. To qualify for induction, a songwriter must be a published writer for a minimum of 20 years with a notable catalog of hit songs.