Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame - Class of 2022

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Raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Texas native Gary Nicholson got a guitar at age 10. He wrote songs and played in Rock bands throughout his teens before moving with his college band to Los Angeles. Following a stint on an MCA Records imprint, Gary returned to Texas in 1973.

 

A song he sent to Nashville made it onto the 1980 soundtrack of Urban Cowboy 2, thanks to good friend/producer Jim Ed Norman. With that success, Gary moved to Music City, where he worked as a guitar player and a songwriter for Norman’s publishing company.

 

In 1983“Your Love Shines Through” by Gilley gave Gary his first Top 5 song and paved the way for future successes such as “That’s The Thing About Love” by Don Williams, “The Power Of Love” by Charley Pride, “Working Without A Net” by Waylon Jennings, “Brilliant Conversationalist” by T. Graham Brown, “One More Last Chance” by Vince Gill, “The Trouble With The Truth” by Patty Loveless, “She Couldn’t Change Me” by Montgomery-Gentry and “Squeeze Me In” by Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood.

 

Gary’s song “Fallin’ And Flyin’” was performed by Jeff Bridges & Colin Farrell in the2009 film Crazy Heart. Gary has 600 recorded songs spanning multiple genres. In 2011 he was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.