J.I. ALLISON NAMED SIXTH MEMBER OF NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026

 Nashville, TN, September 15, 2026 – The late J.I. Allison will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) in October at the organization’s annual gala, according to an announcement made today by Rich Hallworth, chair of the organization’s board of directors.

Allison has been elected in NaSHOF’s Legacy category designed specifically to honor hall of fame-worthy candidates who are deceased.  He will be inducted posthumously alongside the previously announced members of the Class of 2026 – Taylor Swift, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Channel, Shawn Camp, and Lee Thomas Miller – during the 56th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, October 26, at the Music City Center.  The six new electees will join the 254 existing members of the Hall, which was established in 1970. 

“What an honor it is to have J.I. Allison join this year’s class,” says Hallworth.  “His body of work as both a songwriter and an artist continues to endure through classics like ‘That’ll Be The Day,’ ‘Peggy Sue,’ and ‘More Than I Can Say.’  He’s a member of two halls of fame already, and we’re proud to soon welcome him into ours.” 

About J.I. Allison  (1939-2022):Jerry Ivan (J.I.) Allison grew up in Hillsboro, TX.  He began his music career playing drums for Buddy Holly.  In 1956, he played on Holly’s first recording sessions in Nashville, then formed The Crickets a year later.  As a songwriter, Jerry co-wrote “That’ll Be The Day,” a #1 Pop/#2 R&B hit for Buddy Holly & The Crickets (whose recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998).  Among notable covers by The Beatles, The Everly Brothers and Waylon Jennings, the song was later a #11 Pop hit for Linda Ronstadt.  “Peggy Sue” was a #3 Pop hit for Buddy Holly & The Crickets (whose recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999).  Among notable covers by Billy “Crash” Craddock, John Lennon and The Hollies, that song was also an AC single for The Beach Boys.  Other songs of Allison’s – initially recorded by The Crickets – include “More Than I Can Say” (a #1 AC/#2 Pop hit for Leo Sayer), “Tell Me How” (Nanci Griffith, The Hollies), “Think It Over” (Bobby Vee, Skeeter Davis) and “Well…. All Right” (Blind Faith, Eric Clapton, Santana).  The Crickets were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

About the NaSHOF Gala:The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala is one of the music industry’s premier annual events.  A fundraiser benefitting the nonprofit Nashville Songwriters Foundation, the star-studded evening honors each inductee through humorous, heartfelt tributes and unplugged performances by surprise guest artists.  In recent years artists such as John Anderson, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, The Del McCoury Band, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Olivia Newton-John, Thomas Rhett, John Rich, Blake Shelton, Marty Stuart, Taylor Swift, The Isaacs, The Oak Ridge Boys, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood have participated in the event. 

About the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame:Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is one of the nation’s most highly prized songwriting honors.  Since 1970, the Hall has enshrined 254 of the greatest writers from all genres of music ever to put words to music in Music City, including such luminaries as Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Garth Brooks, Felice & Boudleaux Bryant, Johnny Cash, Don & Phil Everly, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Tom T. Hall, Harlan Howard, Alan Jackson, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Bob McDill, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Paul Overstreet, Dolly Parton, Dottie Rambo, Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Ray Stevens, Keith Urban, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams.  Operated by the non-profit Nashville Songwriters Foundation, the Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring Nashville’s rich legacy of songwriting excellence through preservation, celebration, and education.  More information is available at http://www.nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com.