Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NSHOF) appoints two new directors: Jodi Marr and Don Cook
Nashville, TN September 17, 2026 – The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF) has added two directors to its board: Hall of Fame songwriter Don Cook and songwriter/producer/Belmont University educator Jodi Marr.
Don Cook was born in San Antonio, TX. He was writing songs by age 12, recording his first demo by age 14 and playing various Houston coffeehouses throughout his teenage years. Three days after his graduation from the University of Texas, Cook arrived in Nashville. He soon met publisher Don Gant, who signed him to a deal at Acuff-Rose Publishing. When Gant moved to Tree Publishing, Cook followed. In his first year at Tree, he had 11 cuts, including “Cryin’ Again” by The Oak Ridge Boys and “Lady Lay Down” by John Conlee — Cook’s first #1 as a songwriter. Other hits followed in the ’80s, including “Julia” by Conway Twitty, “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again” by T. Graham Brown, “Small Town Girl” by Steve Wariner and “Somebody’s Gonna Love You” by Lee Greenwood. In the early ’90s, Cook co-wrote “Brand New Man,” the first single for Brooks & Dunn, and began to produce the duo, a collaboration that yielded the co-written #1 hits “My Next Broken Heart,” “Only In America” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” among others.
Jodi Marr is a multi-award-winning songwriter, producer, composer, author, and educator whose work spans Pop, Latin, Country, and global music markets. She has written and produced songs for artists and icons including Dolly Parton, Ricky Martin, Carole King, Kristin Chenoweth, Charli XCX, Melanie C, Orianthi, Iam Tongi, Rita Wilson, Jordin Sparks, Monica, Sara Evans, Johnny Reid, Gramps Morgan, and TikTok Phenom Adrien Nuñez among many others. Marr wrote and produced multiple tracks on Mika’s multi-platinum debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, including the global No. 1 hit “Grace Kelly,” an Ivor Novello and BRIT Award-winning debut single. She also wrote and produced Paloma Faith’s breakthrough hit “New York.” Marr is an educator at Belmont University, where she teaches Commercial Songwriting and Artist Development. She created a pioneering course in Artist Identity and Development and developed a curriculum on the songwriting of Dolly Parton as part of Belmont’s partnership with the artist.
Also serving on the 17-member board are Rich Hallworth (chair), Acorn Health president & chief executive officer; Gretchen Peters (vice-chair), hall of fame songwriter; Sharon Vaughn (secretary), hall of fame songwriter; Mike Vaden(treasurer), Decosimo/Vaden principal, along with Pat Alger, hall of fame songwriter; Doug Howard, former dean, Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business; Amy Kurland, founder, The Bluebird Café; Gary Nicholson, hall of fame songwriter; Robert K. Oermann (historian), music journalist, author and media producer; Ken Paulson, director, the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University; Fiona Whelan Prine, president, Oh Boy Records; Barry Neil Shrum, Esq. (legal counsel), founding partner, Shrum Disney & Associates; Anthony L. Smith,songwriter/producer; John Stein, former president, Bank of America Tennessee; John Van Mol, founding partner, DVL Seigenthaler. Mark Ford is the nonprofit’s executive director.
About the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame:
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to honor Nashville’s rich legacy of songwriting excellence through preservation, celebration, and education. Induction into the hall of fame is one of the nation’s most highly prizedsongwriting achievements. Since 1970, the Hall has enshrined more than 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, Harlan Howard, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Bob McDill, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Dottie Rambo, Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams.
Read article: https://www.nashof.org/post/nashville-songwriters-hall-of-fame-foundation-adds-two-directors