Keith Urban, Kix Brooks, more to be inducted into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Keith Urban may be from the Down Under, but his musical heart will always have a bit of Southern twang.

Urban has been selected for induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining fellow artist nominee Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn and songwriters Casey Beathard, David Lee Murphy and Rafe Van Hoy as the hall's class of 2023. The group is responsible for penning such hits as "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo," "Living in Fast Forward," "Golden Ring," "But for the Grace of God" and "Brand New Man."

The five writers will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during the 53rd Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Oct. 11. They will join the Hall of Fame's 235 members, which include Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Don Schlitz and Hank Williams.

The induction proved to be a full-circle moment for Urban and his early days in Nashville.

"It was a shock to get the call to find out I was nominated," Urban told The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, of the "surreal" honor. "I was standing at the back of Sound Stage (Studios) when I got the call looking across at where Shoney's (Inn) used to be ... which was where I stayed when I first came to Nashville in 1989."

Here's what the other nominees had to say about their inductions.

Kix Brooks on Songwriters Hall of Fame induction: 'I could barely talk'

Brooks will tell you he's rarely at a loss for words.

But a recent phone call from Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Executive Director Mark Ford with news that Brooks would become one of the newest inductees silenced him.

"I could barely talk and say 'thank you' when Mark called," Brooks said Thursday during a press conference announcing the 2023 class. "I literally could not speak. That has never happened to me in my entire life. I was stunned, and I am still stunned. This is the honor of honors for me."

Casey Beathard on surprise of being inducted into Hall of Fame

Beathard said he assumed Ford was calling to say he didn't make the cut from the initial bank of nominees.

"I was in a writing room, and I said 'I've got to step out and take this call,' he said. "I thought it'd be a short call. I thought, 'Hey Mark, let's just get this over with. It's OK.' What a great group of guys. I don't feel worthy anyway, so let's just get this over with."

David Lee Murphy backflipped for joy when he got Hall of Fame induction

Murphy said for most songwriters, getting the call is one of those "Ten-feet-off-the-ground moments."

"I'll never forget when I got the call: I was nominated and then when Mark called me and told me I was going to get inducted, I did back flips," he said. "It's a huge honor to be here. The songwriter community in Nashville is so tight-knit and is a special group of people."

Rafe Van Hoy recalls special song moment ahead of induction

Van Hoy relayed the significance of his induction by telling the group about something special that happened as he drove in for the inductee announcement press conference.

"My phone, without me touching it or anything, for some reason just started playing 'Til I Get it Right' by Tammy Wynette, which might have been recorded in this room," he said. "It was like my buddies Red Lane and Larry Henley going, 'Hey buddy, welcome.' "

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