Shrum & Associates’ very own namesake, Barry Neil Shrum, Esquire, was recently appointed to serve as general counsel for the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, and to serve as a non-voting member of its Board of Directors.  The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with the Nashville music community. Its purpose is to educate, celebrate and archive the achievements and contributions made by members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame to the world. 

Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) is one of the nation’s most highly prized songwriting honors. Since 1970, nearly 200 of Music City’s top tunesmiths from all genres of music have been enshrined by the non-profit organization, which honors Nashville’s rich legacy of songwriting excellence through preservation, celebration and education. In 2013, NaSHOF realized a long-held dream with the opening of its Hall of Fame Gallery, located in downtown Nashville on the first floor of the Music City Center (201 5th Avenue South).

NaSHOF chairman of the Board, Patrick (“Pat”) J. Alger III (2010 NaHOF inductee), described Mr. Shrum as a perfect fit:

The Board of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation has patiently and cautiously been searching for a replacement for our longtime legal counsel [David Maddox] who recently retired. As Chairman and the de facto representative that bears the responsibility for our actions and decisions it is especially important to me to find the right candidate. I believe we got very fortunate when Barry Shrum expressed interest in filling that vacancy. He has the right combination of knowledge, experience and personality to fit the bill precisely! We welcome him enthusiastically to our team.

Mr. Shrum expressed equal admiration for his new chairman and for the organization:

I was honored when Mr. Alger approached me about the position.  Pat is in the pantheon of songwriting gods here in Nashville and the writer of one of my favorite Garth Brooks’ songs, Unanswered Prayers.  I am looking forward to serving under his considered and kind leadership.  I can’t think of anything I would rather be remembered for more so than protecting and honoring the rights of such great songwriters like Pat Alger and the other 200 or so inductees.

Mark Ford, Executive Director of the NaSHOF, expressed excitement about the appointment:

I’m excited that Barry has joined the board of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.  His knowledge of copyrights and their creators, combined with his years of experience in the music industry, are a great fit for our organization.  He’s a pleasure to be around, a delight to work with and someone who will definitely stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we strive to honor Nashville’s rich legacy of songwriting excellence.

NaSHOF is currently producing a series of critically-acclaimed weekly television series called The Songwriters which features engaging conversations with NaSHOF inductees, including Gary Burr, Bill Anderson, Steve Cropper, Ray Stevens and many others.  The inaugural season is hosted by NaHOF Board member, Ken Paulson, and is produced at MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment.  The shows airs three times weekly on Nashville Public Television as well in 10 other markets across the country.

Mr. Shrum accepted the position and took on the role in December of 2017.