John Jarrard will be joining Keith Urban, Kix Brooks and others in being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame next month. Jarrard, who passed away in 2001, is the songwriter behind hits like George Strait‘s “Blue Clear Sky,” Blackhawk’s “I Sure Can Smell the Rain,” “My Kind of Girl” by Collin Raye, John Anderson’s “Money In the Bank” and more.

“We’re gratified to see John Jarrard memorialized in this year’s class,” says Rich Hallworth, Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Board of Directors. “Through memorable songs such as “Money In The Bank” by John Anderson and “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait, John will be remembered always. He is richly deserving of our ultimate recognition.”

Urban was especially surprised to be recognized as a songwriter, although he’s been honing his craft for decades.

“To be recognized as a writer is extraordinary, because I’ve always loved songwriting,” Urban told the Associated Press. “When I started really writing poetry in school, and I started writing songs just out of a desire to not be stuck, always singing somebody else’s song, playing in cover bands, and realizing “This is going nowhere for me. I want to write my own songs.”

Brooks had a hand in penning several of Brooks & Dunn‘s hits, including “Brand New Man,” “My Next Broken Heart,” “Lost and Found,” “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone, “Red Dirt Road,” “Only in America” and more. To be recognized as a songwriter, and not just a singer, is a welcome endorsement for Brooks.

“I came here as fan of songwriters. That’s all I wanted to do,” Brooks reflected.. “My heroes were not just artists, but artists who wrote their own songs. To even think I would even be recognized in the same sentence as the mention of their names …”

David Lee Murphy, Casey Beathard and Rafe Van Hoy will also be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 11, at the Music City Center. Find more information at NashvilleSongwritersFoundation.com.