\n The 2026 class included global stars Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette, Kenny Loggins and Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS.\n<\/p>\n
\n Graham, who lives in Largs, is behind a string of international hits including Tina Turner’s What\u2019s Love Got To Do With It, We Don\u2019t Need Another Hero and Typical Male.\n<\/p>\n
\n He shared the honour with long-time writing partner Terry Britten, who was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the American ceremony.\n<\/p>\n
\n Speaking after the event, he admitted the recognition came as a shock.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI really couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d he said. \u201cI knew we had been under consideration, alongside around 20 other names. For them to pick me and Terry, I was stunned.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI had to sit down when I got the call from America, I really couldn\u2019t believe it. The induction means our names are up there with some of the greats, and it\u2019s going to stay there even when I\u2019m gone. It\u2019s quite a thought. The actual award itself is lovely, but the fact that you\u2019re inducted just means the world.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Despite sharing the honour with some of the biggest names in modern music, Graham said the moment still felt surreal.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: \u201cI was really happy with this, and I was chuffed to see my name even above Taylor Swift.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cBMI had taken a page out saying congratulations to Graham Lyle, Taylor Swift and Walter Afanasieff, which was just incredible.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s got me writing again. It\u2019s given me such a buzz in New York that after six years not writing, Terry and I are back at it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Reflecting on his career, Graham pointed to the artists who brought his songs to life, including one particularly meaningful moment.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt has to be Johnny Cash,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not so much his performance of the track, but to have someone who I idolised for so many years sing one of my songs, that meant so much to me.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cTina\u2019s vocals obviously stand out on all songs, just so powerful and incredible, especially on Something Beautiful Remains, which I still think is the best song Tina ever recorded of ours.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n In good company: Graham Lyle has been inducted in the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York. (Image: Sean McDonald)\n<\/p>\n
\n Graham also paid tribute to his hometown, describing Largs as a place that continues to produce creative talent.\n<\/p>\n
\n He added: \u201cI look at Largs as a real breeding ground for talent.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThere are so many great people who have come from Largs with such a small population, that have made their way in music in one way or the other. There\u2019s something in the water there.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n He added that while the industry has changed significantly since he began writing, he believes the emotional core of songwriting will endure.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWhen I\u2019ve been around songwriting, I\u2019ve been so lucky that people were ready for songs \u2014 not necessarily songs made for radio playlists, but heartfelt expression,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI just don\u2019t hear a Bob Dylan coming through. It\u2019s alright for me, I\u2019ve had a lifetime to sustain me throughout, but it must be difficult for a young songwriter who really wants to write songs from the heart, rather than for the dancefloor.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Graham first emerged in the 1970s as one half of Gallagher and Lyle, with friend Benny Gallagher, and enjoyed chart success with hits such as Heart on My Sleeve, I Wanna Stay with You and Breakaway.\n<\/p>\n
\n He went on to enjoy huge international success as a writer for other artists.\n<\/p>\n
\n Over the decades his work has earned Grammy recognition and multiple industry awards, and his recent induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York marks a career-crowning honour.\n<\/p>\n
\n At the awards ceremony, Madison Cunningham enchanted the audience with an acoustic performance of What\u2019s Love Got to Do With It, celebrating the songwriting legacy of Britten and Lyle.\n<\/p>\n
\n Actress and longtime friend Jane Seymour\u00a0then surprised the duo with heartfelt remarks before welcoming Taylor Dayne, who delivered a spectacular performance of another of their and Tina’s greatest hits, We Don\u2019t Need Another Hero.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 class included global stars Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette, Kenny Loggins and Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":514669,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,61,60,278],"class_list":["post-514668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/514668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=514668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/514668\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/514669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=514668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=514668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=514668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}