NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Longtime Mexia resident and celebrated Songwriter Cindy Walker was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame posthumously at a ceremony with family, artists, producers and aspiring songwriters on Nashville's Music Row on April 19, 2024.
It's been more than 18 years since Walker passed away after living in her hometown of Mexia, Texas since 1954. She moved to Mexia after a successful Hollywood career to be closer to family but continue writing.
In her Mexia home, Walker went on to write her biggest hits, "You Don't Know Me" recorded by Ray Charles, Eddy Arnold, Elvis and many more. She also wrote "Dream Baby" recorded by Roy Orbison. Walker had hits for five consecutive decades and would rise every morning at 5 am with black coffee in tow and would write songs in her writer's studio on the second floor of her home.
Walker is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame, Western Swing Hall of Fame, Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, National Cowgirls Hall of Fame and Museum and more. But until now she was not in the national Songwriters Hall of Fame which includes songwriters of all genres of music.
Grammy Award Winning Songwriter and Songwriters Hall of Fame Member Liz Rose advocated for Walker to be inducted. It made history as the first posthumous Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ever held in Nashville.
The Cindy Walker Foundation is working to restore Walker's Texas home to become a community arts space and museum. The foundation will also have music programming for children and songwriters to preserve and promote the legacy of Cindy Walker.
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