UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1742
Page 1 of 2
XXXX 2/17/2025 9:03 PM Jacketed
A RESOLUTION honoring Ashley Gorley upon his induction into the Songwriters 1
Hall of Fame. 2
WHEREAS, Ashley Gorley is a native son of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 3
born in Danville in 1977, to Glenn and Sandra Gorley; and 4
WHEREAS, Ashley Gorley is the most commercially successful songwriter of all 5
time, and has written an unprecedented 80 number one radio singles; and 6
WHEREAS, Ashley Gorley has written nearly 500 songs for many well-known 7
artists, including: Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Post 8
Malone, Thomas Rhett, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Bon Jovi, and Weezer; and 9
WHEREAS, most recently, Gorley co-wrote ten songs on Post Malone’s debut 10
country album, including the global hit "I Had Some Help," featuring Morgan Wallen, 11
which topped the Billboard Global 200 chart; and 12
WHEREAS, Gorley’s ninth chart-topper of 2024, and his most recent hit, the 13
poignant "I Am Not Okay," written with and recorded by Jelly Roll, depicts the 14
challenges of mental health in an honest light. The commercial success of the song 15
provides a platform for further mental health advocacy for fans and members of the 16
music community alike; and 17
WHEREAS, in 2023 Gorley celebrated multiple weeks as Billboard’s number one 18
Hot 100 Songwriter, all-genre. His Grammy-nominated hit with Morgan Wallen, "Last 19
Night," reigned as Billboard’s Top Hot 100 Song for a record-setting 16 weeks, proving 20
to be one of the biggest country crossover hits of all time; and 21
WHEREAS, in the same year, Gorley was awarded Academy of Country Music 22
Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year, with Cole Swindell’s "She Had Me At 23
Heads Carolina"; landed the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers 24
(ASCAP) Country Song of the Year with Morgan Wallen’s "You Proof"; and was 25
awarded 2023 Songwriter of the Year (all-genre) by Variety in their year-end prestigious 26
Hitmakers issue. Gorley was also honored as the Nashville Songwriters Association 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1742
Page 2 of 2
XXXX 2/17/2025 9:03 PM Jacketed
International Songwriter of the Decade for 2010-2019, and is a ten-time ASCAP Country 1
Songwriter of the Year; and 2
WHEREAS, Gorley attended Belmont University and graduated Magna Cum 3
Laude in 1999, and, since graduating, has continued to give back to the university 4
through leading seminars, mentoring students, and serving as a professor; and 5
WHEREAS, Gorley is a songwriting advocate who has met with the Library of 6
Congress and Senators to support songwriters' rights and the Music Modernization Act; 7
and 8
WHEREAS, in 2011, Gorley formed his own publishing and artist development 9
company, Tape Room Music. Writers for Tape Room have celebrated 50 number one 10
songs, including 2018’s ASCAP Country Song of the Year, "Body Like A Back Road," 11
2021’s ASCAP, Broadcast Music, Inc., and the Society of European Stage Authors and 12
Composers Country Song of the Year, "One Of Them Girls," and ten week Country 13
Airplay number one hit, "World On Fire"; and 14
WHEREAS, on June 12, 2025, Ashley Gorley will be inducted into the Songwriters 15
Hall of Fame at the organization’s Induction and Awards Gala in New York City; 16
NOW, THEREFORE, 17
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 18
Kentucky: 19
Section 1. The Senate does hereby express its congratulations to Ashley Gorley 20
upon his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 21
Section 2. When the Senate adjourns this day, it does so in recognition and 22
celebration of Ashley Gorley and his considerable achievements in songwriting. 23
Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 24
Resolution to Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe for delivery. 25