J.I. Allison Named Sixth Member Of Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026

The late Jerry Ivan (J.I.) Allison has been named as the sixth member of the Nashville Songwriters…

“What an honor it is to have J.I. Allison join this year’s class,” says Rich Hallworth , Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors.. “His body of work as both a songwriter and an artist continues to endure through classics like ‘That’ll Be The Day,’ ‘Peggy Sue,’ and ‘More Than I Can Say.’ He’s a member of two halls of fame already, and we’re proud to soon welcome him into ours.”

Allison has been elected in NaSHOF’s Legacy category. The six new electees will join the 254 existing members of the Hall, which was established in 1970.

A native of Hillsboro, Texas, Allison began his music career playing drums for Buddy Holly. In 1956, he played on Holly’s first recording sessions in Nashville and formed The Crickets a year later. As a songwriter, he co-wrote “That’ll Be The Day,” which became a No. 1 Pop hit and reached No. 2 on the R&B charts for Buddy Holly & The Crickets. Among notable covers by The Beatles, The Everly Brothers and Waylon Jennings, the song was later reached No. 11 on the Pop charts for Linda Ronstadt. Additional notable writing credits include “Peggy Sue,” “More Than I Can Say,” “Tell Me How,” “Think It Over” and “Well…. All Right.” The Crickets were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.