Allen Toussaint

Piano and songwriting greats Allen Toussaint and Leon Russell will be among this year’s inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during the organization’s June 16 ceremony in Manhattan.

John Bettis, Garth Brooks and the songwriting team of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly round out the class of 2011.

“We are inspired by the striking caliber and range of the 2011 Songwriters Hall of Fame class,” said songwriter Jimmy Webb, the SHOF chairman as well as an inductee, in a statement released Feb. 22. “John, Garth, Leon, Billy, Tom and Allen each represent a unique breed of artist, warmly respected by their peers and revered by all lovers of song. As songwriters, their work has forever enriched our world’s music.”

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969, and its current members include Kris Kristofferson, Carole King, Dolly Parton, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen and Elton John.