Garth Brooks and Billy Joel Duet

"You talk about songwriters," Brooks gushed to the Associated Press. "[Joel is] one of the greatest songwriters of all time. And he's taken a day out of his life to do this. I feel very lucky."

Joining Brooks at the New York City gala was fellow 2011 inductee Leon Russell, who performed "Superstar" with Dwight Yoakam. Other inductees included Allen Toussant, Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly, John Bettis and the duo of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who co-wrote the Righteous Brothers' classic, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," with Phil Spector, as well as hits by The Animals, The Crystals and Paul Revere & the Raiders.