Jim was ASCAP's Country Songwriter of the Year in 1974. He served on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Songwriters Association International for 5-years. In 2006, he was inducted into the NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME, as well as the MISSISSIPPI MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME. He was inducted into the OLE MISS ALUMNI HALL OF FAME in 2011. In 1999 "Midnight Train To Georgia" was inducted into the GRAMMY HALL OF FAME. In 2001 the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America selected the 365 Songs of the Century. Number 1 and 2 were "Over The Rainbow" and "White Christmas". "Midnight Train To Georgia" was number 29 with the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at number 28 and "Imagine" by John Lennon at number 30. "Midnight Train to Georgia" was also selected as one of Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.