Rock Hall Nominations: Neil Diamond, Maybe; No to Elton’s Pleas for Leon Russell
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations are in.
Sir Elton John was totally snubbed in his quest to get Leon Russell into the Rock Hall. After they win some Grammys in February, Elton and Leon should schedule a show in New York the same day as the Rock Hall show. It will sell out in minutes.
A handful of names haven’t been on the list before: Neil Diamond, Bon Jovi, Donovan, Alice Cooper, and Dr. John are all new.
From ballots gone by: Tom Waits, Beastie Boys, Chic, J. Geils Band, Darlene Love, Lauro Nyro, Donna Summer, LL Cool J, Joe Tex and Chuck Willis.
Who really deserves it from these choices: Neil Diamond, Chuck Willis, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Joe Tex, Donovan, Alice Cooper. Bon Jovi would make it a great night and a contemporary touch. They’re a great bar band, and survivors.
Not rock, and it’s getting ridiculous already: Donna Summer. LL Cool J, Beastie Boys.
‘Still missing: KISS, Chicago. the Moody Blues, Mary Wells, Billy Preston, etc.
PS As we know, Joel Peresman is paid just under $400,000 a year to organize this list for the Rock Hall Foundation. Also on the group’s 2009 federal tax filing: $25,000 spent on music scholarship, nothing listed for indigent or needy musicians, and between $10 mil-$13 mil in assets. Good job!
Tony
The RRHOF selection committee stinks! No Leon Russell, Moody Blues, Peter frampton, Joe Cocker, Chicago, or Johnny Maestro. Instead, we have to endur nominations, from LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Tom Waits Joe Tex, Chuck Wiilis and Donna Summer. Nice people, but they are not rock n roll hall of famers. What a scam this organization is! They claim to honor Rock history, and the selection panel knows absolutely nothing about past icons who have forever made significant contributions to Rock music. No wonder, Elton John is pissed off at them!
rcannan
Great commentary. Although seen from time to time, what is less known is the process for nomination and final voting, and a list of the current board members. Please enlighten.
Eric B
Where in the heck is Deep Purple??
Stacy M
Yeah I agree…Where the heck is DEEP PURPLE? If anyone deserves it they do!!
Dee
No Leon AGAIN, huh? And this is supposed to be rock & roll? Yeah.. ok… whatever.
Kevlar
Leon Russell should be at the top of this list. Thanks for advocating for him.
I. Rogers
The judges seem to have no sense of history. It is the SECOND time that Laura Nyro has been in the running. When will she finally get her due?
Sherman
Bunch of losers lining their pockets. Joel should have stayed at WM. In the mail room ! He knows nothing of Rock music, other then getting Billboard for free…
Chesney
We all need to get Leon in there. Lets gooooooo!
Chris
How exactly are Darlene Love, Donovan, Neil Diamond, and Laura Nyro “rock,” yet Donna Summer isn’t?
Mary Nell
WHAT!!!??!! No Leon Russell?! He should have been one of the very first inductees! They claim to honor Rock history, and the selection panel knows absolutely nothing about past icons who have forever made significant contributions to Rock music. The RRHOF selection committee stinks!
Jim R
I’m not quite sure why anyone still bothers to debate non-rock acts being considered for- and inducted into- the Hall of Fame. “Rock and Roll” is an umbrella term that encompasses various genres. There are rock acts, R&B acts, pop acts, rap acts, country acts, etc. in the Hall of Fame- though country is not represented highly, probably because the Country Hall of Fame had been established 20+ years prior to the R&R Hall of Fame’s first inductions in 1986.
Roy
Induct Bernie Taupin and Chicago now!!
Lisa B.
If Leon Russell doesn’t meet the R&R Hall of Fame’s requirements, maybe we need a new Hall of Fame. He can be the charter nominee.
The trouble is, you have to be a real student of rock history to know how far back he goes. Check out the Youtube footage of him in 1963 on Shindig. He’s already been gigging for 8 years previous to that. He’s the real deal.
Jerry Garcia's Finger
Ever since they let Madonna in the RRHOF it’s been down hill. No Moody Blues, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Roxy Music, Mott the Hoople, Small Faces, Yes, Ringo Starr (as a solo artist), Rush, and there’s more if you want to look them up, that are more deserving than Madonna!!!! Something tells me you can buy your way in (big donation?) or the criteria is heavy on amount of records sold, or something that makes no sense to me.