Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held at
Cleveland’s Public Hall on April 4th, 2009
The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame announced the 2009 Inductees on January 14th. Their Induction Week Event will begin on March 28th, closing on April 4th with the official Induction Ceremony that will be held in Cleveland. After 12 years of it historically being featured at New York’s Waldorf Astoria, the ceremony will take place at Cleveland’s Public Hall in Northeast Ohio.
For the first time in their 24-year history after its foundation in 1986, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame has opened the Induction Ceremony to the public, selling out tickets within weeks of announcing their sale. The ceremony will be broadcasted Live on Fuse TV and streamed online on various different websites for the rest of the world to witness.
Inductees are only eligible for consideration 25 years after their debut release.
The 2009 inductees are:
Performer Category:
Jeff Beck
Little Anthony & The Imperials
Run D.M.C.
Bobby Womack
Metallica
Early Influence Category:
Wanda Jackson
Sidemen Category:
Bill Black
Spooner Oldham
DJ Fontana
The announced inductees in the Performer category are hip-hop New York based group RUN D.M.C., the 1960′s R&B, soul and country influenced performers BOBBY WOMACK and LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS. Also the heavy thrash metal group METALLICA, and legendary blues-rock/heavy-metal influenced guitarist & former member of the Yardbirds, JEFF BECK. Jeff Beck has been credited with 4 Grammys for Best Rock Instrumental Performances, and deemed one of the ‘100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time’ by Rolling Stone magazine.
Inducted In the Early Influence category was 50′s American country music singer WANDA JACKSON. Jackson was merely 15 years old when she released her first recording.
In the sidemen category, drummer DJ FONTANA and bassist BILL BLACK (who both played in Elvis Presley’s band) were inducted, as well as American songwriter, keyboardist and session musician SPOONER OLDHAM. Oldham has contributed to hit songs such as “I never loved a man” by Aretha Franklin, “Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett; as he has performed with music legends Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jackson Browne.