Y2K Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced
Black Sabbath fans were hoppin’ mad in their faerie boots and
Steely Dan devotees cried “royal scam” when their respective bands
were passed up for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
this year, but both will have another shot in 2000.| Sabbath and
Steely are among the fourteen veteran acts nominated for induction
to the hallowed Cleveland halls in 2000.
Also vying for a second chance this year are Ritchie Valens,
Solomon Burke and the Moonglows. Other nominees include Aerosmith;
Queen; Earth, Wind and Fire; James Taylor; Bonnie Raitt; the
O’Jays; Lovin’ Spoonful and previous inductees Eric Clapton (for
the Yardbirds and Cream) and Lou Reed (for the Velvet Underground).
In order to be considered for nomination, a band or artist’s debut
album has to be at least twenty-five years old.
As for who will make the final cut, all parties will have to wait
until November when the official inductees will be announced. The
voting is done by more than 800 writers, artists, producers,
broadcasters and industry executives. The fifteenth annual
induction ceremony is scheduled for sometime in March at the
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York (the exact date will be announced
along with the names of the inductees.
Last year’s inductees were Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Billy
Joel, Dusty Springfield, Curtis Mayfield, the Staples Singers, Del
Shannon, Charles Brown, Bob Wills and producer George Martin.