The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees have been announced with Metallica getting over the line as well as Jeff Beck, Bobby Womack, Run DMC and Little Anthony & The Imperials.
“This year’s class of inductees truly represents what the Hall of Fame is all about. From classic artists that began their careers in the 50’s and 60’s to those that have defined the modern sound of rock and roll,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President & CEO Joel Peresman. “These artists demonstrate the rich diversity of rock and roll itself. We are proud to honor these artists and celebrate their contribution to rock and roll’s place in our culture.”The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on April 4, 2009.
Info about each act from the Hall of Fame reads:
Bobby Womack:
An active recording artist since the early 1960’s, Bobby Womack started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentino’s, and as Sam Cooke’s backing guitarist. Womack’s career has spanned more than 40 years in the styles of R&B, soul, rock and roll, doo-wop, gospel, country and funk. As a songwriter, Womack is notable for penning and originally recording The Rolling Stones’ first UK No. 1 hit, “It’s All Over Now.” As a singer he is most notable for the hits “Lookin For a Love”, “That’s The Way I Feel About Cha”, “Woman’s Gotta Have It”, Harry Hippie”, Across 110th Street” and his 1980s hit “If You Think You’re Lonely Now”.
Jeff Beck:
Jeff Beck is one of the three noted guitarists to have recorded with the band TheYardbirds. Rolling Stone ranked him as one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Much of Beck’s recorded output has been instrumental, and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues-rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion and (currently) a blend of guitar-rock and electronica Beck has earned wide critical praise and four Grammy awards for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Beck has guested at scores of sessions with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Buddy Guy to Tina Turner and Mick Jagger.
Little Anthony & The Imperials:
Little Anthony & The Imperials is a rhythm and blues/soul/doo-wop vocal group from New York, first active in the 1950s. Lead singer Jerome Anthony “Little Anthony” Gourdine was noted for his high-pitched falsetto voice influenced by Jimmy Scott. Changing their name to The Imperials in 1957, they signed with End Records in 1958. Their first single was “Tears on My Pillow”, which was an instant hit. In 1964 the group made a rare transition into soul music with a series of hit including “I’m On the Outside (Looking In) and “Goin’ Out of My Head.”
Metallica:
Metallica is the most successful heavy metal band of the past quarter century. Metallica’s line-up has primarily consisted of drummer Lars Ulrich, rhythm guitarist, vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, as well as current bass player Robert Trujillo. Longtime bassists for the band, the late Cliff Burton, and Jason Newsted, are also being inducted. Metallica’s early releases included fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship that placed them as one of the “big four” of the thrash metal subgenre alongside Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. The band earned a growing fan base in the underground music community and critical acclaim, with the 1986 release Master of Puppets described as one of the most influential and “heavy” thrash metal albums. The band achieved substantial commercial success with its self-titled 1991 album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. With this release the band expanded its musical direction resulting in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience.
Run DMC:
Founded by Joseph “Reverend Run” Simmons, Darryl “D.M.C” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam-Master Jay” Mizell, Run-D.M.C. took hip hop from the streets of New York to the national stage. Formed in Hollis, Queens, the group is arguably the most important and influential act in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in hip-hop throughout the 1980s and is widely credited with breaking hip hop into mainstream music. In 2004, Rolling Stone named them one of the greatest musical artists of all time. In 2007, the trio was named Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time by MTV.com. They were also named Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time by VH1.
Wanda Jackson:
Wanda Jackson is an American rockabilly and country music singer who began recording in the mid-50s. She was one of the first female rockabilly singers to come to popularity during the 1950s. Jackson began her professional career while she was still in high school after being discovered by Hank Thompson in 1954. She mixed regular country music material with fast-moving rockabilly music, often cutting each side of a record with a different type of music. In the mid-1960s, Jackson moved to a successful career in country music, having a string of hits between 1966 and 1973, including, “Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine,” “The Box it Came in,” “My Big Iron Skillet,” and “Fancy Satin Pillows.”
Spooner Oldham:
“Spooner” Oldham is a keyboard player, songwriter, and session musician. An American, he recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and at FAME Studios on such hit R&B songs as “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge, “Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett and “I Never Loved a Man” by Aretha Franklin. As a sideman, Oldham has recorded and performed with a countless number of artists including Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and Neil Young.
DJ Fontana:
D. J. Fontana is best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. Fontana, joined a band consisting of Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass) and Elvis Presley (rhythm guitar), calling themselves “The Blue Moon Boys”. The band would perform and record the vast majority of the Elvis Presley hits of the 50’s including “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, and “Jailhouse Rock”. The band also toured extensively and performed on several television appearances through 1956 and 1957. His drumming built the foundation of rock and roll percussion influencing future players such as Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts and Max Weinberg.
Bill Black:
Bill Black is best known as the bassist for Elvis Presley. Black played double bass on early Presley recordings including “Good Rockin’ Tonight”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Baby Let’s Play House”, “Mystery Train”, “That’s All Right” (Mama), “Hound Dog”; and eventually became one of the first bass players to use the Fender Precision Bass guitar in popular music on “Jailhouse Rock” in the late 1950’s. Black’s bass playing had an extraordinary impact on rock and roll bass playing, influencing many players including Paul McCartney. Afterward, he formed the Bill Black Combo and scored numerous instrumental hits during the late 1950’s and 1960’s.
