The Hollies had to wait more than two decades for their first Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, but they made it in on the first ballot. Eligible since 1989, they ultimately joined the Class of 2010.
Formed in 1962 by Graham Nash and Allan Clarke, The Hollies officially retired from touring in August of this year, putting them up there with The Rolling Stones in terms of longevity. They recorded into the 2000s but enjoyed most of their success between 1963-1974.
Continuing my look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2010, the next featured inductee is Genesis.
The English rock band is one of the few acts that could reasonably earn Rock Hall membership for two different lineups and eras. The band started as a prog rock act with Peter Gabriel on lead vocals and ended as a pop band fronted by dummer Phil Collins. Combine the two over the band’s 28-year recording career and Genesis surely deserves its spot in the Hall of Fame.
This week I’ll highlight the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees from the Class of 2010 as part of my ongoing Hall of Fame series.
2010 boasted a relatively modest lineup, size-wise, with only five acts entering the Hall. Six non-performers received the Ahmet Ertegun Award that year for behind-the-scenes contributions (including Otis Blackwell, who wrote Elvis Presley’s ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ and ‘All Shook Up,’ among other 50s classics).
The week of October 18, 1966, found a trio of repeats atop the Billboard Hot 100, plus one band that I’m planning to explore further, so I’m setting that one aside for now.
That brings us to #5, where the California garage band Count Five peaked with their only hit, ‘Psychotic Reaction.’ The quintet formed in high school and released this single the day two of its members graduated.
Throwing back to the week of October 17, 1956, we find Elvis Presley hanging on to the #1 spot with ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ in the final week of its record-setting 11-week run in the top spot. It’s no ‘Choosin’ Texas,’ but that’s not bad!
In the #2 spot was Johnnie Ray’s ‘Walkin’ in the Rain,’ one of three hits to reach #1 or #2 for Ray. It’s a song with a very interesting back story.
