I like to close out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame weeks by highlighting artists I love who haven’t (yet) been inducted.
I’ve named The Smiths as the most egregious oversight before and I see no reason not to continue beating that drum today. The English rock band has been eligible since 2009 and nominated twice (in 2015 and 2016) but has yet to make the cut.
The final inductee from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011 is singer-songwriter Tom Waits. Waits was eligible starting in 1999 and made it in the first year he was nominated.
I have very little familiarity with Waits’ discography, and I can’t say I enjoy listening to the songs I have heard, but I have no issue whatsoever with his inclusion in the Rock Hall. He is an iconic figure and a singular talent, an artist who has crossed and blended genres and influenced a generation of musicians.
Returning to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011, our next featured inductee is singer-songwriter and highly sought after session musician Leon Russell.
Russell was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, where an injury during childbirth led to minor paralysis on the right side of his body. His piano playing had to favor his left hand, resulting in his distinctive sound. He moved to Los Angeles in the 60s and played with a laundry list of artists way too long to name here. Think of somebody famous and he likely showed up on at least one of their songs.
The week of July 27, 1965, saw a couple of repeats atop the Billboard Hot 100: The Rolling Stones’ ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction‘ and Herman’s Hermits’ ‘I’m Henry VIII, I Am.’
In third place that week was the titular theme song from the film What’s New Pussycat?, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and performed by Tom Jones. Jones was reluctant to sing this crazy tune but was convinced by Bacharach that it could work only with a boisterous voice like his.
Throwing back to the week of July 26, 1955, we find Bill Haley and the Comets holding on to the top spot with ‘Rock Around the Clock.’ And really, that’s how it should be… imagine when a song that iconic and genre-defining was just a new release.
Nat King Cole held the #2 spot, with both sides of his ‘A Blossom Fell‘ single designated as the runner-up that week. This was during a time when Billboard would combine the performance of a double-sided hit and assign the results to both songs.
Meet Me In Montauk 