The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio (USA). The museum documents the history of rock music (from an American perspective) and the artists, producers, engineers, and other notable figures and personnel who have influenced its development.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established on 20 April 1983, by Ahmet Ertegun, founder and chairman of Atlantic Records. After a long search for the right city, Cleveland was chosen in 1986 as the Hall of Fame’s permanent home. Architect I. M. Pei designed the new museum, and it was dedicated on 1 September 1995.
Artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at an annual induction ceremony. Over the years, the majority of the ceremonies have been held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. However, some ceremonies have taken place in Cleveland and Los Angeles through the years.
Generally, the number of inductees each year ranges from about a half-dozen to a dozen. Virtually all living inductees have attended the ceremonies, and they are presented with their Hall of Fame award by an artist who was influenced by that inductee’s music. Both the presenter and the inductee speak at the ceremonies, which also include numerous musical performances, by both the inductees and the presenters. The first group of inductees, inducted on 23 January 1986, included Elvis Presley, James Brown, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
After a few years of being nominated but not inducted, Kate Bush was finally inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2023, after she enjoyed worldwide success in 2022 with Running Up That Hill, which was featured in the Netflix series Stranger Things. Kate did not attend the ceremony in person. A speech by Big Boi and a performance of ‘Running Up That Hill’ by St. Vincent during the ceremony, which took place on 3 November 2023.
References
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wikipedia, 1 December 2023
- Seán Kate inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Big Boi and St. Vincent in NY. Kate Bush News, 4 November 2023. Retrieved on 1 December 2023
