Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced - Wanda Jackson!

I realize the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame gets a mixed reaction around here, but I actually am excited about some of the people on this year's list of inductees:

Wanda Jackson (under early influences)

Bill Black, DJ Fontana, and Spooner Oldham are all in under the "Sidemen" category.

The Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame is also putting a concert at the Surf Ballroom on February 2, 2009 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the last live performance from Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. The Surf is being recognized as a landmark in rock-n-roll history. Performing at the Clear Lake show are The Crickets, Tommy Allsup, Wanda Jackson, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Graham Nash, The Big Bopper's son, Jay Richardson Jr., Delbert McClinton, Peter and Gordon, and several other performers to be announced.

So whatever you think of rock-n-roll being showcased in a museum, all that's listed above is pretty freakin' cool.

Now on to the headline grabbing nominees - the ones that will garner your collective scorn:

Metallica
Run DMC

(These next ones should draw less scorn, although I question Little Anthony's inclusion over other doo-wop groups)

Jeff Beck
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Bobby Womack


Alright. On with the rant-n-raves about how the Stray Cats should or shouldn't be in, or how the Hall is a load of crap, etc. etc.

Wanda Rocks-a-billy

I LOVE Jeff Beck's Gene Vincent record, and growing up "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Pop" by Little Anthony and the Imperials was one of my favourite songs. Had a cat named Ko Ko because of it. (Notice a trend? Later I had a cat named Choo Choo Hot Fish.)

Maybe the Hall is well on the way to improving!

Holy Moley! I just checked out the site for the February 2nd Holly-Valens-Bopper tribute show, and the house band includes Tommy Allsup, who played with the Crickets in 1958 on their final tour with Buddy and then with Buddy and Waylon Jennings on the Winter Dance Party Tour, Bobby Keys will be on sax, and two members of Setzer's Radiation Ranch, Chuck Leavell and Kenny Aronoff. You reckon I should invite them to Brian's Birthday Bash?

Also added to the line-up, Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens (he has a Holly tribute album coming out), Joe Ely, Bobby Vee (who filled in for Holly at the next show in Fargo), Chris Montez (Let's Dance) and Sir Tim Rice? I guess he and author Sandra Boynton are going to offer up spoken tributes. Should be quite a show. And get this - because the 4-day Surf festival tickets were sold and travel plans booked back in August, most people did not know about the Feb 2nd show, so there are still tickets available!

A-Hey-Hey-abilly