And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Are...

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Dec 15th 2010 07:34AM

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will welcome Tom Waits, Neil Diamond, Darlene Love and the Alice Cooper Band as its 2011 batch of inductees.

Diamond had been eligible for the honor for several years but never received a nomination to join music's prestigious club. But he was never really worried about it.

"I thought about it occasionally, but I kind of figured they'd get around to me at some point," he told the AP in a phone interview.

That point came on Tuesday, as the 2011 class for the Cleveland hall was revealed. Diamond, whose hits include 'Sweet Caroline,' finally made the list.

Piano man Leon Russell was honored with a musical excellence award, previously the sideman category. Executives Jac Holzman and Art Rupe were given the Ahmet Ertegun Awards.

It took three tries before Love, best known for hits such as '(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry' and her work with producer Phil Spector and the Blossoms, was approved for the hall. When reached on Tuesday, an enthusiastic Love said: "I can actually breathe."

"Finally it's done," she added. "It still hasn't hit me yet. I still have that nervous stomach, and I'm still excited."

The excitement will have to wait for some: Bon Jovi, nominated for the first time, was turned away from the hall, as was LL Cool J, the J. Geils Band, the Beastie Boys, Donna Summer and more.

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Alice Cooper's name had been mentioned in conjunction with the Rock Hall for years, but the shock rocker hadn't been nominated until this year. Like Diamond, Cooper said he wasn't anxiously waiting.

"You know it crosses your mind, but then you think of all the guys who aren't in there, some of them before you, and you go, 'Wow.' ... You realize that it's a waiting game," he said in a phone interview. "I don't think you sit around holding your breath on it."

Cooper, a heavy metal rocker best known for his dark horror themes, said his band was responsible for bringing show business into rock 'n' roll.

"There was no spectacle in rock 'n' roll, and I think what we did was we kind of brought theater to rock 'n' roll," said Cooper, known for a goth look, heavy eyeliner and black shaggy hair. "It was sort of Cirque du Soleil before Cirque du Soleil. It was kind of a weird vaudeville that we did. But it all connected back to the lyrics. ... If we do a 10-hour rehearsal back then, nine hours was on the music, and one hour was on the theatrics."

Diamond was on the other end of the spectrum, a singer-songwriter whose first hit came in the form of a song he wrote for the Monkees, 'I'm a Believer.' His early hits in the 1960s included 'Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon' and 'Cherry Cherry.'

"The music I was doing was not in vogue. ... I was like a lone voice out there with a guitar, and it was different than what was going on because it was the English invasion and I wasn't doing that," Diamond said. "I think I've had so many hits because what I was putting out and what I was writing was very different for what was being played on the radio."

He's kept producing relevant material through the decades; he released his latest album this fall. Diamond said he was gratified to be in the hall and said his first choice to induct him would be a fan. Of his induction, he joked: "I'm glad they did it before I'm dead."

Love said she thought two of her biggest boosters for the hall -- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Stevie Van Zandt - would likely do the honors at the March 14 induction ceremony in New York City.

She was also happy for some of the other inductees, including Russell, who used to play on some of her sessions.

"This is going to be a helluva jam session," she quipped about the upcoming festivities.

The induction ceremony will be aired on Fuse.

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Tags: Alice Cooper, Darlene Love, Neil Diamond, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tom Waits

Comments

(75)

Wednesday 15 December

By YellowRose3218

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So many great bands have been excluded here.
Who ever decides this, has lost their memory.

Thursday 16 December

By Tracer

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Another joke induction, at least Alice made it, only because they couldnt progress any further without inducting ,him. The others? A joke, its the Rock n Roll Hall of fame not hip hop ceremony. You guys have no clue of the difference between the 2.
Who's next year, George Clinton, Barry Gordy and Quincy Jones and lets not forget the rock, Flock of Seagulls, Oingo Boingo, and The Dave Clark 5. Joke of Shame , Hall of Whowewantabee's.
Everyone knows what a joke you are, one day it will dawn on you!

By Jerry

Glad Leon Russell finally got recognized, one of the best keyboard players of all time and a great song writer. Just ask Elton John who just cut an album with him and doing a small tour together.

By jonlocks

Neil, why did it take soooooo long. Glad to see you there.

By Robert

grapost.. you must live in another world. What other singer/songwriter that has written his OWN muisc, countless albums of ORIGINAL work, two movie soundtracks, continually to this day sells out his concerts, and it still internationally recognized? Neil Diamond is a legend, and I'm surprised it's taken this long for him to be inducted.

By sdomani

I won't offer my opinion about the people chosen, but I will say that the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame ought to have Sonny & Cher in there. I just read an article in Vanity Fair where Cher is interviewed. She remarks at her chagrin at Sonny and her not being inducted, because they were innovative and contributed a lot in the 60s. I agree with her.

By Robert Anderson

I would like to see STYX in the Hall of Fame. Neil Diamond does belong.

By Lorraine

What about Connie Francis??

By Goose

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The hall of fame (shame) should be for the movers and shakers of Rock and Roll. Alice Cooper brought theatrics into music; so he should have been in there from day 1. That sort of thing was totally unheard of before him; and actually still havent seen anything quite like the shows I saw back in 70s since; from any other groups. The people in charge of the inductees are total idiots for letting "has beens" that dont deserve to be in there; and excluded Alice Cooper for all these years. Shame on them.

By cardiacbuzz

Alright, Neil Diamond! It's about damn time; but no KISS--get outa' here.

By tww1

Leon Russell...its about time!

By MIKE

Methinks the definition of rock & roll has been lost since the late 60's early 70's....What would you have called Frank Sinatra singing "I can"t get no satisfaction" ????? (no, not an abomination)...really...his version of the song ????

By Ashlee

To leon:

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't...my ex-wife loves him!

LOL! That movie is the best!

By Yvonne Hoffman

I hope that Neil Diamond gets It! He is sooooo Worthy of It he is Great!!!!! My Late Husband Loved Neil Diamond and did from a early age. I have seen him in concert and Took my son to see him! He is amazing!!!! My 8 Year old son Loves him as well and listens to his songs and knows the words by heart!

By ChristineC

On behalf of all the Neil Diamond fans out there (including myself)-it's about freakin' time!!!!!

By Bob

No sense in getting angry any longer. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame no longer exist. Abba, Madonna, Darlene Love, The O'Jays: they are not in the same area code of Rock. LONG overdue and still left out, KISS (Derr), J Geils, RUSH, HEART, and if you're gonna put just anyone in, The Charlie Daniels Band has more to do with rock than the first 4 I named. Some rockers need to turn in their R&R honors until the Hall starts acting like a Roack & Roll HOF.

By kawieboy

There's a lot more to rock and roll than Ipods blasting out vomit rock. All the nominees are great!!!

By flamoon

Where is KENNY LOGGINS?
He has had many hits and still sounds like a dream.
Wake up R&R hall of fame.

By zodig

Squeeze and Dire Straits....

By walkingman50

Madonna and Darlene Love but no Carole King or Carly Simon ?? Jan Wenner is a musical moron !!!

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