Spring 2012: Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Induction and Carnegie Hall

Spring 2012 arrived with a lovely mid-March night at Carnegie Hall as I took the stage with Ian Hunter (I appear on 4 tracks on Ian's yet-to-be-named upcoming 2012 release...) for a tribute to the Rolling Stones' Hot Rocks LP. Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Marianne Faithful, Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, Ronnie Spector, Rickie Lee Jones and others joined in. Then it was back on the road with Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez for a series of New England dates, and on to the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Induction, this year back in its home city of Cleveland. I can say nothing less than that the inducation weekend was magical (HBO broadcasts highlights in a special set to air May 5). For a music historian like me, the first-time-ever (beginning what will become a yearly tradition) induction of backup bands--The Crickets, Blue Caps, Famous Flames, Miracles, Midnighters--was so very moving, with Claudette Rogers' elegant acceptance for the Miracles being the highlight. There was Freddie King's induction (in the "Early Influences" category), and the smoldering vintage footage of him that they showed during the speech by Billy Gibbons and Dusty Baker, after which Derek Trucks, Billy, and Joe Bonamassa did the honors. The Faces/Small Faces ruled the night ("All or Nothing" a particularly good choice) with Mick Hucknall of SImply Red standing in on vocals and a heartfelt induction by Little Steven VanZandt. Donovan (inducted by John Mellencamp), Guns and Roses (Green Day inducted), The Beastie Boys, with a poignant acceptance letter by Adam Yauch after Chuck D and LL Cool J's induction speech (The Roots and Kid Rock stood in for a perfectly-manic performance), and The Red-Hot Chili Peppers (Chris Rock inducted) completed the list of performers. Paul Shaffer wrote the most wonderful, Spector-esque arrangement of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" to honor Don Kirshner, who published that song and so many others, and who was inducted under the category named for Ahmet Ertegun .....I was so honored to sing on that with Darlene Love, with my NYC Hit Squad compadre Ricky Byrd (a 2012 nominee himself, with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts) standing alongside in the "Rock and Roll Choir". Finally, three pivotal engineers--Glyn Johns, Tom Dowd, and Cosimo Matassa--were inducated by Robbie Robertson. They brought Cosimo out in a wheelchair and he beamed while his grandson spoke on his behalf. SO moving and wonderful for a devotee of New Orleans music like me. 5,000 fans thronged the sold-out Cleveland Public Hall. Props to HBO, who of course did everything right and ramped it up in terms of how that venerable, historic rock and roll stage (once home to the Beatles) was dressed. The vintage footage and photographs were projected onto a gigantic scrim at the back of the stage..just beautiful. Many, many MANY industry were squeezed into 100 tables on the floor of the hall. Again, up popped my friend Ian's name, being invoked (although he is not yet inducted, nor is Mott the Hoople...the Hall should rectify that) at the very end of Hall President Terry Stewart's opening speech: "In the words of the immortal Ian Hunter, 'Cleveland Rocks!' " We of The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame House Band (Liberty DeVitto, Jeff Carlisi, Jeff Adams, Rob Arthur, Jimmy Hall, Ricky Byrd and me) tore it up the night before at the pre-induction Gala with our very great special guest Felix Cavaliere (he killed). Darlene Love, Cleveland's native son Michael Stanley, and Dave Wakeling also stopped by, and our NYC compadres Will Lee and Felicia Collins got up and did their thing, too. And then morning-of, we got called for a last-minute vocal rundown in the dusty, cement-strewn basement of the Cleveland Hall. The door opened and Carole King came sweeping into the room for an impromptu twirl through "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," as she picked out the string chart single-note (on a beat-up Fender Rhodes), playing along with Paul Shaffer on the song that would be performed later that evening before that sold-out crowd with Darlene Love. What a lovely moment. Ricky and I hoofed it upstairs to watch the Faces camera-block. Again, a lovely, rockin' moment, so filled with history. Byrd knew Marriott well. It was emotional in the best kind of way. The weekend was filled with those, and I counted myself a very lucky little rock and roll Beehive Queen, makin' the scene!