Six classic backing groups, including The Crickets and The Miracles, have been added to the list of performers who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. In each case, the backing groups missed out when their frontman was inducted.

The groups are:

• The Miracles (Smokey Robinson)
• The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent)
• The Comets (Bill Haley)
• The Crickets (Buddy Holly)
• The Famous Flames (James Brown)
• The Midnighters (Hank Ballard).

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame president and CEO, Joel Peresman, has explained the decision to induct these groups:

The backing groups join the following performers as 2012 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

• The Small Faces/The Faces
• Donovan
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Guns ‘N Roses
• Beastie Boys
• Laura Nyro.

Guitarist Freddie King will be inducted in the Early Influence category; Cosino Matassa, Glyn Johns and Tom Dowd will receive the Award for Musical Excellence; and Don Kirshner will be recognised with the Ahmet Ertegun Award for influential record executives.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 induction ceremony takes place on April 14, 2012 in Cleveland.

The Small Faces/the Faces, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns ‘N Roses will be among the 2012 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next spring.

The full list of inductees in the Performance category is as follows:

• The Small Faces/The Faces
• Donovan
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Guns ‘N Roses
• Beastie Boys
• Laura Nyro

Donovan, the Beastie Boys and Laura Nyro make it in after missing out in last year’s nomination process.

Faces member, Rod Stewart, has welcomed the induction news:

A Guns ‘N Roses reunion is likely to be far more complicated. The band’s former drummer, Steven Adler, told Rolling Stone that he wants the band to reunite, but doesn’t think it will happen due to the rift between Axl Rose and Slash.

Guitarist Freddie King will be inducted in the Early Influence category. Guitarists who have acknowledged their debt to King include Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana and Peter Green.

The Award for Musical Excellence (previously the sideman category) goes to Cosino Matassa, Glyn Johns and Tom Dowd. Matassa recorded artists such as Fats Domino, Little Richard and Lloyd Price at his J&M Recording Studios in New Orleans. As an engineeer/producer, Glyn Johns worked with some of the biggest names in popular music, including the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Kinks, the Eagles and the Clash. Tom Dowd was a physicist who turned his hand to engineering and occasionally producing music for Atlantic Records. Dowd worked with great names such as Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding.

The annual Ahmet Ertegun Award for influential record executives will go to Don Kirshner who was a highly successful music publisher, producer, record company owner and television host/producer. Kirshner was instrumental in kick starting the careers of Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, the Monkees, Carole King and many more.

The following artists were on the final ballot but missed out this year:

• The Cure
• Eric B. & Rakim
• Heart
• Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
• Rufus with Chaka Khan
• The Spinners
• Donna Summer
• War.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 induction ceremony will take place on April 14, 2012 in Cleveland and premiere on HBO in early May.

The final list of inductees will be announced in December after a ballot.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

• Beastie Boys
• The Cure
• Donovan
• Eric B. & Rakim
• Guns ‘N Roses
• Heart
• Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
• Freddie King
• Laura Nyro
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Rufus with Chaka Khan
• The Small Faces/The Faces
• The Spinners
• Donna Summer
• War.

Acts are eligible for nomination if they have released their single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.

The 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in Cleveland on Saturday, April 14, 2012.

Donovan, the Beastie Boys, Donna Summer and Laura Nyro were among last year’s nominees, but did not make the cut.

Neil Diamond – inducted by Paul Simon

Neil Diamond has been on tour in Australia and flew in especially for the ceremony. The jet lag might have contributed to a rambling but comical speech, during which he asked the audience “Where the hell am I?”

Diamond performed a three-song set, including “Cherry, Cherry, “I Am… I Said” and concluding with two run throughs of “Sweet Caroline” during which he ran into the crowd to get Robbie Robertson and Bruce Springsteen on mic for the chorus.

Diamond speaks backstage after the ceremony:

Alice Cooper – inducted by Rob Zombie (White Zombie)

Following Rob Zombie’s introduction, in which he likened Alice Cooper to “a murderous gang of drag queens,” the original Alice Cooper band performed “I’m Eighteen,” “Under My Wheels” and “School’s Out.” Rob Zombie guested on the latter.

Alice Cooper backstage interview:

Dr. John – inducted by John Legend

John Legend introduced Dr. John as a “leading local ambassador to New Orleans and its incomparably funky musical gumbo.”

Accepting the honour, Dr. John said “I feel like I’m blessed to be singing. To be breathing. Music is something and there ain’t nothing like it.”

Dr. John was joined by John Legend in a performance of “Right Place, Wrong Time.”

Dr. John backstage interview:

Darlene Love – inducted by Bette Midler

Darlene Love accepted the Award from Bette Midler and said:

“This year, in July, I will turn 70 years old. This is the best gift that I could ever have. I have given over 50 years of my life and talent to the music industry. I am so thankful for the genius of Phil Spector for his recognition of my talent to be the main voice of his Wall of Sound.”

Darlene Love sang “He’s a Rebel” with Bette Midler and was also joined on stage by her friend Bruce Springsteen. Her friendship with Bruce was among the topics covered in her backstage interview:

Tom Waits – inducted by Neil Young

Neil Young introduced Waits as “a great performer, singer, actor, songwriter, magician, changeling and spiritual guy.” Waits then delivered a self deprecating and light hearted acceptance speech, joking “They say that I have no hits and that I’m difficult to work with, and they say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Waits performed “Make It Rain,” “Rain Dogs,” a piano version of “House Where Nobody Lives” and a duet with Neil Young on “Get Behind The Mule.”

Award for Musical Excellence – Leon Russell

Leon Russell received the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award for Musical Excellence and was inducted by Elton John. This was previously the Sidemen category.

Russell’s career has recently had a shot in the arm with the release of his collaboration with Elton John, “The Union.” He made reference to this in his short acceptance speech, noting “About a year ago, Elton came and found me in a ditch at the side of the highway and he took me up to the hospital and treated me like a king.”

Guitarist John Mayer joined Russell in a performance of “A Song for You.”

In his backstage interview, Russell suggested that another collaboration with Elton John might be on the way in the form of an album of rock ‘n’ roll standards:

Ahmet Ertegun Award

The annual Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers went to the record executives Jac Holzman of Elektra and Art Rupe of Speciality Records. They were inducted by Doors drummer John Densmore and Lloyd Price, respectively. Ninety-three year old Rupe couldn’t make the ceremony, but Holzman was in attendance to accept the award.

The evening concluded with Leon Russell, Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Bette Midler, Elton John and Darlene Love taking to the stage for a fun rendition of Love’s classic “Da Doo Ron Ron.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011 ceremony will be aired on Sunday, March 20 exclusively on Fuse.

The “Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power” exhibit will honour more than 60 women from the 1920s to the modern day and will take up two floors of the museum, which is located in Cleveland, Ohio.

The interactive exhibit will feature artifacts, video and listening stations, and a recording booth where visitors can film a short story or moment of inspiration related to women in rock.

Jim Henke, vice president of exhibitions and curatorial affairs for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, said:

“Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power” will cover the following eras:

• Suffragettes to Juke-Joint Mamas : The Foremothers / Roots of Rock – featured artists include Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Billie Holiday
• Get Outta that Kitchen, Rattle Those Pots and Pans: Rock and Roll Emerges – featured artists include Ruth Brown, Wanda Jackson, LaVern Baker and Brenda Lee
• Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow: The Early 1960s / Girl Groups – featured artists include the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes
• Revolution, the Counterculture and the Pill: The Late 1960s – featured artists include Janis Joplin, Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin
• I Will Survive: The 1970s – Rockers to Disco Divas – featured artists include Joan Jett and the Runaways, Donna Dummer and Stevie Nicks
• Dance this Mess Around: Punk and Post Punk – featured artists include Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, Deborah Harry and Tina Weymouth
• Causing a Commotion: Madonna and the Pop Explosion – featured artists include Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Janet Jackson
• Ladies First: The ‘90s and the New Millennium – featured artists include Bikini Kill, Meg White, Queen Latifah and Lady Gaga.

Among the artifacts that will be displayed are:

• a guitar played by Wanda Jackson in 1958
• Madonna’s handwritten lyrics to “Erotica” and the Jean Paul Gaultier-designed gold bustier from her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour
• the white dress that Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick wore at Woodstock
• Stevie Nicks’ handwritten lyrics to “Stand Back”
• the leather jacket worn by Chrissie Hynde on the cover of the Pretenders’ debut album
• the outfit worn by Rihanna at the 2008 American Music Awards
• Lady Gaga’s meat dress that she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards.

“Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power” opens on May 13, 2011 and runs until February 26, 2012.

Cyndi Lauper and Wanda Jackson will be among the stars playing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s annual “It’s Only Rock and Roll Spring Benefit Concert”, which takes place on May 14, 2011.

According to the L.A. Times, Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, Dr John, Darlene Love and the Alice Cooper Band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next spring. The official announcement will come at 10 am tomorrow morning (December 15.)

Leon Russell will reportedly receive the Award for Musical Excellence, which was previously the Sideman category. Russell’s profile was raised this year with the release of “The Union” duet album with Elton John.

The question of who will induct these artists into the Hall of Fame now arises. I think it’s a given that Elton John will induct Leon Russell. Don’t be surprised if Bruce Springsteen puts himself forward to induct Darlene Love or Tom Waits. My money is also on the E-Street Band to back Love on the night.

The annual Ahmet Ertegun Award for influential record executives will go to Jac Holzman and Art Rupe, who founded the Elektra and Speciality Records labels, respectively.

The following artists were on the final ballot but missed out this year:

• Bon Jovi
• Donna Summer
• Chic
• Laura Nyro
• The Beastie Boys
• Donovan
• The J. Geils Band
• LL Cool J
• Joe Tex
• Chuck Willis.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011 induction ceremony will take place on March 14, 2011 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. It will be televised on Fuse.

The final list of inductees will be announced in December and the induction ceremony will take place on March 14, 2011 in New York City.

The other nominees are:

• Dr John
• LL Cool J
• Donna Summer
• Tom Waits
• The Beastie Boys
• Chic
• J. Geils Band
• Darlene Love
• Laura Nyro
• Joe Tex
• Chuck Willis.

Acts are eligible for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first recording.

Click here for further information on this year’s nominees.

Today also sees the release of the “25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts” three-DVD set, which includes great performances from a huge number of top artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkel, U2, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Sting, Mick Jagger, Metallica, Ray Davies, Dion DiMucci and more.

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The shows took place over two nights last October and featured a top line up, including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, John Forgerty, Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Sting, Mick Jagger, Simon and Garfunkel, Metallica, Ray Davies, Dion DiMucci and more.

This set will contain the four-hour edit that aired on HBO last November, as well as many bonus performances and a collector’s issue of Rolling Stone magazine featuring behind-the-scenes stories. The total running time for the set is 330 minutes.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts – trailer

I’ve been looking forward to this release since I first saw the shaky audience-shot footage a day or so after the shows. I’d be tempted to buy it for the Springsteen footage alone, as it’s guaranteed to raise a smile. Here’s the duet between Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty on “Fortunate Son.”

Another highlight was Simon & Garfunkel’s fine set, including the classic “The Boxer.”

The full track list is as follows:

Introduction:
My Prayer
Tom Hanks

Jerry Lee Lewis
Great Balls of Fire

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Woodstock
Almost Cut My Hair
Love Has No Pride with Bonnie Raitt
The Pretender with Jackson Browne
Love the One You’re With with James Taylor

Stevie Wonder
For Once in My Life
The Tracks of My Tears with Smokey Robinson
The Way You Make Me Feel with John Legend
The Thrill Is Gone with B.B. King
Higher Ground/Roxanne with Sting
Superstition with Jeff Beck

Paul Simon
Intro montage
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (Bonus performance not seen on HBO)
You Can Call Me Al
Here Comes the Sun with David Crosby and Graham Nash
The Wanderer with Dion DiMucci
Little Anthony and the Imperials:
Two People in the World

Simon & Garfunkel
The Sounds of Silence
The Boxer
Bridge over Troubled Water

Aretha Franklin
Intro montage
Baby I Love You
Don’t Play That Song
Chain of Fools with Annie Lennox

Metallica
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Sweet Jane with Lou Reed
Iron Man/Paranoid with Ozzy Osbourne
All Day and All of the Night with Ray Davies
Enter Sandman

U2
Vertigo
Magnificent
Because the Night with Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith and Roy Bittan
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For with Bruce Springsteen
Gimme Shelter with Mick Jagger, Fergie and will.i.am
Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of with Mick Jagger
Beautiful Day

Jeff Beck
Intro montage
People Get Ready with Sting
Let Me Love You Baby with Buddy Guy
Foxey Lady with Billy Gibbons
A Day in the Life

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Hold On! I’m Comin’/Soul Man with Sam Moore
The Ghost of Tom Joad with Tom Morello
Fortunate Son with John Fogerty
Oh, Pretty Woman with John Fogerty
Jungleland
A Fine Fine Boy with Darlene Love
New York State of Mind with Billy Joel
Born to Run with Billy Joel
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher with Darlene Love, John Fogerty, Sam Moore, Billy Joel and Tom Morello

Bonus footage

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Mexico with James Taylor
Teach Your Children with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor

Stevie Wonder
Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
I Was Made to Love Her
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) with John Legend

Simon & Garfunkel
Mrs. Robinson/Not Fade Away

Metallica
Turn the Page
Iron Man/Paranoid with Ozzy Osbourne (Full-length version not seen on HBO)

U2
Mysterious Ways
Where Is the Love/One with the Black Eyed Peas

Jeff Beck
Freeway Jam
Big Block

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
London Calling with Tom Morello
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher with Darlene Love,John Fogerty, Sam Moore, Billy Joel and Tom Morello (Full-length version not seen on HBO).

There’s such a diversity of artists on this set and such an array of talent that there is a performance to match most moods. It is set to be one of the best music DVD releases of the year.

The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts three-DVD set will be released on September 28. It is available for pre-order now at:

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Inductees in the performer category were:

ABBA – inducted by The Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb

Abba’s Frida Lyngstad and Benny Andersson accepted the award. Bandmates Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog couldn’t make the ceremony.

Benny played “Winner Takes it All” on the piano, with vocals from Faith Hill.

Here’s the interview Benny and Frida gave after the induction.

Genesis – inducted by Phish frontman, Trey Anastasio

Genesis did not perform, but Phish paid tribute to the band by performing “Watcher Of The Skies” and “No Reply At All.”

“This is fantastic,” said Genesis frontman, Phil Collins

Jimmy Cliff – inducted by Wyclef Jean

“I grew up listening to rock ’n’ roll music. A lot of the great rock ’n’ roll artists were a big inspiration to me,” Cliff said during his acceptance speech.

Cliff sang “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “Many Rivers To Cross,” and “The Harder They Come.” Wyclef Jean joined him for the last song.

Jimmy Cliff performed with Wyclef Jean

The Hollies – inducted by The E-Street Band’s Steven Van Zandt

This was the second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for The Hollies’ Graham Nash. He had already been inducted for his work with Crosby, Stills and Nash. Steven Van Zandt praised The Hollies for their “exquisite harmonies only the Beatles could match.”

Graham Nash was joined by Allan Clarke, Bernie Calvert, Eric Haydock and Terry Sylvester. Bobby Elliott and Tony Hicks could not make the ceremony because they had a gig in London.

Nash and Clarke performed with Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael of Maroon 5 on “Bus Stop” and “Carrie-Anne.”

Graham Nash & Alan Clarke on stage with Maroon 5

The Stooges – inducted by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong

“Music is life, and life is not a business,” said an emotional Iggy Pop during his acceptance speech.

The Stooges performed “Search And Destroy” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” The latter featured members of Pearl Jam and Green Day.

Iggy Pop with Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong

Non-performers

In the non-performer category, record mogul David Geffen was inducted, along with the following legendary songwriters:

• Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
• Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry
• Jesse Stone
• Mort Shuman
• Otis Blackwell.

The songwriters were all inducted by Carole King. Their songs were sung by the likes of Chris Isaak (“Don’t Be Cruel” by Blackwell), Eric Burdon (“We Gotta Get Out of This Place” by Mann/Weil) and Ronnie Spector (“Be My Baby” by Barry/Greenwich).

The ceremony was broadcast live on the Fuse cable network, which will air repeats at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 21, and 5 p.m. Saturday, March 27.

Further information is available at www.fuse.tv

Staffers are already hard at work at the facility, which occupies approximately one-third of the four-floor, 75,000-square-foot Center for Creative Arts on Cuyahoga Community College’s Metropolitan Campus, two miles away from the Rock Hall itself.

Tri-C President Jerry Sue Thornton, a Rock Hall trustee, told Cleveland.com:

“It’s extremely important to have the Rock Hall’s library and archives in Cleveland. In addition to providing unique educational opportunities for students at Tri-C and other colleges and universities, the library and archives will be a big draw for music scholars.”

The archives will hold personal papers, business documents, photographs, song manuscripts, posters and other items from leading figures in rock music. Visitors will be able to view material in a special reading room, under supervision, although in the case of very rare or valuable items, they might have to settle for digital scans.

The Rock Hall has increased its efforts to obtain important rock memorabilia in recent months. Andy Leach, director of the library and archives, wants the facility to be “the world’s preeminent research center for rock ‘n’ roll.” He believes that such materials are better placed here than at the Smithsonian Institute or another museum, because rock ‘n’ roll is the main focus at the facility. Lenny Kaye of the Patti Smith Group and member of the Rock Hall’s nominating committee echoed this point:

“When I go to various libraries looking for rock-oriented material, it’s very haphazard. At most institutions, rock is regarded as some kind of a backwater. My hope is these archives will be a place where the music’s legacy is safely preserved.”

Kaye himself has made an important contribution to the archives, passing on a collection of live cassettes recorded in the ’70s and ’80s at CBGB, the landmark Manhattan club where the likes of Smith, the Dead Boys and Talking Heads used to play.

Buddy Holly’s high school diploma is in the Rock Hall’s archives

Among the rarities already in the Rock Hall archives are:

• Buddy Holly’s diploma from Lubbock Senior High School in Lubbock, Texas.
• Jimi Hendrix’s handwritten lyrics to “Purple Haze”
• Documentation from Alan Freed’s 1959 payola trial
• Jim Morrison’s death certificate, which lists the cause of death as “Unknown, pending Doctor’s statement”
• The passport of Joseph Vernon Turner, aka Big Joe Turner, the blues singer whose hits included “Shake, Rattle and Roll.”

Jimi Hendrix’s handwritten lyrics to “Purple Haze”

The facility is due to open in November or December 2010.

The 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction Ceremony will take place on March 15 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York City. This year’s inductees include ABBA, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies and The Stooges.