Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts class of 2017

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions took place yesterday morning (Bangladesh) time at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, New York, and featured emotional tributes and powerful performances.

After a nearly 60-year career, Joan Baez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Queen of Folk was presented the honour by her friend and collaborator Jackson Browne during Friday night's ceremony. In a poignant speech, the legend pleaded for social justice. “In the new political, cultural reality in which we find ourselves, there's much work to be done. Where empathy is failing and sharing has become usurped by greed and lust for power, let us double, triple and quadruple our own efforts to empathise and to give our resources and ourselves.”

She also delivered spare, captivating versions of three songs from her repertoire, opening with “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, a traditional number that she also performed at Woodstock in 1969. She then invited singer/songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Indigo Girls to join her onstage. Together, the quartet sang “Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)”, a protest tune written by Woody Guthrie, and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, one of the Band's most popular songs.

Pearl Jam played scorched-earth versions of three hits from the 1990s during their set. The band opened with “Alive”, which gave Dave Krusen, the drummer from the group's debut album “Ten”, a chance to sit in behind the kit. Guitars flared on both sides of Eddie Vedder as he rumbled and rasped through the song's life-affirming chorus. The band's current drummer, Matt Cameron, returned for the next two songs, “Given to Fly” and “Better Man”.  Pearl Jam was originally slated to be inducted by Neil Young, but Young bowed out due to an undisclosed illness. Eventually, talk show icon David Letterman did the honours.  This was the first year that Pearl Jam was eligible for the Rock Hall. Along with Tupac, also inducted (posthumously), they were the first members of the Hall who began their recording careers in the 1990s.

Snoop Dogg inducted fellow West Coast legend Tupac Shakur. Both artistes were on Dr. Dre and Suge Knight's Death Row Records, and Snoop Dogg had appeared on one of Tupac's final releases before his death, “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted”. Snoop delivered a heartfelt tribute, reminiscing Pac's power as an artiste, saying “I'm here to make sure that Pac is remembered the way he would have wanted to be: a strong black man who stood up. Not somebody who acted like a rapper, but as a human.”

Alicia Keys opened the set of performances honouring Tupac, with a medley of snippets of 'Pac songs, following which Snoop Dogg and YG performed “Gangsta Party”; Treach from Naughty by Nature did “Hail Mary” and T.I. gave an affecting cover of “Keep Ya Head Up”.

One of the most anticipated moments of the ceremony came when former Journey vocalist Steve Perry appeared alongside his former band mates for the first time since 2005. Although he didn't sing with them, Perry did stand with them at the podium to deliver an induction speech. Perry also left some words of praise for his replacement vocalist, Arnel Pineda, who he met for the first time. Train's Pat Monahan inducted them, saying “Tonight I'm here to live out a life-long dream, to induct the heart of San Francisco music into the rock hall.” The band performed “Separate Ways”, “Lights” and “Don't Stop Believin” – the latter featuring early era members and the night's inductees, Aynsley Dunbar and Gregg Rolie.

Another highlight of the night was Lenny Kravitz's tribute to Prince. Assisted by Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir, he performed a gospel-funk rework of “When Doves Cry” and then strapped on a guitar for “The Cross”.

Surviving members of 60s rock band Yes took the stage for the first time since the conclusion of the Union tour in early 1992, after they were indicted in emotional speeches by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush. The group, including Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Steve Howe, Alan White and especially Rick Wakeman, delivered profane, hilarious speeches. Geddy Lee, a longtime fan of the band, later joined the lineup for their performance of “Roundabout”.

Earlier, inductee band Electric Light Orchestra's Jeff Lynne kicked off an evening of performances with a roaring tribute to Chuck Berry, who died in March at age 90. Lynne remembered Berry by playing “Roll Over Beethoven”, which appeared on ELO's  1973 album “Electric Light Orchestra II”. Dhani Harrison inducted ELO, led by Jeff Lynne. Although the group has had many members over the years, the Hall of Fame inducted keyboardist Richard Tandy, drummer Bev Bevan and multi-instrumentalist Roy Wood alongside Lynne.

Disco-era guitar great Nile Rodgers was honored at this year's ceremony with Award for Musical Excellence, which is not selected by the voters. Pharrell Williams presented him with the prestigious honor. Nile Rodgers and his disco group Chic have been on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ballot 11 times, but both Rodgers and Chic have yet to be officially inducted.

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Source: Rolling Stone