LOS ANGELES, United States — Dolly Parton led a supergroup in a rousing
rendition of “Jolene” as Eminem brought the entire room to its feet at
Saturday’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gala, which inducted its most eclectic
group of legends in years in an ode to rock’s spirit.
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The country queen
and rap agitator were joined by pop futurists Eurythmics, smooth rocker Lionel
Richie, confessional lyricist Carly Simon, and enduring rock duo Pat Benatar
and Neil Giraldo in entering the music pantheon.
“I’m a rock star
now!” yelped Parton as she took the stage, fists in the air.
The 76-year-old had
tried to decline the prestigious honor because she did not feel rock enough —
“I didn’t understand at the time that it’s about a little more than that,” she
said with her infectious smile.
Artists including
Pink and Brandi Carlile gathered to perform Dolly classics including “9 to 5”
before Parton returned to the stage in a stunningly body-con outfit dripping in
chains.
The icon then
jammed out on a crystal-encrusted electric guitar to debut her new rock song,
which included a mean solo from Parton herself.
“I’ve still got
rock and roll down in my country soul / and I’ll be rockin’ it til the cows come
home,” she belted.
Rap village
Eminem delivered a blend of hits old and new, after one of music’s master
provocateurs walked out to the quintessential “My Name Is”.
His loyal mentor Dr
Dre inducted the artist behind “The Marshall Mathers LP” — one of the
best-selling albums of all time — who gained the hall’s coveted recognition in
his first year of eligibility.
Eminem built a
massive career off his blistering flow and lyrical talent, but at times fueled
it with eyebrow-raising controversy.
He invited none
other than Steven Tyler to perform “Sing For The Moment” which samples “Dream
On”, and Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance to sing Dido’s “Thank You”
sample in “Stan”.
The now 50-year-old
then donned his glasses to read his acceptance speech, touching on the
obstacles he overcame including a troubled childhood and addiction struggles.
But he spent most of his time at the podium thanking dozens of fellow rappers.
“They say it takes
a village to raise a child. Well, it took a whole genre and culture to raise
me,” he said. “I’m a high school dropout, man, with a hip hop education, and
these are my teachers.”
He added: “And it’s
their night just as much as it is mine.”
Rock vibes
The 2022 class saw the hallowed institution continue to bring rappers,
pop, R&B, and country stars into the hall’s fold.
“Rock and roll is
not a color, it is a feeling, it is a vibe,” said Richie to a chorus of cheers.
“If we let that vibe come through, this room will grow and grow.”
Richie’s
show-stopping performance included a sing-off with Dave Grohl, who offered
guitar riffs to accompany the classic “Easy (Like Sunday Morning)”.
Synthpop pioneers
Eurythmics — the duo comprised of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart — also took
their place among rock’s greatest, but not before delivering a performance that
included their classic “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”.
And Duran Duran met
the moment with a best-of medley including “Girls On Film” and “Hungry Like The
Wolf”.
But the British
group also held a somber moment for former member Andy Taylor. Frontman Simon
Le Bon read an open letter from the guitarist that revealed he had been
struggling with stage four metastatic prostate cancer for years.
But Taylor said he
was “sure as hell glad I’m around to see the day” that the hitmakers made it
into the rock hall.
Simon, known for
her deeply personal songwriting, was inducted by Sara Bareilles but unable to
attend, as two of her sisters recently both died of cancer.
“One of the
greatest things about music”, Simon said in a message read by Bareilles, “is
its uncanny knack for making physical art out of formless emotions like joy and
pain”.
Pop sensation
Olivia Rodrigo then took the stage to perform Simon’s seminal 1970s hit “You’re
So Vain”, as audience members including Carlile and LL Cool J bobbed their
heads and sang along.
Inducted by Sheryl
Crow, Benatar and Giraldo delivered a heart-thumping rendition of their top
songs including “Love is a Battlefield” and “Heartbreaker”.
And none other than
Bruce Springsteen, who attended on Saturday to give a special induction to
master producer Jimmy Iovine, took the stage to perform alongside John
Mellencamp in honor of the late Jerry Lee Lewis.
The Boss slayed a
fiery guitar solo as the band delivered a rollicking version of the original
hall of famer’s “Great Balls of Fire”.
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