December 2, 2008

This quiz might be easy for some of you, while others will find it quite tricky.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officially opened its doors in Cleveland, Ohio a little over 13 years ago (September 2, 1995).... though the foundation had been selecting inductees in each of the 9 years before the hall actually opened.

The Inaugural Class of 1986 consisted of 10 true icons of rock and roll music, but -- since I was a "radio-listening music fanatic" when I was a youngster -- I can assure you they omitted one particular artist who, without question, should have been in that initial group... but was not inducted for several more years.
After you finish this simple quiz, I'll tell you who was conspicuously passed-over in the important Class of '86.

Here's the quiz....
Only 10 of the following 25 early rock and rollers made up the inaugural class of '86.
Can you name those 10?
I'll bet you can't do it!
I'll give you the correct picks a few paragraphs down.

1. Fats Domino
2. Marvin Gaye
3. Roy Orbison
4. Sam Cooke
5. Aretha Franklin
6. Smokey Robinson
7. Little Richard
8. The Coasters
9. Muddy Waters
10. Jerry Lee Lewis
11. Ray Charles
12. B.B. King
13. The Everly Brothers
14. Ricky Nelson
15. Eddie Cochran
16. Carl Perkins
17. Chuck Berry
18. Jackie Wilson
19. Elvis Presley
20. Bo Diddley
21. Bill Haley
22. James Brown
23. Clyde McPhatter
24. Big Joe Turner
25. Buddy Holly

You might be wondering why the Beatles aren't listed.
Well, to be eligible, it must be 25 years or more since the release of a performer's first record.
Since the Beatles' first release was in 1962, they only became eligible for the vote in 1988, when they were a shoo-in for inclusion.

Here's the correct answer.
The 10 who were the original Hall of Fame inductees were all males....
Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, James Brown and Buddy Holly.
The other 15 on that list made it in 1987, the second year of voting.

As for the artist who SHOULD HAVE BEEN included in that initial group...
It's LaVern Baker, one of the greatest rock and rollers of all time, who tore up the charts in the 1950s and early 60s with songs like "Tweedley-Dee"... "Bop-Ting-A-Ling"... "Jim Dandy"... "I Cried A Tear"... "Jim Dandy Got Married"... "Saved"... "See See Rider" and many other songs.
LaVern's influence and impact on music is immeasurable.

Amazingly, 4 more years would pass (1991) before LaVern was finally given her rightful place in the R&R Hall.
It makes me question the whole nomination process.

Another time, I'll tell you the deserving performer who's conspicuously missing from the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Click Here to send a comment to Dan

Click Here to return to Dan Miller's Notebook