The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Version 2013

     Some of you may have already heard this, but here are the nominees for the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

     The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
     Chic
     Deep Purple
     Heart
     Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
     Albert King
     Kraftwerk
     The Marvelettes
     The Meters
     Randy Newman
     N.W.A.
     Procol Harem
     Public Enemy
     Rush
     Donna Summer

          For years now, I've heard whining that started out like this, "(fill in the blank) isn't rock and roll, why are THEY being considered". Well, if you look at it from a very narrow definition, there are probably only four on this list that would be considered "rock" music. So...isn't this watered down?
          Yes, and no would be my answer. From a pure historical perspective, you could argue that none of these would fall under that title anyway.  "Rock and Roll" signified a period of time which generally started in 1955 (although you could easily make the case that it began before then), and went to about the mid-60 when we entered the "modern rock" era. That might seem like semantics to you, but believe me, there is a big difference. 
          In including all modern popular music, those at the  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made the term, "rock and roll" very generic. You might not like that, but let's face it, from a marketing standpoint, "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" sounds a lot cooler than, "Popular Music Hall of Fame". So those of you who moan and complain about the fact "it's not rock and roll" ...get over yourselves.
          As to the actual nominees, we'll take a week or two to check them out and maybe to give you a bit more understanding why they are on this list anyway. If your fans of their work, you might already be thinking, "it's about time". At the same time, there are those who I believe should be on this list (or should already have been included)....I'll share those as well.
          I'd love to hear your opinions about this list, or any omission that you would like to see rectified. So...send them on.

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The Eagles--Take It Easy (1972)

    In the spring of 1971, singer Linda Ronstadt was preparing for a summer/fall tour and her manager, John Boylan was looking to put together a backing band. Glenn Frey was from Detroit and had moved to LA back in 69, Don Henley had come to the city from Texas the next year. Both were recruited for the band. A few months later a couple of relative veterans came into the fold. Bernie Leadon had just finished a stint with the Flying Burrito Brothers after recording a couple of albums with the group. Randy Meisner had begun doing session work on a full time basis again after spending some time with Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band.
     The four actually only played one gig with Ronstadt together, but quickly began to work among themselves on material written by Frey and Henley. By the end of the summer, their work with her had finished, and their work as the Eagles had begun.
     Although much of the first album was written in house, it was a friendship that Frey had with Jackson Browne that produced their first big hit. According to Browne, he had a bit of the song written and was in the studio fooling with it a bit, Frey asked about it and Jackson had replied that it wasn't ready yet. Glenn then suggested that it be completed there in the studio because he liked it. When Browne declined to do so, Frey then suggested that he help complete the song. "...after a couple of times when I declined to have him finish my song, I said, 'alright.' I finally thought, 'this is ridiculous. Go ahead and finish it. Do it.' And he finished it in spectacular fashion. And, what's more, arranged it in a way that was far superior to what I had written." (Taken from 'The Jackson Browne Fan Page')
     The result was a great song which became their first release, and first hit in the Spring in 1972 going to number 12. The debut album in which Browne was working on became a hit as well, with the debut single, "Doctor My Eyes" reaching the top ten.

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