BARRY LEVINE: Rock Hall of Fame still snubbing deserving entertainers

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremonies were scheduled for Saturday night in Cleveland.

Leading the honorees were Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr, who was to receive an award for musical excellence.

Green Day; Bill Withers; Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble; the late Lou Reed; Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band were selected from a list of 15 nominees, which also included acts like N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails, Sting, The Smiths and Chic.

R&B quintet the “5” Royales were recognized for their early influence on rock ‘n’ roll.

“As we mark 30 years of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions, we’re proud to honor these artists,” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President Joel Peresman said in a statement. “These Inductees epitomize rock and roll’s impact over the past 50 years and continuing through today.”

With all the outstanding artists from 40, 50 and 60 years ago that the Hall of Fame Museum has chosen to ignore, it is incomprehensible that some of the artists simply have earned the accolade.

Withers had a nice career with six Top 40 hits from 1971 to 1981. Four of which climbed into the Top 10 – “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1971, “Lean on Me” and “Use Me” in 1972 and “Just the Two of Us” in 1981.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts fared better than Withers with nine Top 40 hits, three of which joined the Top 10 – “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and a cover of “Crimson and Clover” in 1982 and “I Hate Myself for Loving You” in 1988. Again, a nice career, but hardly worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame.

The “5” Royales was formed in 1948 in Winston-Salem, N.C., as a gospel group and morphed into a R&B/Doo-Wop. Their big R&B hits were recorded from 1952 to 1953 and their top songs included “Dedicated to the One I Love,” “Tell the Truth” and “Think.”

The Shirelles later made a Top 10 hit with “Dedicated to the One I Love.” Ray Charles covered “Tell the Truth” and James Brown covered “Think.”

Now, please take a minute and compare the careers of Withers, Jett and the “5” Royales with artists still waiting for the Hall to call including Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon, Bon Jovi, Chubby Checker, Chicago, Connie Francis, Whitney Houston, Johnny Maestro, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Rydell and Neil Sedaka.

Frankly, there is no comparison.

Yes, they were eating and drinking and being merry on April 18 in Cleveland. However, the real eating, drinking and merrymaking will not begin until the 11 gross oversights listed above are enshrined.

Peresman has been patting himself on the back regarding the quality of the 2015 Hall of Fame Class.

Can you imagine how Pressman would react if he had a real Hall of Fame class to induct? He’d probably dislocate his shoulder trying to pat himself on his back to congratulate himself.

This week in rock history: “All Shook Up” by Elvis Presley – the top-selling song in 1957 – began an eight-week stay at No. 1 on April 20, 1957. … Cigar-chomping George Burns, 84, who starred in the movie “Oh God” with Brooke Shields and John Denver, became the oldest person to have a hit on the Hot 100 when “I Wish I Was 18 Again” peaked at No. 49 on April 20, 1980. … Tony Orlando & Dawn topped the charts on April 21, 1973, with “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Oak Tree.” It sold 6 million copies and was the year’s top hit.

After eight weeks as the best-selling song, “Theme From A Summer Place” by Percy Faith was finally dislodged on April 23, 1960, by “Stuck On You” by Elvis Presley. The movie, “A Summer Place,” starred teen heart throbs Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee. … “Surf City” by Jan and Dean with their friends, The Beach Boys, doing background vocals, became the first surf song to reach No. 1 on April 23, 1963.

Barry Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].