NEW YORK (AP) — Sheryl Crow and Olivia Rodrigo kicked off the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday night with an electric rendition of the Crow’s hit “If It Makes You Happy,” two generations of singer-songwriters bonding over a crunchy 1990s rocker.
The two singers — both in black — traded verses as they both played guitars. At the song’s end, Rodrigo pointed to Crow, who made a small bow. Stevie Nicks later joined Crow for a performance of “Strong Enough” and Peter Frampton came out to help sing “Everyday Is a Winding Road.”
“This is a little bit like getting an Oscar for a screenplay you have not finished writing,” Crow said. She thanked her parents for unconditional love “and piano lessons.” She called music a “universal gift.”
Fellow inductees Missy Elliott, Chaka Khan and Willie Nelson also were expected to be taking the mic. The ceremony in New York City is streaming live for the first time on Disney+.
Laura Dern inducted Crow, calling her friend “a badass goddess.” Dern said the music business initially had no idea what to do with a Southern female guitar-playing singer-songwriter. But it soon learned. “She mapped out the chapters of our lives,” Dern said.
Elton John is coming out of retirement to perform and toast his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, and Andrew Ridgeley will honor his partner in Wham!, the late George Michael, who attracted an intriguing trio of performers in his honor: Miguel, Carrie Underwood and Adam Levine. Another posthumous inductee is “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius.
The ceremony in Brooklyn will feature St. Vincent honoring Kate Bush, who is riding a new wave in popularity after the TV show “Stranger Things” featured her song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).” Bush didn’t make it to Friday’s ceremony.
“I am completely blown away by this huge honour — an award that sits in the big beating heart of the American music industry,” she said in a statement. “Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. I never imagined I would be given this wonderful accolade.”
Queen Latifah will present Elliott, who becomes the first female hip-hop artist in the rock hall. Elliott will then take the Barclay’s Center stage for a performance. The four-time Grammy Award-winner is also the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Dave Matthews, Brandi Carlile and Chris Stapleton will join Nelson onstage, while New Edition will perform for inductees The Spinners, represented by members John Edwards and Henry Fambrough. H.E.R., Sia and Common will accompany Khan, described by the hall as “one of the mightiest and most influential voices in music.”
Also entering the hall as the class of 2023 are Rage Against the Machine, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray and Al Kooper. LL COOL J will present DJ Kool Herc and Ice-T will present Rage Against the Machine.
The ceremony’s strong representation of women this year comes not long after the hall removed Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner from its board of directors. Wenner, who also co-founded the hall, had said that Black and female musicians “didn’t articulate at the level” of the white musicians featured in his new book of interviews. He later apologized.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction. Nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals.
ABC will air a special featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1.
___
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
