New Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Members...
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:16 pm
From USA Today:
A look at the members of the Class of 2015:
• Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The group's self-titled debut album in 1965 and their ambitious East-West a year later introduced an electrified version of Chicago-style blues to a young audience that was barely aware of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Harmonica player Butterfield and guitarist Mike Bloomfield fronted the group, which also included guitarist Elvin Bishop, keyboardist Mark Naftalin, drummer Sam Lay and bassist Jerome Arnold.
• Green Day. Formed in 1987 in Northern California, the group (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool) reinvigorated punk and garage rock and spread it to the mainstream with albums such as 1994's Dookie and 1995's Insomniac. The band's scathing, politically charged 2004 rock opera American Idiot (and subsequent Broadway musical) cemented the band's legacy.
• Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. After founding the all-female, pop-oriented Runaways in the '70s, Jett went for a more muscular sound with her next group, the Blackhearts (Gary Ryan, Lee Crystal, and Ricky Byrd). That blend of hard rock, glam, punk and metal resulted in the No. 1 hit I Love Rock 'N' Roll in 1982.
• Lou Reed. The uncompromising singer/songwriter/poet/guitarist earned his stripes (and a Hall of Fame induction) as co-founder of The Velvet Underground in the late 1960s, then launched a solo career in 1972 that lasted until his death in 2013. Often referred to as the "godfather of punk and grunge,'' Reed released influential works such as Transformer, Berlin and Magic and Loss that influenced artists from David Bowie to Arcade Fire to Metallica.
• Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. Vaughan, one of the most important guitarists in rock history, emerged from Texas in the late 1970s with the group Double Trouble (Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton) and blazed a trail of electrifying blues around the world. Jimi Hendrix and Albert King's influences were evident in the group's live performances, with hits such as Texas Flood and Pride and Joy cementing its recorded legacy.
• Bill Withers. His career lasted just 15 years and his first hit, 1971's Ain't No Sunshine, didn't come until he was 33, but Withers made his mark in R&B, disco, soul and jazz with his recordings and songwriting. Sunshine, along with Use Me and Lean on Me from 1972 and Lovely Day from 1977 became standards for the era.
• Ringo Starr. Following Starr's 1962-1970 with The Beatles, the drummer launched a career as a sideman and as a solo act. He was the first Beatle to have significant solo hits after the breakup, including It Don't Come Easy and Photograph, and he continues to perform with his All-Starr Band.
• The "5" Royales. From 1945 to 1965, the R&B group perfected a sound that incorporated gospel, jazz and blues into its group vocal harmonies. Lead vocalists Johnny and Eugene Tanner and guitarist/songwriter Lowman Pauling created hits later made famous by others, including Dedicated to the One I Love, Tell the Truth and Think.
A look at the members of the Class of 2015:
• Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The group's self-titled debut album in 1965 and their ambitious East-West a year later introduced an electrified version of Chicago-style blues to a young audience that was barely aware of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Harmonica player Butterfield and guitarist Mike Bloomfield fronted the group, which also included guitarist Elvin Bishop, keyboardist Mark Naftalin, drummer Sam Lay and bassist Jerome Arnold.
• Green Day. Formed in 1987 in Northern California, the group (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool) reinvigorated punk and garage rock and spread it to the mainstream with albums such as 1994's Dookie and 1995's Insomniac. The band's scathing, politically charged 2004 rock opera American Idiot (and subsequent Broadway musical) cemented the band's legacy.
• Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. After founding the all-female, pop-oriented Runaways in the '70s, Jett went for a more muscular sound with her next group, the Blackhearts (Gary Ryan, Lee Crystal, and Ricky Byrd). That blend of hard rock, glam, punk and metal resulted in the No. 1 hit I Love Rock 'N' Roll in 1982.
• Lou Reed. The uncompromising singer/songwriter/poet/guitarist earned his stripes (and a Hall of Fame induction) as co-founder of The Velvet Underground in the late 1960s, then launched a solo career in 1972 that lasted until his death in 2013. Often referred to as the "godfather of punk and grunge,'' Reed released influential works such as Transformer, Berlin and Magic and Loss that influenced artists from David Bowie to Arcade Fire to Metallica.
• Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. Vaughan, one of the most important guitarists in rock history, emerged from Texas in the late 1970s with the group Double Trouble (Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton) and blazed a trail of electrifying blues around the world. Jimi Hendrix and Albert King's influences were evident in the group's live performances, with hits such as Texas Flood and Pride and Joy cementing its recorded legacy.
• Bill Withers. His career lasted just 15 years and his first hit, 1971's Ain't No Sunshine, didn't come until he was 33, but Withers made his mark in R&B, disco, soul and jazz with his recordings and songwriting. Sunshine, along with Use Me and Lean on Me from 1972 and Lovely Day from 1977 became standards for the era.
• Ringo Starr. Following Starr's 1962-1970 with The Beatles, the drummer launched a career as a sideman and as a solo act. He was the first Beatle to have significant solo hits after the breakup, including It Don't Come Easy and Photograph, and he continues to perform with his All-Starr Band.
• The "5" Royales. From 1945 to 1965, the R&B group perfected a sound that incorporated gospel, jazz and blues into its group vocal harmonies. Lead vocalists Johnny and Eugene Tanner and guitarist/songwriter Lowman Pauling created hits later made famous by others, including Dedicated to the One I Love, Tell the Truth and Think.
