Rock Hall

It was an emotional roller-coaster at the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night in Los Angeles, even more so than usual for the annual event. Consider disco queen Donna Summer , whose husband and three daughters accepted the award for her posthumously, 11 months after the singer and songwriter lost her battle with cancer. Or 80-year-old producer Quincy Jones -- the most nominated Grammy Award winner ever -- who said his induction into the Rock Hall made him feel “that finally, I have arrived.” Also enduring a long wait for recognition was Heart, whose founding sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were finally admitted to what's historically been the boys' club of hard rock music after a decade of eligibility.

In the aftermath of Monday's deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon, sports teams have been playing Neil Diamond's “Sweet Caroline” in efforts to give solace to those affected by the tragedy. “What resonates for me tonight is the way music can offer comfort to people in times of joy or sorrow,” Diamond, 72, told The Times on his way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night in L.A. “Tonight there are so many people getting awards, and sometimes you sense the questions 'Why are we doing this?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is beginning to take shape. Officials announced Wednesday that Don Henley would welcome Randy Newman into the Hall in April, while John Mayer will induct blues legend Albert King.  In addition, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson will sing in conjunction with the entrance of disco queen Donna Summer into the Rock Hall, and Mayer will be joined by Gary Clark Jr. in a performance honoring King....

It was an emotional roller-coaster at the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night in Los Angeles, even more so than usual for the annual event. Consider disco queen Donna Summer , whose husband and three daughters accepted the award for her posthumously, 11 months after the singer and songwriter lost her battle with cancer. Or 80-year-old producer Quincy Jones -- the most nominated Grammy Award winner ever -- who said his induction into the Rock Hall made him feel “that finally, I have arrived.” Also enduring a long wait for recognition was Heart, whose founding sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were finally admitted to what's historically been the boys' club of hard rock music after a decade of eligibility.

Among the first orders of business for Greg Harris on Monday on the announcement of his new post as president and chief executive at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was to throw on a few of his favorite records during breakfast at home. “I was digging into some stuff I hadn't heard in a while,” Harris, 47, said from the museum's headquarters in Cleveland. “The first thing I wanted to hear was something off Bruce Springsteen's 'Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.,' so I put on 'Growin' Up.' Then we went to some Bob Dylan, some Otis Redding, and then the Clash.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is getting a new chief executive, with its vice president of development Gregory S. Harris succeeding longtime President and CEO Terry Stewart at the helm when Stewart steps down at the end of this year. Board chair William W. Rowley, who headed a seven-member search committee that began in May after Stewart announced his decision to retire at the end of the year, said of Harris:  “His passion for music, his tremendous success as our head of development and his strong track record at the Baseball Hall of Fame provide an outstanding combination of skills that will help drive the continued success of the museum.” Before joining the rock hall in 2008, Harris spent 14 years at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Anyone curious about his rock music credentials need only look back to the 1980s, when he and a partner launched and operated the Philadelphia Record Exchange retail store, where he exploited a lifelong passion for rock, blues, soul, country, folk, punk and other branches of pop music.

When shortstop Barry Larkin was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July, Reds fans looking to defend his entry had mounds of measurable data at their disposal: 12-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, league MVP, first shortstop to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season. The truth of his talent was in the numbers. How does one gauge the worthiness of Donna Summer's entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, announced Tuesday along with five others?

Check the thermostat in hell -- it appears to have dropped below 32 degrees: Long-snubbed  Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush will at long last be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, along with Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Heart and Albert King. Rush's absence from the Rock Hall year in and year out has spurred more complaints from fans than any other uninducted act, but Rush fans can now change their jeers to cheers. Rush and the other new inductees will be welcomed into the Rock Hall on April 18 in a ceremony that will take place for the first time in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre.

This weekend, Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will throw its annual induction ceremony and concert to celebrate its newest members, which include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donovan and Guns N' Roses. Make that four-fifths of Guns N' Roses. Singer and co-founder Axl Rose released an open letter to the Rock Hall on Wednesday morning on The Times' Pop & Hiss blog declaring he'd skip the ceremony. He also requested that he not be inducted into the hall. "I won't be attending The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction 2012 Ceremony and I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N' Roses to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," Rose, 50, wrote in the letter.

Rush or Chic? Randy Newman or N.W.A? Music fans have about a week left to let their voices be heard for the first time on who deserves to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. Fortunately, making a choice between those artists isn't entirely necessary, considering members of the public can vote for up to five of the performers who made the final ballot for 2013 induction, which will take place for the first time in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre on April 18. Voting continues through Monday, Dec. 3. Other artists in line for possible induction are Deep Purple, Donna Summer, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Heart, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Albert King, Kraftwerk, the Marvelettes, Public Enemy, the Meters and Procol Harum.

This post has been updated. See note below for details. “It's a good year to be having this in L.A.,” said Greg Harris, the new president and chief executive of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, referring to tonight's induction ceremony taking place at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live downtown, the first time in two decades the event has been held in Los Angeles. He was referring to the contingent of L.A.-based artists being honored. Randy Newman is among the performer inductees, and veteran record executive Lou Adler and producer-arranger-conductor-composer Quincy Jones are among the non-performers entering the hall this year.

“Rolling Stones: 50 Years of Satisfaction,” billed as “the first ever major exhibition” on the group long-ago dubbed “the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band,” will open May 24 for what is slated to be a 10-month run at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland , officials announced Feb. 27. The show will span the group's half-century career and include “personal items and extraordinary collections that have never...

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is beginning to take shape. Officials announced Wednesday that Don Henley would welcome Randy Newman into the Hall in April, while John Mayer will induct blues legend Albert King.  In addition, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson will sing in conjunction with the entrance of disco queen Donna Summer into the Rock Hall, and Mayer will be joined by Gary Clark Jr. in a performance honoring King....

When shortstop Barry Larkin was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July, Reds fans looking to defend his entry had mounds of measurable data at their disposal: 12-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, league MVP, first shortstop to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season. The truth of his talent was in the numbers. How does one gauge the worthiness of Donna Summer's entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, announced Tuesday along with five others?

Check the thermostat in hell -- it appears to have dropped below 32 degrees: Long-snubbed  Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush will at long last be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, along with Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Heart and Albert King. Rush's absence from the Rock Hall year in and year out has spurred more complaints from fans than any other uninducted act, but Rush fans can now change their jeers to cheers. Rush and the other new inductees will be welcomed into the Rock Hall on April 18 in a ceremony that will take place for the first time in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre.

The saga of Lamb of God's Randy Blythe continues with the singer's being indicted on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic in connection with the death of a fan at a 2010 concert. The frontman of the Virginia-based metal band spent five weeks in a Czech prison earlier this year, accused of pushing a fan from the stage during a performance. That fan died from a head injury. Blythe has denied the charges. In a statement Monday, Lamb of God's manager, Larry Mazer, said, "Obviously, we intend to fight vigorously against these charges as we feel that in no way did Randy intend to cause bodily harm on the young fan who subsequently died from injuries sustained at the show.

This post has been updated. See note below for details. “It's a good year to be having this in L.A.,” said Greg Harris, the new president and chief executive of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, referring to tonight's induction ceremony taking place at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live downtown, the first time in two decades the event has been held in Los Angeles. He was referring to the contingent of L.A.-based artists being honored. Randy Newman is among the performer inductees, and veteran record executive Lou Adler and producer-arranger-conductor-composer Quincy Jones are among the non-performers entering the hall this year.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's salute to Chuck Berry as the 2012 honoree for its "American Masters" series will be capped with a multi-artist concert featuring Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC, New York Dolls singer David Johansen, roots-rock singer-songwriter-guitarist Rosie Flores, Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Joe Bonamassa, Oklahoma singer-songwriter John Fullbright and several others, including Berry...

Among the first orders of business for Greg Harris on Monday on the announcement of his new post as president and chief executive at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was to throw on a few of his favorite records during breakfast at home. “I was digging into some stuff I hadn't heard in a while,” Harris, 47, said from the museum's headquarters in Cleveland. “The first thing I wanted to hear was something off Bruce Springsteen's 'Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.,' so I put on 'Growin' Up.' Then we went to some Bob Dylan, some Otis Redding, and then the Clash.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is getting a new chief executive, with its vice president of development Gregory S. Harris succeeding longtime President and CEO Terry Stewart at the helm when Stewart steps down at the end of this year. Board chair William W. Rowley, who headed a seven-member search committee that began in May after Stewart announced his decision to retire at the end of the year, said of Harris:  “His passion for music, his tremendous success as our head of development and his strong track record at the Baseball Hall of Fame provide an outstanding combination of skills that will help drive the continued success of the museum.” Before joining the rock hall in 2008, Harris spent 14 years at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Anyone curious about his rock music credentials need only look back to the 1980s, when he and a partner launched and operated the Philadelphia Record Exchange retail store, where he exploited a lifelong passion for rock, blues, soul, country, folk, punk and other branches of pop music.