Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Dr. John to be inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Today, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced the Alice Cooper Band, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Darlene Love and Tom Waits as its 2011 performer inductees. Also being inducted this year as individual recipients of the Ahmet Ertegun Award are Jac Holzman and Art Rupe. The Award for Musical Excellence (previously the Sidemen category) will be presented to Leon Russell. The 26th annual ceremony will take place on Monday, March 14, 2011, at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and be broadcast on Fuse, Madison Square Garden's national music television network.

The 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen by more than 500 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first recording.

All inductees are ultimately represented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Through approaches as creative and diverse as the music itself, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum tells the story of rock music with its exhibits, education programs and Library and Archives.

Presenters and performers at the induction will be announced at a later date.

- See all Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees from Louisiana

- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame web site



Dr. John photo by Bruce Weber


Dr. John, or Mac Rebennack as known to friends and family, is universally celebrated as the living embodiment of the rich musical heritage of New Orleans.

His very colorful musical career began in the 1950s when he wrote and played guitar on some of the greatest records to come out of the Crescent City, including recordings by Professor Longhair, Art Neville, Joe Tex and Frankie Ford. A notorious gun incident forced the artist to give up the guitar and concentrate on organ and piano.

Further trouble at home sent Dr. John west in the 1960s, where he continued to be in demand as a session musician, playing on records by Sonny and Cher, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones infamous Exile on Main Street, to name a few.

During that time he also launched his solo career, developing the charismatic persona of Dr. John The Night Tripper. Adorned with voodoo charms and regalia, a legend was born with his breakthrough 1968 album Gris-Gris, which established his unique blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm & blues, psychedelic rock and Creole roots.

Several of his many career highlights include the masterful album The Sun, Moon and Herbs in 1971 which included cameos from Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger and 1973's In The Right Place, which contained the chart hits "Right Place Wrong Time" and "Such A Night."

Dr. John garnered Grammy award wins in 1989 (for "Makin' Whoopee!"), 1992 (Goin' Back To New Orleans), 1996 ("SRV Shuffle") and 2000 ("Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby").

In 2004, his musical love letter to the city of New Orleans, N'Awlinz Dis Dat or D'udda, was awarded the prestigious Académie Charles Cros 57ème Palmarès award in France. It was the first time since the 1970s that an artist from North America received the award.

He has also received six other nominations over the years. In 2007 he was nominated for a Grammy for Sippiana Hericane, his Hurricane Katrina benefit disc.

Other awards include the American Society of Young Musicians 2007 Trailblazer Award.

After Hurricane Katrina and government bunglers bashed New Orleans in 2005, Dr. John immediately stepped up to the plate with both generous relief fund-raising concerts and recordings and angry public words of protest. In 2008 he released City That Care Forgot, an album winning him a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

In the August 2010 release, Tribal, Dr. John revisited the classic swampy gris-gris style that put him on the map. Tribal has since received a Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category (Grammy winners will be announced on February 13, 2011).

After a half century of creating music for others and himself, Dr. John continues to write, arrange, produce and interpret with a passion that has yet to wane. He continues to tour consistently, to the dazzle and delight of audiences across the globe.

- Dr. John page @ the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

- Dr. John Discography

- Dr. John official site

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