Tonight is the night we’ve all been waiting for. Country music legend Willie Nelson will be honored in tonight’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, along with other inductees and music industry icons Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliot, The Spinners, Rage Against the Machine and the late George Michael.
If you’re wondering how some of these folks made the bid, the Rock Hall updated their mission statement to define rock and roll as “a spirit that is inclusive and ever-changing” that “celebrates the sound of youth culture.” According to the Rock Hall, artists are considered if they have “created music whose originality, impact and influence has changed the course of rock & roll,” and are “required to have released their first album 25 years prior to induction.”
Well, we’d say Willie checks all the boxes.
In fact, the 90 year old, credited for the “outlaw movement” (among other things), released his first album “…And Then I Wrote,” 61 years ago and has continued making music ever since. He’s probably writing a song as we speak.
This will mark the third music Hall of Fame induction for Nelson, who’s been a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame since 1993 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame since 2001. With 14 GRAMMYs, 11 CMAs and countless songs spanning generations, it’s a wonder why he wasn’t inducted sooner. Nonetheless, he’ll join Johnny Cash as the second Highwayman to receive this honor and we can’t help but believe that Waylon and Kris will be next.
Read the Rock Hall’s official write-up of Willie here.
You can watch the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY at 7 p.m. CT tonight on Disney+. The 2-hour special will include live performances by Stevie Nicks, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Elton John, Brandi Carlile and more.
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