Correction appended.
A new class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees was honored at Cleveland’s Public Hall this past weekend. The onstage band reunions made for some classic rock n’ roll moments, but it was the undeniable range and durability of the female vocalists that stole the show.
The Cars, Bon Jovi, The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe joined fellow legends at the celebration.
Bon Jovi took the stage after a lengthy video and a raunchy speech from Howard Stern, laced with jabs at Jann Wenner. The New Jersey boys delivered a power-set singalong of “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “It’s My Life.”
“You either played for fun or you played for keeps,” Jon Bon Jovi said after reminiscing sneaking into a New York record label with no receptionist to distribute his single demo of “Runaway.”
The Cars delivered a visually stunning medley of “Moving In Stereo,” “You Might Think,” “Just What I Needed” and “My Best Friend’s Girl.”
“Mostly it was just good noise with good music,” frontman Ric Ocasek said of the band’s success in an unconventional lane for its time period.
The band cast a nostalgic spell over the room, but the absence of Benjamin Orr in his hometown was felt. The Cars played “Moving In Stereo” and “Just What I Needed” as a tribute to Orr, who sang lead on the tracks original recordings.
Neither of the bands’ lead singers displayed particularly well-preserved vocals, but the instrumentals across the board were stunning.
In the vocal realm, things picked up when Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes took the stage with The Roots to honor Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Howard’s range, unique style and flawless execution lit up the room.
The peak, however, came when Nina Simone was honored. The late classical pianist and social activist was inducted by Mary J. Blige.
Simone started playing piano when she was 3 years old. At her first recital, Simone’s parents were asked to move to make room for white guests. The 10-year-old refused to start playing until her parents were returned to their seats in the front row. That was the first of many fearless acts of defiance.
“She was confident in what she did and she knew why she did it,” Blige said.
Andra Day and Lauryn Hill teamed up to honor the queen of defying the odds with the best vocals I’ve ever heard live.
Day sang "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" and Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You,” which Simone did a popular cover of. Day somehow managed to screech the end of “I Put A Spell on You,” without losing the strength and control of her vocals.
Hill was dressed to the nines in an eccentric feathery dress with a full tutu for her breathtaking deliverance of “Ne Me Quitte Pas," "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and "Feeling Good."
Come hell or high water, the pair set out to make sure Simone finally saw her day in the sun. It was a wakeup call as to what black women in this industry have always been capable of, and for how long their spark has been snuffed.
The Moody Blues closed the show with a diverse set including “Your Wildest Dreams,” “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock and Roll Band)” and “Nights In White Satin.”
Anne Wilson inducted the British band saying you could, “leave this dimension” with its music.
Fans seated in the balcony waved a banner with blue script and decor that simply read, “Finally,” as the band has been eligible for a quarter of a century.
Halle Weber is a sophomore studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think? Let Halle know by tweeting at her @HalleWeber13.
Correction: A previous version of this column had spelled Sister Rosetta Tharpe's name incorrectly on second reference and included misinformation of who sang the songs "Just What I Needed" and "Moving in Stereo." The column has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
