Click here to view this photo gallery.

Good music knows no bounds, and on a crisp March evening, Park Avenue learned that truth firsthand. At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Waldorf=Astoria, pop icons mingled with heartland rockers as a new class of musical legends joined the esteemed Hall. With appearances by celebrities such as Clive Davis and Michael J. Fox, this year’s induction ceremony had no shortage of star power. Industry greats become eligible for induction 25 years after their first commercial recordings, and this year’s honorees were composed of a wide spectrum of popular artists.

Surf rock legends the Ventures, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (architects of the infamous “Philly soul” sound), the British Invasion’s Dave Clark Five, quirky singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, bluesman Little Walter, roots rocker John Mellencamp, and dance pop icon Madonna were all inducted in the 2008 ceremony. Tributes featured performances from Patti LaBelle, Tom Hanks, Ben Harper, Jerry Butler, and Lou Reed, among others. The speeches ranged from poignant to punchy, with Madonna thanking everyone who supported her, and the critics who derided her as ‘chubby’ and a ‘one-hit wonder.’ “There’s a little ‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ going on here in New York,” joked Gamble, in reference to the sex scandal involving the state’s governor, Eliot Spitzer. -todd williams

Send this Article to a Friend
facebook