To help get Stevie Ray Vaughan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, vote here.
Well, it's finally happened. The late Stevie Ray Vaughan has actually been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Vaughan, whose first album, Texas Flood, was released in 1983 (31 years ago), who put blues and vintage Strats on the charts in the era of skinny ties and ridiculous hairstyles, who revitalized an entire musical genre, has never been nominated — until now.
This current crop of nominees also includes the late Lou Reed, plus the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (which featured guitarist Michael Bloomfield), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sting, War and Bill Withers.
To help get Vaughan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, vote here.
The list also includes a few more new candidates — Nine Inch Nails and Green Day — who were eligible for the first time this year, since artists’ first recordings must be at least 25 years old before they can be considered (Again, Texas Flood is 31 years old ...). Rounding out this year’s list of nominees are Chic, Kraftwerk, the Marvelettes, rap legends N.W.A, the Smiths and the Spinners.
Reed and Sting are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — for their work with the Velvet Underground (class of 1996) and the Police (class of 2003), respectively. This is Sting’s first nomination as a solo artist; Reed was nominated in 2000 and 2001.
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A panel will vote on these nominees soon, and the five artists with the most votes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in April 2015. Once again, fans can vote this year. The winner will get one vote among the 700 ballots cast. The ballot is live at RollingStone.com now. You can vote until December 9.
Last year's Rock Hall class included Nirvana, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt. The E Street Band received the Award for Musical Excellence and Beatles manager Brian Epstein and original Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham earned the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers.
To help get Vaughan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, vote here.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
