Joe Bonamassa wants the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to stop waiting for artists to die before inducting them
Joe Bonamassa has taken aim at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, criticising the institution for waiting too long to give deserving artists their dues.
His comments arrive in the wake of John Mayall’s recent death. Despite his towering influence in the blues world, Mayall only learned a few months before his passing that he was to be inducted into the at the age of 90, as part of the Musical Influence Award.
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Speaking on the Artists on Record podcast, Bonamassa says that while he was “glad” Mayall was at least aware of his impending induction before he passed, “I am sad and slightly pissed off that he didn’t live to see it because he deserved to go in decades ago.”
“There’s a lot of omissions that I think they need to start reconciling quickly, because you cannot wait for them all to die to then go, ‘Well, we’re gonna put you in posthumously.’ It means something. It would have meant something to John to get that statue.”
More importantly, Bonamassa argues that the organisation needs to start honouring living legends before they become, well, just legends.
“There’s a lot of people that are now ageing out or becoming in their late 70s and 80s that really should have been in decades ago,” he says. “They need to get them in because it’s the right thing to do for the artist.”
The guitarist also maintains that despite his criticism, he ‘likes’ the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: “They’re very nice people, always had a great relationship with them. Just for their own organisation and credibility, something with Paul Rodgers needs to go in the fucking Hall. You mean to tell me Free is not a Hall of Famer? Come on.”
Along with John Mayall, Alexis Korner, who died in 1984, will also receive the Musical Excellence Award this year. MC5, Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, and more are also included in the class of 2024.
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