Madonna Inducted To Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame At Waldorf Astoria

March 12, 2008

(Long Island, N.Y.) Somewhat of a surprise occurred at the induction ceremonies of the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when pop princess Madonna was immortalized among Rock and Roll gods and goddesses on Tuesday in a sparkling event held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.

The Rock & Roll hall of fame acknowledges industry changing artists specifically in the Rock & Roll genre. Past inductees included some of the best-known and the most influential artists and producers who have in some major way influenced the music industry, particularly in the area of rock and roll. Former inductees includes Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley.

In her acceptance speech, Madonna acknowledged life-changing advice one of her teachers in high school gave her when she was just 14 years old. “When I was 14, a teacher once told me to “Follow my dreams”. Thirty-five years later, people are still encouraging me to believe in my dreams, what more could I ask for? Even the people who “said I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing, that I was a one-hit wonder, they helped me, too,” she said. “They inspired me because they made me question myself repeatedly and pushed me to be better.”

Nomination process for the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction is severely disciplined. A committee which consists of musical historians selects names from four categories ranging from performers, non-performers, early influences and Sidemen. The names selected are then elevated for voting among the industry’s top experts including industry insiders, producers and journalists taking into consideration several criterions such as longevity of the individual in the industry and his/her considerable influence in the field of music.

Pop artist and teen icon Justin Timberlake welcomed Madonna into the Hall of Fame in a speech peppered with comedic twists regarding his experience with Madonna. “The world is full of Madonna wanna-bees. I might have even dated a couple. But there is truly only one Madonna. I felt ill one day while working on Madonna’s new album and she asked whether I wanted a B-12 shot. I said sure, expecting a doctor to show up, but Madonna pulled out a syringe and said, “Drop ‘em. After I pulled my pants back up, She looked at me and said, ‘That’s top shelf,’ and that was one of the greatest days of my life,” he said.

Posted by News LI Editor · Edited by Brianna - Filed Under Entertainment