good music without the gatekeeping

 

Dolly Parton made a New York Times headline this week, when Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wanted to nominate her for induction and she declined, saying she really doesn't do rock and roll, she's country.

(Although she recorded the Jerry Lee Lewis song, "Great Balls of Fire" in the 1970s.  The disc jockeys at WBCN in Boston were playing it.  That's rock & roll.  But she probably feels like if you have one rock song and 80 billion country songs, you're country.  Fair enough.)

The article inspired many Reader Comments -- people feel like a lot of non-rock-and-roll singers are in the rock and roll hall of fame -- Jay Z, etc.

A commenter in New Zealand wrote,

------------------ The name "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" says it all.  It is about fame.  While many very worthwhile artists have been inducted, no one gets in without a massive career, and then often not without a lot of lobbying from fans (i.e., Rush and Deep Purple).  

That is why you will never see Tower of Power in there.  

Or King Crimson.  

Or a whole slew of bands that may not have sold a lot, but were brilliant, innovative, and in some cases hugely influential on the genre as a whole.  

        How many folks know of Urban Dance Squad, who predate Rage Against the Machine?  

Imagine a Rock and Roll "Hall of Excellence" instead, in which we also honor Mother's Finest, Gentle Giant, Living Colour, The Guess Who, King's X, Kansas -- or just simply celebrate good music without the gatekeeping.  Why we need to  make a contest out of music is beyond me.  The whole idea is idiotic in the extreme.

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