The first presenters have been announced for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The regular order of induction at Rock Hall events is for a famous artist, sometimes associated with who is being inducted and, once awhile, having no connection, come on stage to talk about the merits of the inductee. That is followed by acceptance by the musicians and a performance of their music.
The first three presenters announced for 2017 are:
Neil Young who will induct Pearl Jam
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush who will induct Yes
Jackson Browne who will induct Joan Baez
Yet to be announced are the presenters for Journey, ELO, Tupac Shakur and Nile Rodgers.
The invitation that was extended to Lee and Lifeson may actually have been a result of a comment by late Yes bassist Chris Squire, who told a Los Angeles radio station awhile back “I haven’t given it much thought, maybe those Rush guys who got in last year! I’m pretty good friends with Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins, and they did a great speech for Rush… so probably not them, since they just did one. But if you know Geddy, let him know that that would be fine by me.”
Squire will be the subject of a special salute during the induction of Yes, a section that was added after Rick Wakeman said he was not attending because the honor came after Squire’s death. With the added presentation, Wakeman has now said he will be at the ceremony.
