DIONNE WARWICK
Dionne Warwick, the East Orange native who has been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1989 but has rarely even been mentioned among potential candidates, received her first nomination today.
She tweeted: “To be awakened at 8am letting me know I’ve been nominated to the rock n roll hall of fame is quite a way to start my day! When God winks he does it with flair and a surprise. I’m thrilled!”
She is among 16 artists who have been nominated. The others include Jay-Z, Carole King, Mary J. Blige, Foo Fighters, the New York Dolls, Tina Turner, Devo, L.L. Cool J, Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, The Go-Go’s, Iron Maiden, Fela Kuti, Chaka Khan and Todd Rundgren.
King, whose landmark Tapestry album celebrates its 50th anniversary today, is already in the hall as a songwriter, but has now been nominated (for the second time) as a performer as well. The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl is already in the hall as a member of Nirvana, and Turner is in as part of the Ike & Tina Turner duo.
Warwick, who is the niece of Cissy Houston and a cousin of Whitney Houston, had a long string of hits from the ’60s to the ’80s, including “Walk On By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “That’s What Friends Are For” (with Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Elton John), “Then Came You” (with The Spinners) and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.”
Among those not nominated are Jethro Tull, Warren Zevon, Willie Nelson, Judas Priest, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morissette, Mötley Crüe, Tommy James, Duran Duran, Beck, Brian Eno, John Prine, Gram Parsons, the Dave Matthews Band, Kraftwerk, The Monkees, Chubby Checker and Pat Benatar.
Inductees will be announced in May, and the induction ceremony will take place this fall, in Cleveland.
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