Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 21, 1994 TAG: 9401210332
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By MARY CAMPBELL ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Other honorees at Wednesday's ceremony included The Grateful Dead; The Band; The Animals; Elton John; Rod Stewart; and guitar great Duane Eddy.
McCartney, who inducted Lennon into the hall of fame, did it in the form of a letter to his fellow Beatle. He recalled the two of them heading for Spain with money Lennon got for his 21st birthday. They got as far as Paris, where they got a haircut.
``It ended up being the Beatle haircut,'' McCartney said.
Lennon was murdered in 1980. His sons, Julian and Sean, joined widow Yoko Ono as she thanked the crowd for Lennon's second induction into the hall. The Beatles were inducted as a group in 1988.
McCartney confirmed that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr will head back to the studio to record new songs for a TV documentary.
``For old time's sake we're going to give it a whirl,'' he said.
Marley, who died of cancer in 1981, was inducted by U2 lead singer Bono.
The Grateful Dead's bass guitarist, Phil Lesh, thanked the audience on behalf of his group, borrowing from their song ``Truckin''' ``It has been long, it has been strange, and it has definitely been a trip.''
Jerry Garcia, the Dead's singer-guitarist, was represented by a cardboard cutout, having said tuxedo-clad events weren't his scene.
The Band's original lineup hadn't performed together since the group filmed ``The Last Waltz'' in 1976. But guitarist Robbie Robertson and the others took the stage with Eric Clapton for the gala's traditional jam session, playing their classic ``The Weight.''
Axl Rose, lead singer for the hard-rock band Guns 'N Roses, inducted John, calling him ``an inspiration.''
John, speaking backstage, was more modest about his accomplishments. ``I'm the boy next door, you know, the overchubby kid who made the grade, or not,'' he said. ``Anyone can make it if they try.''
Stewart missed the ceremony to stay in Southern California with his family following the earthquake.
Bluesman Willie Dixon was also among those inducted posthumously, as an ``early influence,'' while '50s R&B producer-songwriter Johnny Otis was admitted as a nonperformer.
by CNB