Willie Nelson, who this year celebrated his 90th year on earth, is headed to the hall. The country music legend is one of seven performers announced for election to the 38th class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, according to rockhall.com.
Missy Elliot, in her first year of eligibility, went in on the first ballot, along with Nelson. They’ll be joined by Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Sheryl Crow, George Michael and the Spinners. The ceremony will be broadcast on HBO on Nov. 3, according to the website. The star-studded event will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The other inductees were selected by a ballot of more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals. The length and depth of artists’ careers, their influence on others, musical impact, body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique were taken into account by the voters.
Fans from around the world were able to vote for their favorites via the online rock ballot, which was closed on April 28 before Wednesday’s announcement.
Six more were chosen by a select committee, hall officials said.
Singer Chaka Khan, instrumentalist-producer Al Kooper and lyricist Bernie Taupin will enter in the “musical excellence” category. Seminal rock guitarist Link Wray and hip-hop originator DJ Kool Herc will enter in the “musical influence” division, with iconic “Soul Train” TV host Don Cornelius entering as the winner of the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Ertegun founded Atlantic Records and helped establish the careers of Ray Charles, John Coltrane, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin along with many others, according to the New York Times.