This day in music - January 17, 1990: The fifth class is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

By Richard K. Barry

The class included Hank Ballard; Bobby Darin; The Four Seasons; The Four Tops; The Kinks; The Platters; Simon & Garfunkel; and The Who. It also included Louis Armstrong; Charlie Christian; Gerry Goffin and Carole King; Holland, Dozier and Holland; and Ma Rainey.

I like to tell the story about the time I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, or, I should say, the time I walked past it. A good buddy had invited me down to see a Cleveland Browns game and, to get to the stadium, you have to walk right past the Hall of Fame. I do love football, but I could just as easily have made the right-hand turn and spent the day checking out Rock and Roll history.

It was a beautiful day at the stadium and a good time was had by all, though I haven't been back to Cleveland since. Some day.

From the class of 1990, I'll pick a clip of The Platters doing "The Great Pretender," performed in 1955.

Though there were many personnel changes for the group, the most successful line-up was lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor.


(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)