Some of the biggest music stars in the world gathered inside Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday night for the 36th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Taylor Swift opened the show with a performance of Carole King’s 1971 track “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” before praising King.
“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know Carole King’s music,” she said, adding that her parents told her at an early age that “Carole King is the greatest songwriter of all time.”
King, 79, said female artists “stand on the shoulders of the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” – Aretha Franklin. Jennifer Hudson belted out “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” a King song made famous by Franklin.
King was also inducted in 1990 with her husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin.
Tina Turner, who did not attend the ceremony, was honoured by Keith Urban and H.E.R. doing “It’s Only Love” (Urban replaced Bryan Adams, who tested positive for COVID-19) followed by Mickey Guyton (“What’s Love Got To Do With It”) and Christina Aguilera (“River Deep, Mountain High”).
Turner, now 81, was inducted in 1991 as half of Ike and Tina Turner.
Paul McCartney was on hand Saturday to welcome the Foo Fighters into the Rock Hall (Dave Grohl was inducted in 2014 as a member of Nirvana) and joined the band to close the show with the Beatles classic “Get Back.”
Jay-Z was praised in a video by former U.S. president Barack Obama, basketball star LeBron James and talk show host David Letterman. Jay-Z was inducted by Dave Chappelle, who said the rapper “embodies what the potential of our lives can be and what success can be.”
Also inducted as performers were The Go-Go’s and Todd Rundgren.
Early Influence Awards were presented to Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron and the Ahmet Ertegun Award was given to Clarence Avant (presented by Lionel Richie).
Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads were honoured with the Musical Excellence Award, as well as LL Cool J, who performed “Mama Said Knock You Out” and was joined on stage by Eminem and Jennifer Lopez respectively on “Rock the Bells” and “All I Have.
"What does LL really stand for?” Dr. Dre. “Ladies love? Living large? Licking lips? I’m here because I think it stands for living legend.”
The 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show will be shown on HBO later this month.