Acclaimed Music Forum

schleuse

Jul 8, 08 - 6:20 PM

HOA results thread

It’s time to reveal the first four inductees to the Hall of Acclaim!

In our Class of 1960, the top three artists were very clear: ELVIS PRESLEY, HANK WILLIAMS, and CHUCK BERRY.

As for the fourth spot…well, that was a very close call. As in a three-way tie, no less. Just squeaking in past the competition to claim the fourth spot in our inaugural class is the late BUDDY HOLLY. Buddy appeared on eight of fourteen ballots, while the two artists he was tied with on points—Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra—appeared on only seven. Little Richard was very close behind that group.

(Representatives of the Hall will be informing the living HOAers of this signal honor at their current places of business: the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany, and Club Bandstand in St. Louis, Missouri—whose owner/manager, one of our inductees, is apparently in some legal trouble. Tasteful wreaths will be laid at the graves of the two posthumous electees, in Montgomery, Alabama, and Lubbock, Texas.)

****

Here are the extended results, showing point totals for the top 20 artists. The number of ballots on which the artist appeared is shown in parentheses.

1. ELVIS PRESLEY: 92 (11)
2. HANK WILLIAMS: 82 (10)
3. CHUCK BERRY: 79 (12)
4. BUDDY HOLLY: 43 (8)
5. Billie Holiday: 43 (7)
6. Frank Sinatra: 43 (7)
7. Little Richard: 41 (6)
8. Louis Armstrong: 34 (8)
9. Duke Ellington: 32 (8)
10. Robert Johnson: 32 (5)
11. Miles Davis: 19 (3)
12. Bo Diddley: 15 (2)
13. Leadbelly: 13 (3)
14. Johnny Cash: 13 (3)
15. Muddy Waters: 13 (2)
16. Fats Domino: 12 (3)
17. Woody Guthrie: 11 (2)
18. Bill Monroe: 9 (2)
18. Charlie Parker: 9 (2)
20. Ray Charles: 9 (2)

Two other artists appeared on three different ballots, but didn’t make the top 20: Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmie Rodgers. In all, 46 different artists received at least one vote, with 26 of those appearing on more than one ballot.

****

Some random thoughts: rock & roll, obviously, carried the top of the results (making allowances for Hank). However, the rest of the top 20 was pretty well-balanced among genres. Using the (slightly arbitrary) categories of Allmusic, five of the top 20 are Rock, four are Jazz, three are Country, and there are two each for Vocal, Blues, Folk and R&B. (Where the dividing line is between R&B and early rock is left as an exercise for the listener…)

The great pre-rock vocalists (Billie and Frank) seem to have cancelled each other out to some extent, as did, lower down in the top 10, the pre-rock jazz greats (Louis and Duke).

****

Of course, leave us not forget the Backstage Wing, whose first inductee is Mr. SAM PHILLIPS of Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. This category was a close two-way fight, with Phillips edging out Alan Freed, 16 points to 15; the only other entry to receive more than one vote was the writing team of Leiber & Stoller.

****

OK, so, at last, we have five inductees. Now they get their reward: their plaques. I’m going to start a plaque discussion thread shortly (and, yes, I know that sounds less Acclaimed Music and more American Dental Association), since I’d like to reserve this thread for announcing election results (like the old bracketology results thread).

I’ll also be posting the 1961 discussion thread in a few.

Thanks to everyone who made the first HOA election a success!

Paul

Jul 8th, 2008 - 8:04 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Well done.

Are you going to be posting a list of artists who are newly eligible this time around?

schleuse

Jul 9th, 2008 - 12:15 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Yep.

Max

Jul 9th, 2008 - 10:35 AM

Re: HOA results thread

"the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany"

Hahaha.

schleuse

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 3:32 PM

1961 Results

In the Class of 1961, one artist was inducted in a landslide: LITTLE RICHARD.

After him, the competition was considerably tougher, but the HOA does now have some non-rock representation—the other new members of the club are FRANK SINATRA, MILES DAVIS (last year’s Sketches of Spain gave him a big push), and BILLIE HOLIDAY.

Bubbling under were Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and Robert Johnson.

(Where are our inductees at the beginning of 1961? Little Richard has renounced rock & roll and become a gospel singer. Sinatra has left Capitol Records and formed his own label, Reprise; his first Reprise album, Ring-a-Ding-Ding, is in the can and will be released shortly. Miles’ second great quintet is slowly breaking up—Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Cannonball Adderley are all doing their own thing now. And Billie Holiday, who died in 1959, is buried in St. Raymond’s Cemetery, The Bronx, New York.)

****

The full top twenty:

1. LITTLE RICHARD: 81 (10)
2. FRANK SINATRA: 51 (7)
3. MILES DAVIS: 47 (7)
4. BILLIE HOLIDAY: 45 (9)
5. Louis Armstrong: 44 (7)
6. Ray Charles: 37 (6)
7. Duke Ellington: 36 (6)
8. Robert Johnson: 34 (6)
9. Muddy Waters: 27 (5)
10. Bo Diddley: 25 (5)
11. Fats Domino: 24 (5)
12. The Everly Brothers: 22 (4)*
13. The Carter Family: 18 (2)
14. Jerry Lee Lewis: 16 (4)
15. Bill Monroe: 14 (2)
16. Woody Guthrie: 13 (2)
17. Leadbelly: 13 (2)
18. Johnny Cash: 12 (5)
19. Jimmie Rodgers: 12 (2)
20. Howlin’ Wolf: 11 (2)

Artists marked with an asterisk were first-time vote-getters this year.

The only artist not shown above that appeared on three different ballots was the Platters. 48 different artists received votes this time.

****

In the backstage wing, this year’s inductee is ALAN FREED, currently a disc jockey at KDAY in Santa Monica, California (after he became persona non grata back east due to the payola scandal).

The nearest runners-up to Freed were Willie Dixon and Cole Porter.

****

On the subject of plaques: apart from most of us thinking plaques are a great idea, nobody (including me, I confess) seems to be lining up to write them. I’m not too sure how this will work out; for now, I’ll just re-link to the plaque discussion thread and see if anybody has any suggestions about how we might proceed…

****

Many thanks to everybody who participated!

The 1962 discussion thread will go up later today.

schleuse

Aug 5th, 2008 - 1:44 PM

Re: HOA results thread

The HOA Class of 1962 is a virtual Who’s Whom of 20th-century African-American music traditions. We have jazz, blues, and R&B in the persons of ROBERT JOHNSON, LOUIS ARMSTRONG, DUKE ELLINGTON, and RAY CHARLES. Nobody else was really very close, but the next two were the Everly Brothers and Muddy Waters.

(At the beginning of 1962, our three living inductees are still going strong—in fact, Armstrong and Ellington recorded an album together in the past year. Louis Armstrong is still touring with his All-Stars. Duke Ellington will play his first concert as a solo pianist at New York’s Museum of Modern Art on January 4. Ray Charles is currently working on an album of country music, of all things. And Robert Johnson died 22 years ago; his gravesite is unclear but is almost certainly in the vicinity of Greenwood, Mississippi.)

****

The full top twenty:

1. ROBERT JOHNSON: 59 (8)
2. LOUIS ARMSTRONG: 58 (8)
3. DUKE ELLINGTON: 53 (8)
4. RAY CHARLES: 48 (8)
5. The Everly Brothers: 32 (5)
6. Muddy Waters: 29 (6)
7. Jerry Lee Lewis: 24 (6)
8. John Coltrane: 24 (4)
9. Bill Monroe: 23 (4)
10. Fats Domino: 22 (4)
10. Woody Guthrie: 22 (4)
12. Roy Orbison: 21 (4)
13. Bo Diddley: 20 (3)
14. Bill Evans: 18 (2)*
15. Jimmie Rodgers: 17 (3)
16. Georges Brassens: 17 (2)
17. Johnny Cash: 16 (5)
18. Del Shannon: 16 (2)*
19. Leadbelly: 14 (3)
20. Thelonious Monk: 12 (3)

* - first-time vote-getter.

****

This year’s backstage inductee is COLE PORTER. The 70-year-old Porter, one of the greatest American songwriters, is now a recluse, and is no longer working.

Porter won this one going away, with 13 points; the nearest runners-up were Leiber & Stoller (8) and Alan Lomax (7).

****

And on the vexed subject of plaques: each plaque will be a thread. I’ll make the initial post, with just a little basic biographic information (as of the “year” the plaque goes up; this can be emended later), and then anyone can post a testimonial, an image, a link, or whatever.

In hindsight, I should have realized that was a much better idea—as several of you, including Moonbeam, Paul, and Anthony, did. My only caveat: PLEASE, let’s not turn the plaques into flame wars. We’re celebrating these artists, not debating them (for now).

Once I’ve got the ’63 discussion thread up later today (weather permitting), I’ll put together a sample plaque thread for our first inductee (Elvis) and post that tomorrow. After that, I’ll try to do about one a day until we’re caught up—we already have 15 inductees, so that’ll take about 2 weeks.

****

Thanks again to all participants.

Mitchell Stirling

Aug 5th, 2008 - 3:46 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Now we're down to 1963 I feel I can participate on more of a level playing field. Not that I have no knowledge of pre-Beatles music, just don't listen to it enough to feel like I'm invested in the process. Good results so far though!

Midaso

Aug 5th, 2008 - 10:09 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Me too - I might participate soon - just a pretty basic knowledge of the early stuff...

schleuse

Aug 19th, 2008 - 3:26 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Big Trane, Big Muddy, and two more members of the Million Dollar Quartet join the Hall of Acclaim this year. Our 1963 inductees are JOHN COLTRANE, JOHNNY CASH, MUDDY WATERS, and JERRY LEE LEWIS.

Jerry Lee was tied with the next two runners-up—Bill Monroe and the Everly Brothers—but both of them appeared on fewer ballots than Mr. Lewis. Also not too far behind are Fats Domino, Woody Guthrie, and Thelonious Monk.

(As the calendar ticks over into 1963, two of our inductees seem to be doing quite well: Coltrane is working with the so-called “Classic Quartet” of McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Jimmy Garrison, and Muddy Waters has just had a minor comeback with the singles “You Shook Me” and “You Need Love.” Johnny Cash’s behavior, on the other hand, has become increasingly erratic (drug use, arson) and Jerry Lee has seemingly vanished totally; nearly five years after his scandalous third marriage, his Sun Records contract is about to expire…not that it matters, as he’s recorded only one single since the late fifties.)

****

The full top twenty:

1. JOHN COLTRANE: 51 (8)
2. JOHNNY CASH: 40 (7)
3. MUDDY WATERS: 39 (7)
4. JERRY LEE LEWIS: 36 (7)
5. Bill Monroe: 36 (5)
6. The Everly Brothers: 36 (5)
7. Fats Domino: 34 (7)
8. Woody Guthrie: 33 (5)
9. Thelonious Monk: 32 (6)
10. Bo Diddley: 26 (3)
11. Roy Orbison: 25 (6)
12. Leadbelly: 22 (3)
13. Bill Evans: 20 (3)
14. Ella Fitzgerald: 20 (3)
15. Charles Mingus: 19 (4)
16. Jimmie Rodgers: 17 (2)
17. Georges Brassens: 16 (2)
18. Sam Cooke: 15 (5)
19. Patsy Cline: 14 (3)
20. George Jones: 13 (2)

Two other artists appeared on three or more ballots: Charlie Parker and Howlin’ Wolf.

****

This year’s backstage induction is jointly shared by the writing team of JERRY LEIBER & MIKE STOLLER. The guys are currently making a transition from songwriting to producing, and are about to launch their own record label.

L&S amassed 12 points; next in line, with 7 points each, were Alan Lomax and Harry Smith.

****

I still need to get the plaques rolling (Honorio, I can’t wait to see what you’ve put together!); I hope to have my home computer up and running again in the next day or two, at which point the plaques will commence. Sorry for the delay.

****

The 1964 discussion thread will go up later today, featuring a couple of dramatic debuts on the top 50 eligibles list (nudge nudge).

Thanks to everyone who voted for musicians.

schleuse

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:48 PM

Re: HOA results thread

The HOA class of 1964 is the first election in which bands, rather than individuals, have been inducted!...well, one band and one singing duo, but the point holds.

Our inductees this year are ROY ORBISON, THE BEATLES, THE EVERLY BROTHERS and JAMES BROWN.

Adding to the anguish of many, Bill Monroe missed enshrinement by a razor-thin margin for the second consecutive year. After that, there’s a logjam of artists tied at 29 points: Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Charles Mingus and Woody Guthrie.

(I figure you all know where the Beatles are at the beginning of 1964. Roy O. is still one of the dominant names on the American charts, and, in fact, in the last year he toured the U.K. with his fellow inductees in the Fab Four. Don and Phil Everly are currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. And JB has formed his own production company; he’s hoping to be able to market his music to a wider—and whiter—audience. Something tells me he’ll be successful.)

****

The full top 20:

1. ROY ORBISON: 47 (7)
2. THE BEATLES: 46 (7)
3. THE EVERLY BROTHERS: 37 (6)
4. JAMES BROWN: 35 (7)
5. Bill Monroe: 34 (5)
6. Bo Diddley: 29 (5)
7. Fats Domino: 29 (5)
8. Charles Mingus: 29 (5)
9. Woody Guthrie: 29 (3)
10. Bob Dylan: 28 (7)
11. Thelonious Monk: 28 (5)
12. Jimmie Rodgers: 25 (4)
13. Leadbelly: 24 (4)
14. Sam Cooke: 23 (6)
15. Bill Evans: 18 (2)
16. George Jones: 15 (2)
17. Patsy Cline: 14 (3)
18. Ella Fitzgerald: 14 (2)
19. Jacques Brel: 11 (2)
20. Howlin’ Wolf: 9 (3)

****

This year’s backstage inductee is HARRY SMITH. He’s the genius behind 1952’s Anthology of American Folk Music, but I can’t do better than Wikipedia’s description: “American magus, archivist, ethnomusicologist, student of anthropology, record collector, experimental filmmaker, artist, Bohemian, and Kabbalist.”

Now THAT’S a resume!

schleuse

Sep 16th, 2008 - 2:04 PM

Re: HOA results thread

I give you: the class of 1965 Hall of Acclaim inductees, featuring some new guys and some older guys: BOB DYLAN, SAM COOKE, BO DIDDLEY and THE BEACH BOYS. The nearest runners-up were Fats Domino, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk.

(Our inductees’ whereabouts at the start of ’65: Dylan will head back into the studio in two weeks to record his first album since the (relatively) disappointing Another Side of Bob Dylan. It’ll also be his first since he met the Beatles, and rumor says he actually been noodling around on an electric guitar! The Beach Boys, too, are heading back into the studio; main recording for their next album is set for next week, but the contributions of Brian Wilson, who suffered a nervous breakdown just before Christmas (too much stress, especially touring), remain unclear. Bo Diddley is still touring broadly, and apparently is influencing a whole lot of up-and-coming British bands. And Sam Cooke, unfortunately, is our first deceased inductee since Robert Johnson three years ago; he was shot in a confused incident in a Los Angeles hotel just three weeks ago, on December 11. Rumors are that some recordings will be released posthumously.)

****

The full top 20:

1. BOB DYLAN: 64 (10)
2. SAM COOKE: 48 (8)
3. BO DIDDLEY: 44 (6)
4. THE BEACH BOYS: 43 (9)
5. Fats Domino: 36 (6)
6. Charles Mingus: 36 (5)
7. Thelonious Monk: 35 (7)
8. Jacques Brel: 25 (3)
9. Ella Fitzgerald: 22 (3)
10. Bill Monroe: 21 (3)
11. Howlin’ Wolf: 20 (5)
12. Bill Evans: 18 (3)
13. Jimmie Rodgers: 16 (3)
14. Woody Guthrie: 16 (2)
15. Leadbelly: 13 (3)
16. Django Reinhardt: 9 (1)
17. Patsy Cline: 8 (2)
18. George Jones: 8 (1)
19. Georges Brassens: 7 (1)
19. The Ronettes: 7 (1)

As the field of candidates grows larger, it’s becoming a little harder to maintain consensus; only 16 artists appeared on more than one ballot this time (and they’re all on the above list).

****

Making the backstage wing this year—and this one wasn’t even close, is PHIL SPECTOR. Spector is bang in the middle of an extraordinarily productive career as a producer. A certain Spector-produced Righteous Brothers song is just about to be released…looks like it might be pretty good.

Harold Wexler

Sep 16th, 2008 - 3:36 PM

Re: HOA results thread

I kept forgetting to vote for Sam Cooke (the way I had kept forgetting Roy Orbison as well), which I regret; glad to see others picked up the ball.

Well, I'm definitely keeping Fats and Mingus at #1 and #2 for the 1966 vote. Presumably, my #3 choice, who are about to have a "satisfying" year in 1965, will have no trouble being inducted.

sonofsamiam

Sep 16th, 2008 - 7:36 PM

Re: HOA results thread

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but The Beach Boys getting in through '64, ahead of Mingus and Monk, just doesn't seem right.

Paul

Sep 17th, 2008 - 6:01 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Hear Hear! Unfortunately, Mingus in Monk are probably going to be getting shut out by the Stones and other rock groups for the next little while.

Greg

Sep 18th, 2008 - 3:43 PM

Re: HOA results thread

just a quick RIP for norman whitfield, possible backstage candidate

schleuse

Oct 1st, 2008 - 1:51 PM

Re: HOA results thread

And now, people: the Hall of Acclaim inductees for 1966: FATS DOMINO, ELLA FITZGERALD, SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES, and CHARLES MINGUS. Interestingly, in a year with so many big new names popping up, this election, for the most part, honored artists whose career peaks have come and gone (except for Smokey, of course).

Mingus, by the way, just barely sneaked in ahead of a slightly earlier jazz great, Thelonious Monk. Mingus and Monk had 31 points each. Mingus and Monk each appeared on five ballots. Mingus and Monk each had one first-place vote. But Mingus had two second-place votes to Monk’s one…Thelonious missed it by THAT much.

The next runners-up were Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, Jacques Brel and Howlin’ Wolf.

(As for our usual where-are-they-now roundup, circa January 1, 1966: Fats Domino’s recording career is in a bit of a lull, although he continues to tour. Ella is recording for Verve at the moment; her albums in the last year include a live Hamburg concert and a collaboration with fellow HOAer Duke Ellington. Smokey and the Miracles, of course, are one of the most successful acts in the world right now—their current single, “Going to a Go-Go,” is rising on the charts. And mercurial jazz great Charles Mingus has just had his self-owned record company go out of business; he’s also at work on his autobiography.)

****

The full topo 20:

1. FATS DOMINO: 51 (7)
2. ELLA FITZGERALD: 40 (6)
3. SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES: 35 (7)
4. CHARLES MINGUS: 31 (5)
5. Thelonious Monk: 31 (5)
6. Otis Redding: 29 (6)
7. The Rolling Stones: 29 (5)
8. Jacques Brel: 25 (3)
9. Howlin’ Wolf: 22 (4)
10. Bill Monroe: 20 (3)
11. The Who: 17 (4)
12. The Ronettes: 15 (2)
13. George Jones: 15 (2)
13. Django Reinhardt: 15 (2)
15. Bill Evans: 14 (2)
16. Woody Guthrie: 13 (3)
17. Jimmie Rodgers: 13 (3)
18. Leadbelly: 8 (1)
19. Art Blakey: 7 (1)
20. Eddie Cochran: 6 (1)
20. Nat King Cole: 6 (1)
20. The Impressions: 6 (1)

****

Runaway winner of the backstage wing this year is record producer GEORGE MARTIN, with 15 points; next closest were Brian Epstein and Alan Lomax, with 4 points each.

Martin’s hit records to date include “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” by Rolf Harris, “Ferry Across the Mersey” by Gerry and the Pacemakers, “Goldfinger” by Shirley Bassey, and “Trains and Boats and Planes” by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Oh, and some songs by the Beatles.

****

Consistent with some of our discussions last week, interest in the Hall seems to have flagged a bit. My hope is that as more and more familiar artists become eligible, new voters will come on board. I also hope that the plaques now going up will rekindle some interest.

However, many of us (including me) have sensed that the two-week election cycle makes the HOA proceed a little too slowly—perhaps there isn’t enough momentum for some people to remain excited about it. So, I’ve decided to switch to a one-week election cycle: as soon as I post the top 50 eligibles list, voting will begin, and will last one week.

Because this new schedule means a concentrated several hours of work for me each week, I can no longer do it in the middle of the work week. So, HOA elections will now begin and end on Sundays. Look for the 1967 election to begin in a few days, on Sunday, October 5 (it’ll run through Oct. 12).

See you there!

schleuse

Oct 13th, 2008 - 2:44 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Here we go with the Hall of Acclaim’s class of 1967. THE ROLLING STONES, THE WHO and OTIS REDDING were inducted in a cakewalk, while THELONIOUS MONK, having made the top 20 for six straight elections, just squeaked in ahead of the Kinks, Jacques Brel and the Supremes.

(Where are they as 1967 begins? The Stones are about to release Between the Buttons, and the Who have just released A Quick One. Both bands are also about to be the subject of some very unwanted media scrutiny of their drug use. Otis continues a vigorous schedule of recording for Stax and touring with Sam and Dave. And the idiosyncratic 49-year old Thelonious Monk might be the most famous jazz artist currently working; now that he’s with Columbia Records, he’s in the most commercially successful period of his career.)

****

The full top 20:

1. THE ROLLING STONES: 71 (9)
2. OTIS REDDING: 63 (8)
3. THE WHO: 45 (8)
4. THELONIOUS MONK: 31 (4)
5. The Kinks: 30 (7)
6. Jacques Brel: 30 (4)
7. The Supremes: 28 (4)
8. The Byrds: 24 (7)
9. Bill Monroe: 24 (3)
10. Howlin’ Wolf: 21 (5)
11. Django Reinhardt: 20 (3)
12. George Jones: 16 (2)
13. Woody Guthrie: 13 (2)
14. Herman’s Hermits: 10 (1)
15. Patsy Cline: 9 (2)
16. Eddie Cochran: 9 (1)
16. Bill Evans: 9 (1)
16. The Sonics: 9 (1)
19. Jimmie Rodgers: 8 (3)
19. The Temptations: 8 (3)

****

The race for the Backstage Wing was close this year, but BERRY GORDY’s 13 points puts him ahead of Ahmet Ertegun with 11. Possibly Detroit’s most well-known businessman since Henry Ford, Gordy’s Motown has just had the best year it will ever have—75% of Motown singles reached the charts in 1966.

Boxing trivia: Gordy, a featherweight, had a record of 11-3 with five knockouts.

schleuse

Oct 20th, 2008 - 3:43 AM

Re: HOA results thread

All four members of the HOA’s class of 1968 sailed in easily: JIMI HENDRIX, THE KINKS, THE BYRDS, and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND. The distant runners-up included Aretha Franklin, Jacques Brel, and Bill Monroe.

(Where are they now, on January 1, 1968? They’re all at or just past the peaks of their careers, that’s where. The Jimi Hendrix Experience is one of the most popular bands in the world; Axis: Bold as Love has been out for a few weeks, and they’re about to embark on what will be an ill-fated tour of Sweden. The Kinks latest single, “Autumn Almanac,” was recently on the charts, and the Byrds are about to release The Notorious Byrd Brothers, their first LP since giving David Crosby the heave-ho. And VU, no longer associated with Andy Warhol, is about to come out with White Light/White Heat.)

****

The complete Top 20:

1. JIMI HENDRIX: 71 (9)
2. THE KINKS: 60 (8)
3. THE BYRDS: 58 (8)
4. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: 42 (9)
5. Aretha Franklin: 24 (6)
6. Jacques Brel: 23 (3)
7. Bill Monroe: 21 (3)
8. Howlin’ Wolf: 18 (5)
9. The Supremes: 17 (4)
10. George Jones: 17 (2)
11. Pink Floyd: 10 (2)
12. The Monkees: 10 (1)
12. Django Reinhardt: 10 (1)
14. Georges Brassens: 8 (1)
14. Merle Haggard: 8 (1)
14. The Impressions: 8 (1)
17. The Doors: 7 (2)
18. Herman’s Hermits: 7 (1)
18. Love: 7 (1)
20. Neil Diamond: 6 (1)
20. Woody Guthrie: 6 (1)
20. Leadbelly: 6 (1)
20. Buck Owens: 6 (1)

****

The victor in the Backstage Wing for 1968 was, at long last, Atlantic Records founder AHMET ERTEGUN. Ironically, just this past year, Ertegun sold Atlantic to Warner Brothers.

schleuse

Oct 27th, 2008 - 4:10 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Election #10 produced as diverse a set of inductees as the HOA has ever had…the class of 1969 is ARETHA FRANKLIN, HOWLIN’ WOLF, SIMON AND GARFUNKEL and, at long last, BILL MONROE. Still with their faces pressed against the Hall of Acclaim windows are Jacques Brel, the Supremes, Van Morrison and Merle Haggard.

(As the calendar flips over to 1969, Aretha Franklin is about to release her album Soul ’69, on which she covers songs by fellow HOAers Sam Cooke and Smokey Robinson. Chester Arthur “Howlin’ Wolf” Burnett is now something of an elder statesman to young rockers—Jeff Beck’s new band is performing a LOT of his stuff in concert—and is generally living a happy, prosperous life. Good for him. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are getting along…for now. Two highly successful and acclaimed albums in the last year—Bookends and the Graduate soundtrack—no doubt smooth things out. And Bill Monroe recently founded the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival.)

****

The top 20:

1. ARETHA FRANKLIN: 52 (7)
2. HOWLIN’ WOLF: 43 (6)
3. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL: 41 (5)
4. BILL MONROE: 29 (3)
5. Jacques Brel: 26 (3)
6. The Supremes: 24 (5)
7. Van Morrison: 21 (4)
8. Merle Haggard: 21 (3)
9. The Zombies: 18 (3)
10. George Jones: 14 (2)
11. Charlie Parker: 13 (2)
12. Leadbelly: 12 (3)
13. The Doors: 11 (3)
14. The Band: 11 (2)
15. The Monkees: 10 (1)
15. Django Reinhardt: 10 (1)
17. The Impressions: 9 (1)
18. Leonard Cohen: 8 (2)
19. Cream: 8 (1)
19. Pink Floyd: 8 (1)

****

And our Backstage entry this year is the late BRIAN EPSTEIN. One of the great what-ifs of rock history must be the question of what the Beatles would have done if Brian’s unhappy life hadn’t ended at the age of 31. My guess is that the personality conflicts which eventually rent the band would have happened anyway, but we’ll never know.

Brian’s 8 points led the pack; the nearest runners-up were George Gershwin and Alan Lomax, with 6 points each.

Paul

Oct 27th, 2008 - 4:16 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Woo Hoo! (For Bill.)

schleuse

Oct 27th, 2008 - 8:15 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Fun fact: with Monroe's election, 17 of the top 20 artists from the first (1960) election are now in the HOA. The exceptions? Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, and Charlie Parker.

Paul

Oct 28th, 2008 - 1:57 AM

Re: HOA results thread

I think those other three also deserve admission.

schleuse

Nov 3rd, 2008 - 2:26 AM

Re: HOA results thread

As a new decade dawns, we usher in the 1970 class of the Hall of Acclaim: THE BAND, JACQUES BREL, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL and SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE. Missing out are Van Morrison, Led Zeppelin, Merle Haggard and Frank Zappa.

(Where are they now? The Band is about to be permanently imprinted in American middlebrow culture when they appear on the cover of Time magazine next week. Jacques Brel can currently be seen in French movie theaters in the film Mon oncle Benjamin. Creedence, of course, has just completed one of the most successful years any rock act will ever have, with three top ten albums, and they’re still rolling, with the double A-side single “Travelin’ Band”/”Who’ll Stop the Rain” about to hit the stores. And Sly’s current single, “Thank You (Falettime Be Mice Elf Again)” is currently climbing the charts, even as the band descends into drug-induced chaos…)

****

The top 20:

1. THE BAND: 52 (6)
2. JACQUES BREL: 38 (4)
3. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: 37 (7)
4. SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: 34 (5)
5. Van Morrison: 26 (4)
6. Led Zeppelin: 24 (4)
7. Merle Haggard: 24 (3)
8. Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention: 22 (3)
9. The Zombies: 20 (3)
10. Leonard Cohen: 20 (2)
11. George Jones: 15 (2)
12. Marvin Gaye: 13 (3)
13. Leadbelly: 12 (3)
14. Neil Young: 11 (3)
15. Woody Guthrie: 10 (3)
16. The Monkees: 10 (1)
17. The Stooges: 9 (2)
18. Nick Drake: 9 (1)
19. Charlie Parker: 8 (2)
20. Georges Brassens: 8 (1)
20. Bobby Lapointe: 8 (1)
20. Pink Floyd: 8 (1)

****

We had a two-way tie for the Backstage Wing this year, so we’ll have two inductees!

BURT BACHARACH AND HAL DAVID become the second songwriting team (after Lieber & Stoller) to make the HOA. Their big hit of the past year, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” was featured in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Joining them (at long last) is WILLIE DIXON. His long relationship with Chess has turned sour by now, but this year will see the release of his album entitled simply, and accurately, I Am the Blues, featuring his own performances of many of his compositions, including “Back Door Man,” “Spoonful,” “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Little Red Rooster.”

Schwah

Nov 3rd, 2008 - 2:43 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Yikes. I got my votes in too late. I just missed the tabulation. Sorry all. I would not have affected the entries, just pushed Sly and the Family Stone up to 2d place, and CCR up to 3d. Happy to see Brel get in, despite my philstine-like failure to vote for him.

schleuse

Nov 3rd, 2008 - 3:31 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Drat. Sorry about that, Schwah.

FYI to voters: officially, I take my last look at the voting thread at about 6:00 pm Central US time (midnight GMT). In practice, I sometimes check after that, but that's what I've been treating as the deadline. I really should have made that clear earlier.

schleuse

Nov 10th, 2008 - 3:30 AM

Re: HOA results thread

I give you the 1971 Hall of Acclaim inductees: VAN MORRISON, NEIL YOUNG, THE STOOGES and NICK DRAKE. Narrowly missing enshrinement this year were Led Zeppelin and Merle Haggard.

(Dateline January 1, 1971: Two of our inductees seem to be in pretty good shape. Van Morrison has crossed the Atlantic and now lives in upstate New York; he’s currently on the charts with the album His Band and the Street Choir and the single “Domino.” Neil Young has moved on from both CSN&Y and—for now—Crazy Horse, and is embarking on his “Journey Through the Past” tour. The other two inductees are not doing so well: The Stooges, with two commercially unsuccessful and critically panned albums under their belts, are in a state of collapse due to heroin addiction—especially Iggy’s. And Nick Drake’s clinical depression has gotten the best of him; he now pretty much spends all his time in his London flat smoking pot.)

****

The top 20:

1. VAN MORRISON: 51 (6)
2. NEIL YOUNG: 48 (8)
3. THE STOOGES: 35 (7)
4. NICK DRAKE: 34 (5)
5. Led Zeppelin: 33 (4)
6. Merle Haggard: 31 (4)
7. Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention: 21 (3)
8. Leonard Cohen: 20 (3)
9. The Zombies: 18 (3)
10. Marvin Gaye: 17 (3)
11. Black Sabbath: 16 (3)
12. Charlie Parker: 15 (2)
13. Leadbelly: 13 (2)
14. Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young): 12 (2)
15. The Flying Burrito Brothers: 11 (3)
16. Django Reinhardt: 11 (2)
17. King Crimson: 11 (2)
18. The Supremes: 11 (2)
19. The Temptations: 10 (2)
20. George Jones: 9 (2)

I might note that this may be our least “realistic” election to date, with two of the inductees either obscure (Drake) or actively disliked (Stooges) at this point. But that’s OK—and I’m also pleased to report that participation in this election was the highest it’s been in several years. Perhaps the switch to a weekly schedule really did help the HOA get out of its slump.

****

The Backstage inductee this year is the late GEORGE GERSHWIN, the titan who straddled the worlds of popular music and art music. Gershwin died at the age of 38 from a brain tumor in 1937; he is survived by his brother and songwriting partner Ira.

George’s 11 points paced the field; the nearest runner-up was Alan Lomax, with 8.

Paul

Nov 10th, 2008 - 6:23 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Bummer. Merle probably maxed out his total and still came up short. Now I suspect it will be mostly rock acts for the next 15 years.

Schwah

Nov 11th, 2008 - 2:56 AM

Re: HOA results thread

I don't know about that Paul... Until the punk revolution there's not a lot of new great stuff. I think we'll be getting more oldies/jazz/country if there can be any consenss about which artists from the less noticed genres should be voted in.

Honorio

Nov 11th, 2008 - 10:03 PM

Re: HOA results thread

Until the punk revolution there's not a lot of new great staff. Sorry, Schwah, but I can’t disagree more. The early 70s were a creative and fascinating period for pop music, with many interesting styles happening simultaneously. The punk reaction has labelled (only partially deserved) as a dinosaur period, thus leading to aberrations as the last Pitchford list in which it seems that pop music started in 1977.

schleuse

Nov 17th, 2008 - 2:29 AM

Re: HOA results thread

Towering over the competition to make the 1972 Hall of Acclaim class were two artists: MARVIN GAYE and LED ZEPPELIN. MERLE HAGGARD also got in this year, and the final spot is claimed by LEONARD COHEN, who just edged out John Lennon. The Doors, Joni Mitchell and David Bowie weren’t far behind.

(At the start of 1972, Marvin Gaye is renegotiating his Motown contract from a position of great strength after the success of What’s Going On. Led Zeppelin, having released four critically acclaimed albums, are now becoming a monster live act. Merle Haggard, in the past year, has released four studio albums, including Hag, his seventh #1 country album…later this year, he will be pardoned for all his past crimes by California governor Ronald Reagan. And Leonard Cohen’s music is receiving some valuable exposure thanks to Robert Altman’s use of several of his songs in the film McCabe & Mrs. Miller.)

****

The top 20:

1. MARVIN GAYE: 74 (9)
2. LED ZEPPELIN: 60 (7)
3. MERLE HAGGARD: 38 (4)
4. LEONARD COHEN: 28 (4)
5. John Lennon: 27 (5)
6. The Doors: 24 (4)
7. Joni Mitchell: 23 (3)
8. David Bowie: 22 (6)
9. Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention: 16 (2)
10. Charlie Parker: 15 (2)
11. Black Sabbath: 14 (4)
12. Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young): 13 (3)
13. George Jones: 12 (2)
14. Pink Floyd: 11 (3)
15. The Zombies: 11 (2)
16. The Temptations: 10 (3)
17. Leadbelly: 10 (2)
18. The Monkees: 10 (1)
18. Django Reinhardt: 10 (1)
20. The Flying Burrito Brothers: 9 (3)

****

A close race for the Backstage Wing this time, with ALAN LOMAX taking the biscuit with 7 points, followed by John Hammand and Jann Wenner with 6 each. Lomax, a legendary scholar, continues to archive and publish the world’s rich legacy of folk music.

	Acclaimed Music Forum Write about anything related to music
Return to Website