Quote:
Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse
Another of our nominees, Bruce Springsteen, said he grew up wanting to be him.
That was The Big O, Roy Orbison  |
I'm sure you probably know that Bruce inducted Roy into the Cleveland HOF:
http://www.royorbison.com/bruce-spri...nduction-1987/
I always thought that this song showed a big Roy influence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8MkGqT0Z54
Okay, here goes (cracks knuckles)- my nominees:
Bruce Springsteen- I think that most people who are not fans of Bruce just see him as the bandanna-wearing “Born in the U.S.A.” guy, which is understandable, since that’s when he became most popular. But he’s much more than that guy, if he ever was that guy to begin with.
Bruce has many strong suits, and I’ll talk about his songwriting in that category, as I have nominated him there as well. Here, I’ll mention his skill as a live performer, at which he is one of the best. At 63 years old, he’s still putting on 3 and ½ to 4 –hour shows, all without a break. During that time, he’s singing, playing guitar, harmonica (occasionally piano), leading the band, and changing the setlist on the fly, all while he’s running around the stage like someone half his age. He has an incredible ability to connect to the audience, and they to him. Again, a (fans’ eye view) video is worth 10,000 words:
http://youtu.be/kaEVvbovENs?t=1m39s
As much fun as his shows are, they can also have some beautiful musical moments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrBCgS_ELoE
He's equally at home alone with just an acoustic guitar, or leading the currently 17-member E Street Band.
Add to that the number of younger musicians who cite Bruce as an influence, and I think he definitely deserves a place in the Hall.
Elton John- Elton is one of my all-time favorites, and he has been since I was a kid. He's a great live performer, and his current band (which includes both Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson) is fantastic as well. All of these years later, "Tiny Dancer" and "Your Song" can still give me chills:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkv5KvD9uk8
John Denver- Another artist taken too soon, John had a lovely voice, and wrote songs that were beloved by many around the world. I love his songs, including "Annie's Song", "Perhaps Love", "Rocky Mountain High", "Calypso", "Leaving On a Jet Plane", and this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4bJj6sSGc
Peter Frampton- Pete became a huge star very quickly with the release of "Frampton Comes Alive" back in 1976, and he was never quite ready for the fame it brought him. I think his status as a teen idol overshadowed his true ability as a musician, and I think he's highly underrated as a guitarist. He's still performing and releasing new music today. Vocally, he sounds as good as he ever did, and I think his guitar skills are better than ever. "I'll Give You Money" is an absolute powerhouse live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_P05Fmlynk He's one of the few guitarists who still plays wired these days.
He also does some pretty acoustic tunes, such as "Just The Time of Year":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49bKDeYa8w0
Ian Gillan- Some time lead singer of Deep Purple, Gillan once possessed what is probably my favorite male rock voice ever. He could scream, yet still keep the musicality and the emotion. No other version of "Gethsemane" from "Jesus Christ Superstar" can touch his, IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49bKDeYa8w0
"Child in Time" gives me chills:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1slq_FwRN8o