Also scheduled for induction at the institution's twentieth anniversary gala on March 14, in Manhattan, are British New Wave group The Pretenders, blues guitarist Buddy Guy, 1970s soul group the O'Jays, and R&B veteran Percy Sledge.
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The Pretenders, a group famous for some of rock's greatest progressive chord-changes, were formed in 1978 by rock critic Chrissie Hynde, an offshoot of Malcolm McLaren [the creator of the Sex Pistols, the seminal punk band still ignored by the Hall of Fame] and the days of his 'Sex' boutique.
The group is best remembered for hits like Back on the chain gang and I'll stand by you, before two band members -- guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon -- died of drug overdosing.
The O'Jays, a soul-group formed in 1958, hit number one in 1972 with Love train, and totalled nine Top Forty hits through 1980, including the popular Back stabbers and I love music.
Buddy Guy's induction into the pantheon is very late indeed, being an acknowledged inspiration to legends like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Guy, a protege of Muddy Waters, currently runs a popular nightclub on the South Side of Chicago.
Percy Sledge, called 'the golden voice of soul', is best remembered for his enduring 1966 classic, When a man loves a woman.
Set to be inducted in the non-performer category are Frank Barsalona, a pioneer in rock & roll promotion, and Seymour Stein, the astute Sire Records founder who signed Madonna, The Ramones and Talking Heads, besides The Pretenders.
Approximately 700 music industry figures vote each year on eligible nominees. Among the list of first-time candidates who did not receive enough votes for induction were Randy Newman, The J Geils Band, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Punk priestess Patti Hearst, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Stooges, continue to be passed over.