Dua Lipa and Cher opened the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday night singing Believe, before giving way to a medley of rump shakers by funk masters Kool & the Gang and a powerhouse performance by Dionne Warwick, bringing the house down at 83.
The inductees this year also include: Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Dave Matthews Band, the late Jimmy Buffett, MC5, the late Alexis Korner, the late John Mayall and the late Big Mama Thornton.
Zendaya inducted Cher. “Where do I even begin? Cher is not one person,” the actor and singer said. “Her name is just as legendary as her legacy.” Zendaya noted that Cher, 78, is the only woman to have a No. 1 hit on a Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. “Cher has got the goods,” Zendaya said before Cher performed a rocking version of If I Could Turn Back Time.
In her speech, Cher said she was inspired by Cinderella and thanked her mother for instilling in her the importance of always getting back up after defeat. “The one thing I got from my mom is to never give up,” she said. “I never give up. I’m talking to the women — down and out, we keep going.”
Chuck D inducted Kool & the Gang, saying, “This is a long-due celebration.” The band had 12 top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the 1980 chart-topper Celebration, as well as Cherish, Get Down On It, Jungle Boogie, Ladies Night and Joanna. They’ve been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1994.
The Roots helped the band do a medley of hits that got the crowd grooving, led by Robert “Kool” Bell — bass guitarist, co-founder and last original member — and longtime singer James “J.T.” Taylor. Confetti shot into the arena, and Taylor asked the crowd to use their cellphone lights as he read off the names of 10 members who were critical to the band’s success.
Warwick arrived at the ceremony only a few days after attending a memorial for her longtime friend and collaborator, Cissy Houston, in Newark, New N.J. Teyana Taylor called her “truly one of a kind,” as well as telling off the teleprompter operator for not putting “Ms.” before her name. Jennifer Hudson sang I’ll Never Love This Way Again and was joined by Warwick, who also sang Walk On By.
Warwick said this was the third time she was nominated. “I am so pleased to be here,” she said. “I’m just going to say this and get off the stage: Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Saturday’s induction ceremony is being held at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, where the Hall of Fame has promised to return to every few years. It streams live on Disney+ and a special with performance highlights will air on ABC on Jan. 1.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction. Nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals.
