Prince inducted to US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Prince’s status as musical royalty became official today having been inducted into the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his (outstanding) contribution to the music industry.

On first hearing of his nomination, Prince said the honour was not the award itself but joining the ranks of the other great musicians already inducted. Artists are eligible only 25 years after their first commercial release. Prince came on to the scene in 1978 with the album For You, making 2003 his first year of eligibility, so it was a no-brainier for the panel to induct one of the greatest solo performers of the 20th Century at the first opportunity. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was established in 1983 to recognise artists of significance and influence and inducts approx six per year who top its annual ballot – the first ever inductees being Elvis Presley, James Brown, Ray Charles and Chuck Berry in 1986. Michael Jackson was inducted in 2001.

Prince opened the ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, where the event is usually staged, on March 15, with a performance of Let’s go Crazy, Sign O’ The Times and Kiss, played to a very enthusiastic audience. When invited to take the stage following an introduction by Alicia Keys, Prince said that he had “embarked on a journey more fascinating than I could ever imagine” but warned the attendees that “a real friend and mentor is not on your payroll”. Other inductees in the 19th annual ceremony today included ZZ Top. Prince also paid tribute to George Harrison who was posthumously inducted, playing an electric solo for While My Guitar Gently Weeps as part of an all-star band that featured Tom Petty, Steve Winwood and Jeff Lynne. Following this majestic unrehearsed solo, Prince simply left the stage to the astonishment of the audience at what they had just witnessed.