Hall of Fame inducts new class
By Peter Cooper • THE TENNESSEAN • October 28, 2008

When Keith Richards flies into town today and heads to Schermerhorn Symphony Center, it won't be to collect a paycheck. It will be to thank some people who paved his way and who offered inspiration in the form of melody, tone, rumble and twang. Richards is among the stars who will perform or present at the second annual Musicians Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

"People like The Crickets and Duane Eddy . . . these are the Rolling Stones to the Rolling Stones," said Musicians Hall director Joe Chambers. "Those are the people that Keith Richards looks up to. The power of what these people did is what brings Keith to Nashville."

The Crickets, Eddy, Booker T. & The MG's, Al Kooper, The Memphis Horns, The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section & Friends and Billy Sherrill will be inducted into the Hall this year. And recording artists including Richards, Percy Sledge, Kid Rock, Lee Ann Womack, Barbara Mandrell, Kix Brooks, Melinda Doolittle, Eddy Floyd, Phil Everly, George Jones and Ronnie Milsap will be on-hand, offering thanks and praise and songs.

Kooper is ill and unable to make the show, but all of the other inductees will be at the Schermerhorn.

"This is really an honor," said The Crickets' J.I. Allison, the drummer who backed Buddy Holly, co-wrote "Peggy Sue" and "That'll Be The Day" and played on hits including The Everly Brothers' "'Til I Kissed You." "And I'm really proud that Keith is coming in, and that Phil Everly is going to be there to sing 'Let It Be Me.' "

Eddy was rock's first instrumental solo star, The Crickets have headlined shows for years and Booker T. & The MG's had an instrumental hit with "Green Onions." But the other recipients have seldom had their names on the marquee. The Musicians Hall of Fame event is a chance for "name" artists to redirect the spotlight to the players who helped make the records. Last year's show included an emotional Peter Frampton telling the audience, "You have no idea what this means to me." Frampton wasn't receiving an award, but paying tribute to Motown's "Wrecking Crew" of studio players.

"Sometimes, if there isn't much attention paid to what you've done, you might figure, 'Well, I guess I'm not very important in the scheme of things,' " Chambers said. "Last year, Frampton just shone a light on everyone that was there. And so did Garth Brooks, and Mary Wilson and George Jones and so many others. That's because these musicians are the ones that they look up to."

Reach Peter Cooper at 615-259-8220 or [email protected].