Nelson among Rock Hall nominees

Willie Nelson, The White Stripes, Missy Elliott and the late George Michael are among the eight first-time contenders on the list of 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees eligible for induction.

The other four new nominees announced Wednesday morning are Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow, Joy Division/ New Order and the late Warren Zevon. They join repeat nominees Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Iron Maiden, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest and Soundgarden.

Matt Cameron, the drummer in Soundgarden, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Pearl Jam. Should Soundgarden earn enough votes for induction, Cameron appears set to become the first drummer to be inducted into the hall as a member of two separate bands. Ringo Starr has been inducted twice, once as a member of the Beatles and once as a solo artist.

Country music superstar Nelson, who will celebrate his 90th birthday with an allstar Hollywood Bowl concert on April 29-30, is this year’s oldest nominee. While he he has never claimed to be a rock artist, Nelson’s musical appeal cuts across genres and generations, and he has collaborated with numerous rockers over the years. He is also a longtime advocate of marijuana with his own line of cannabis-related products.

It remains to be seen if last November’s induction of fellow country music icon Dolly Parton will make voters more, or less, likely to usher Nelson into the hall behind her. But his legacy as a country music outlaw who bucked the system to make his music the way he wanted should help. Ditto the many classic songs he has written and recorded.