The Rock & Fall Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2010 inductees today, and for some reason, they skipped the Sidemen category. This means that Jerry Scheff, Ronnie Tutt, Glen D. Hardin and John Wilkinson will have to wait at least another year to join TCB band leader James Burton in the Rockhall. Frankly, I cannot figure out the logic the selection committee uses, but they continue their stupid record of keeping Elvis’ bandmates on hold.
Elvis, Charlie, Jerry, Ronnie, James and John (Glen is off frame to left)
As we have discussed on earlier blogs, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Sidemen category has a strange history. It was started in 2000 with five inductees including Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore. The next year, two more musicians were honored, including James Burton. So, things started out good for Elvis’ bandmates.
In 2002 Chet Atkins was the lone honoree, and in 2003, three more musicians were added. Fans started wondering when Bill Black and DJ Fontana would join Scotty, and when the rest of the TCB guys would join James in the Hall of Fame. Five years later they were still wondering, as there were no new Sidemen inducted in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007.
In 2008 the Sidemen category was revived with a strange selection. Little Walter was an exceptional blues talent and harmonica wizard, but his fame as a bandmate was with Muddy Waters, not any rock singers.
Finally, in 2009 DJ Fontana and Bill Black won their long overdue recognition and were installed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nine years after Scotty Moore was honored, Elvis’ full band from the 50s was finally together in the Hall. It was then that I started to hope the same thing would happen the next year for the TCB Band. Surely Jerry Schell Ronnie Tutt, Glen D. Hardin and John Wilkinson would join James Burton in a Class of 2010 Sidemen after their own nine year wait.
Ronnie Tutt, Glen D Hardin, and Jerry Scheff
I’m afraid not. By skipping the Sidemen category again, the Hall has put off the other TCB guys’ worthy induction for yet another year. That will make it a full decade of waiting. This is so frustrating. These guys deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. It’s hard to tell if EPE is doing any promotion on their behalf, but they should. If they would use that huge mailing list of fans they’ve got to organize a letter-writing campaign on the fellows’ behalf, maybe we could get this thing done.
I’ll say it again. Jerry Scheff, Ronnie Tutt, Glen D. Hardin and John Wilkinson BELONG in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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