Sign up for our mailing list Real artists creating records on their own terms

Press

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Tom Waits Inducted Into Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame By Neil Young At The Historic Waldorf Astoria

Iconoclast Tom Waits was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame by Neil Young at the ceremony Monday night honoring his vast and storied musical career spanning four decades. Waits accepted this honor with humor and heart, stating:

"Thanks, everybody, this is very encouraging. Songs are really just interesting things to do with the air. I was fifteen when I snuck in to a club to see Lightning Hopkins. I wore an overcoat, put white-out in my hair, drew on a mustache and said in a deep voice, "One ticket please." I saw Lightning walk through a door in the back room that said, 'Keep Out!! This Room for ENTERTAINERS ONLY.' At the moment, I realized I wanted to get into show business as soon as possible.

I am grateful to my wife and my collaborator Kathleen Brennan. She is the light that helps me find my way and to my kids who have taught me everything I know.

Some day, I hope to hear, "Hey Mack, take the cuffs off him, I think he's a Hall of Famer!"

During his introduction, Neil Young described Waits as: "a great performer, singer, actor, songwriter, magician, changeling and spiritual guy."

Following the inductions (Waits, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Darlene Love, Leon Russell and Dr. John), Waits took over the famed ballroom stage with guitarist David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) and long time collaborators, guitarist Marc Ribot and bassist, Larry Taylor with son Casey Waits on drums. Tom's shamanistic vocals, along with his innovative arrangements, pounding rhythms and emotional melodies were all on display in full force in front of the packed room filled with rock luminaries.

Waits performed four songs, including "Make It Rain," "Rain Dogs," a piano version of "House Where Nobody Lives," and "Get Behind The Mule" (with Neil Young).

Immediately after the performance, Elton John noted: "If Jackson Pollack could sing, he'd be Tom Waits."

Meanwhile, Waits has been hard at work in his studio on his highly anticipated forthcoming album of new songs.

Tom Waits' artist page

Browse by Artist

2440All Artists 67Mavis Staples 58Neko Case 56Dr. Dog 55The Milk Carton Kids 52Son Little 51Sean Rowe 50Tinariwen
44Glen Hansard 43Lost In The Trees 41Andy Shauf 37Saintseneca 36Delicate Steve 33Michael Franti and Spe... 33Galactic 32Xenia Rubinos 31Jolie Holland 30Calexico 30The Drums 29Tom Waits 28William Elliott Whitmo... 28Madi Diaz 28Doe Paoro 27Man Man 27Half Waif 27Yves Jarvis 26Girlpool 26Christian Lee Hutson 25Lido Pimienta 25Bettye LaVette 24Foxwarren 23Christopher Paul Stell... 23Jason Lytle 23The Antlers 22Gary V 22Booker T. Jones 22Cass McCombs 22Sage Francis 21Islands 21Japandroids 21Leyla McCalla 21Danny Elfman 20DeVotchKa 20Jeremy Ivey 20Daniel Lanois 19The Dream Syndicate 19M. Ward 19Purr 19Combo Chimbita 18So Much Light 18Wilco 18Joe Henry 17Tim Fite 17Moor Mother 17Darrin Bradbury 17Jade Jackson 17Grinderman 16Porter Wagoner 16Peter Silberman 16High Pulp 16MJ Lenderman 15Glitterer 15Yann Tiersen 15Alfa Mist 15Rafiq Bhatia 14James Brandon Lewis 14John K. Samson 13Curtis Harding 13The Coup 13Busdriver 13Rain Machine 13Ben Harper 12The Melodic 12Waxahatchee 12Richard Reed Parry 12Deafheaven 12Hey, King! 12Josiah Johnson 11Ryan Pollie 11Keaton Henson 11Beth Orton 11Bonny Doon 11Kelly Hogan 10Roky Erickson 10Ben Harper and Charlie... 10Fleet Foxes 10The Tallest Man On Ear... 10Os Mutantes 10Bob Mould 10Xavier Rudd 10Beat Connection 10Wynonna 10Slow Pulp 10Katy Kirby 10Jasmyn 10Dead Man's Bones 9Marketa Irglova 9Kate Davis 9Cameron Avery 9Kate Bush 9Ezra Furman 9Mose Allison 9The Locust 8Art Moore 8Greg Graffin 8The Frames 8Sam Akpro 8A Girl Called Eddy 8Deradoorian 8Kristine Leschper 7Solillaquists of Sound 7sunking 7The Field 7Alec Ounsworth 7Scott McMicken and THE... 6Marc Ribot 6Broken Twin 6Pops Staples 6The Good Ones 6Pete Philly & Perquisi... 6Sparklehorse 6Ramblin Jack Elliott 6N.A.S.A. 6Kronos Quartet with Br... 5The Swell Season 5Tweedy 5Cadence Weapon 5Walter Wolfman Washing... 5Mothers 5Plains 5The Weakerthans 5Jackson+Sellers 4Petra Haden 4Arc Iris 4Eddie Izzard 4One Day As A Lion 4Muggs 4case/lang/veirs 4Antibalas 3Danny Cohen 3Mavis Staples & Levon... 3Marianne Faithfull 3Simian Mobile Disco 3Sierra Leones Refugee... 3The Book Of Knots 2Screaming Lights (Euro... 2Lyrics Born 2Spoon (Europe only) 2Billy Bragg 2Savath & Savalas 2Title Fight 2Chuck E. Weiss 2Jeff Tweedy 2Various Artists: RANGO 2Blackalicious 1Nick Cave & The Bad Se... 1Various Artists: ROGUE... 1Taylor Vick 1The Beths 1Solomon Burke 1Rogue's Gallery
See Full List+