On April 19th, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame holds a ceremony welcoming a new group of stars into the pantheon of rock gods and goddesses. We’re remembering the rock stars of previous decades whose music continues to entertain and inspire new generations of musicians and fans.
The 1960s were an especially turbulent decade, both politically and culturally. During these years “rock ‘n’ roll” played by groups of young people in matching suits and dresses evolved into “rock” played by iconic longhaired “rock stars” in outrageous clothing.
Joe Cocker (1944 – 2014)
Joe Cocker (1944 – 2014) – His gritty, soulful voice and distinctive performance style won him legions of fans when he was featured singing “With A Little Help From My Friends” in the Woodstock concert film. He had a long, successful Grammy and Academy Award winning career.
Joe Cocker – “With a Little Help From My Friends”
The Lovin’ Spoonful
The Lovin’ Spoonful – Steve Boone, from left, John Sebastian, Joe Butler and Zal Yanovsky (1944-2002). Their folk rock “good-time music” was a regular feature on the charts in the mid-’60s with hits such as “Do You Believe in Magic,” “Daydream” and their U.S. No. 1 hit, “Summer in the City.”
The Lovin’ Spoonful – “Do You Believe In Magic”
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas – Clockwise from top left: John Phillips (1935-2001), Cass Elliot (1941-1974), Denny Doherty (1940-2007) and Michelle Phillips. They fused folk vocal harmonies with rock beats, and the results were ’60s gems such as “California Dreamin'” and “Monday Monday.”
The Mamas & The Papas – “Monday Monday”
The Beatles
The Beatles – Clockwise from top: Ringo Starr, John Lennon (1940-1980), George Harrison (1943-2001) and Paul McCartney on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” Feb. 9, 1964. Often hailed as the greatest rock band of all time, the Beatles successfully explored the boundaries of pop and rock throughout the ’60s on the strength of their impeccable songwriting.
The Beatles – “Revolution”
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones – Brian Jones (1942-1969), from left, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards in 1963. The Stones were initially a blues and rhythm-and-blues cover band before Jagger and Richards became one of the most reliable hit songwriting duos of the decade with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Get Off of My Cloud” and “Paint It Black,” among many others.
The Rolling Stones – “Under My Thumb”
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys – Al Jardine, from left, Mike Love, Dennis Wilson (1944-1983), Brian Wilson and Carl Wilson (1946-1998) in 1964. These purveyors of Southern California surf, girls and fast cars outlasted the surf music craze of the early ’60s, and their friendly creative rivalry with the Beatles inspired the classic album “Pet Sounds,” which in turn inspired “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Beach Boys – “Help Me Rhonda”
The AnimalsÂ
The Animals – Eric Burdon, from left, Alan Price, Chas Chandler (1938-1996), John Steel and Hilton Valentine in 1964. These British rockers were known for high-energy shows and hits such as “The House of the Rising Sun” and “We Gotta Get out of This Place.” After leaving the band in the mid-’60s, bassist Chandler went on to become the manager of then-unknown American guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
The Animals – “Please don’t let me be misunderstood”
The Kinks
The Kinks – Ray Davies, from left, Peter Quaife (1943-2010), Dave Davies and Mick Avory in 1964. Perhaps the most English of the British Invasion bands, The Kinks notched the heavy-riffing early hits “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” Those gave way to late-’60s concept albums “The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society” and “Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).”
The Kinks – “All Day and All of the Night”
The Who
The Who – John Entwistle (1944-2002), from left, Keith Moon (1946-1978), Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend. These British mod rockers hit it big with “My Generation,” but were labeled a “singles band” because of poor album sales. Chief songwriter Townshend took it as a challenge; by the end of the decade he composed one of the most successful rock operas, “Tommy.”
The Who – “Pictures of Lily”
The Byrds
The Byrds – Clockwise from left: Gene Clark (1944-1991), Michael Clarke (1946-1993), Roger McGuinn, David Crosby and Chris Hillman. This original lineup was considered as influential as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the mid-’60s, with popular folk-rock hits such as “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)” and “Eight Miles High.”
The Byrds – “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner – During the racially charged ’60s, pioneering rock guitarist Ike Turner (1931-2007) and his wife, singer Tina Turner, found themselves in an awkward commercial position: too rock for rhythm-and-blues radio and too R&B for rock radio. Even their Phil Spector-produced single “River Deep – Mountain High” wasn’t a hit. However, their live show was killer and their fortunes would change in the early ’70s.
Ike and Tina Turner – “Take You Higher”
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970), from left), Mitch Mitchell (1947-2008) and Noel Redding (1945-2003) tease out their hair in 1967. American guitarist Hendrix, a veteran of Little Richard’s touring band, moved to the U.K. in 1966 and teamed up with British musicians Mitchell and Redding to form a power trio. They roared back across the Atlantic with potent psychedelic rock that cemented Hendrix’s place as a legend
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Purple Haze”
Cream
Cream – Jack Bruce (1943-2014), Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in 1968. This brief-lived band brought guitarist Eric Clapton to international notice. Their high-volume psychedelic blues riffing powered the hits “I Feel Free,” “Sunshine of Your Love” and “White Room” before internal strife led to their breakup in 1968.
Cream – “Sunshine of Your Love”
Janis Joplin (1943-1970)
Janis Joplin – “Piece of My Heart”
Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead – Back row, from left: Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (1945-1973). Front row, from left: Jerry Garcia (1942-1995) and Mickey Hart. The unofficial “house band of the counterculture” was the pioneering San Francisco jam band the Grateful Dead. They toured to sellout crowds of “Deadheads” for decades before Garcia’s death prompted the band’s dissolution.
Grateful Dead – “Truckin'”
The Doors
The Doors – John Densmore, from left, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek (1939-2013) and Jim Morrison (1943-1971) in 1967. The dark side of psychedelic rock was explored by Los Angeles band the Doors. Morrison’s brooding rock star persona and arrangements often driven by Manzarek’s organ separated them from sunnier ’60s guitar rock bands. But they still managed to top the charts with “Light My Fire” and “Hello, I Love You.”
The Doors – “Light My Fire”
Love
Love, from left, Arthur Lee (1945-2006), Ken Forssi (1943-1998), Bryan MacLean (1946-1998) and Johnny Echols. A racially integrated band from Los Angeles that combined folk, psychedelic and garage rock, Love enjoyed little commercial success. However, their album “Forever Changes” is now regarded as a masterpiece, and the blistering song, “7 and 7 Is,” has found its way onto several film and TV soundtracks.
Love – “My Little Red Book”
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground – Lou Reed (1942-2013), from left, Sterling Morrison (1942-1995), John Cale and Maureen “Moe” Tucker in 1969. Their first album only sold 30,000 copies, but as musician Brian Eno said, “Everyone who bought one of those … started a band.” Under the management of Andy Warhol, they were at the center of the art scene in New York City, and their sound ranged from delicate beauty to harsh droning.
The Velvet Underground – “Rock & Roll”
Pink FloydÂ
Pink Floyd – Nick Mason, from left, Roger Waters, Syd Barrett (1946-2006) and Rick Wright (1943-2008) in 1967. In its initial incarnation Pink Floyd was led by singer-songwriter Syd Barrett and featured his playful psychedelic songs “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play.” His struggles with mental illness and drug use eventually led to his dismissal.
Pink Floyd – “Comfortable Numb”
The Band
The Band – “The Weight”
Creedence Clearwater Revival
