CLEVELAND, Ohio – For the second time in the last six years, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland will include a living Beatle.
The 2021 Inductions, set for Oct. 30 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, will see Sir Paul McCartney induct Foo Fighters. McCartney also appeared at the 2015 ceremony at Public Auditorium to induct Ringo Starr. The two living Beatles closed out the show performing together.
Members of Foo Fighters were also at the 2015 ceremony, performing alongside Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. McCartney has developed a close relationship with frontman Dave Grohl since the two met in 2002, collaborating on multiple projects together, with McCartney even giving Grohl’s daughter her first piano lesson.
“We have wine and pizza and we were hanging out, and it was time for Paul to go,” Grohl recalled during a recent interview with “The Graham Norton Show.” “Paul and [his wife] Nancy were leaving and there was a piano in the corner of the room, and he just can’t help himself.
“So he sits down at the piano and starts playing ‘Lady Madonna,’ in my f***ing house! My mind is blown. I can’t believe this is happening. This is like the most crazy full-circle moment of my entire life.”
Grohl will become a two-time inductee on Oct. 30. He was inducted as a member of Nirvana in 2014.
Joining McCartney as a presenter at the 2021 Induction Ceremony is pop megastar Taylor Swift, who will induct Carole King into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Swift and singer Jennifer Hudson will also perform in King’s honor. The ceremony allows Swift to return a favor to King. The “Tapestry” singer presented the country-turned-pop megastar with the Artist of the Decade Award at the 2019 American Music Awards.
Actress Angela Bassett will induct Tina Turner into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Bassett portrayed Turner in the 1993 film “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” Bassett earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Turner’s induction will also feature an all-star cast of performers including Christina Aguilera, Mickey Guyton, H.E.R., and Bryan Adams.
[Join us for this special, FREE event during Induction Week in Cleveland: CLE ROCKS PRESENTS…LIVE PODCAST RECORDING – STORIES FROM TINA TURNER’S LEGENDARY ‘80S AND ‘90S CLEVELAND SHOWS]
Actress and superfan Drew Barrymore will induct The Go-Go’s. Lionel Richie will handle the honors for Ahmet Ertegun Award winner Clarence Avant. On Monday, several news outlets, including Pitchfork, Paste and Variety reported that LL Cool J will be inducted by Dr. Dre. However, that was not included in the official announcement sent out by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The announcement made by the Rock Hall Monday is only a partial list. The Class of 2021 includes the aforementioned artists as well as JAY-Z, Foo Fighters and Todd Rundgren, along with specialty award recipients Kraftwerk, Charley Patton, Gil Scott-Heron, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads.
No word yet on who will induct those artists. King, The Go-Go’s Foo Fighters and LL Cool J have been outspoken about their excitement for the ceremony with the latter three expected to perform. Turner, who has been in bad health in recent years, is not expected to attend.
Meanwhile, Tickets remain for the 2021 inductions.