On January 23rd, 1986, the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in New York.  And the list of the first inductees represents the early days of Rock and Roll and includes many artists Art Laboe has worked with: Chuck Berry (pictured top right with Art Laboe), James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke (pictured bottom right with Art Laboe), Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis (pictured top left with Art Laboe), Elvis Presley and Little Richard (pictured bottom left with Art Laboe). In the non-performer category, Sun Records producer Sam Phillips (discovered Elvis among others) and fellow disc jockey and friend of Art Laboe, Alan Freed, were honored.  In the early influences category, Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rodgers and Jimmy Yancey were honored and a Lifetime Achievement award went to talent scout/producer John Hammond. 

Alan Freed's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, was the first city to request the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum be built there.  Many other cities also wanted the Museum including Chicago, Memphis New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.  But after a public poll in USA Today, Cleveland won and it took nearly a decade for the Museum to be built.  It opened in 1995. 

Although, Art Laboe has yet to be officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he is a part of a permanent display at the Museum and was honored with the plaque below in 1998.

The 28th annual inductees list includes Art Laboe's good friend Lou Adler and the ceremony takes place at the Nokia Theatre LA LIVE in Los Angeles on April 18th with an HBO broadcast to follow on May 18th.  

LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!