The inaugural Memphis Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set to take place tonight, honoring artists and figures of distinction in blues, gospel, jazz, R&B, soul, country, rockabilly, rock 'n' roll and hip-hop. So the first 25 names who will be welcomed into the hall cover a good deal of ground.
Late and living favorites as diverse as Elvis Presley, W.C. Handy, Al Green, Three 6 Mafia and ZZ Top are members of the first class, which also includes Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Booker T. and the MGs, George Coleman, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Howlin' Wolf, the Staple Singers, Estelle Axton & Jim Stewart, Lucie Campbell, Jim Dickinson, Jimmie Lunceford, Professor W.T. McDaniel, Memphis Minnie, Willie Mitchell, Dewey Phillips and Sam Phillips.
The Hall of Fame initiative, which is part of the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, was launched with an event in October, at which the names were announced. The ceremony will take place at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Bland is expected to perform, with younger acts on hand to pay tribute to posthumous inductees.
