CLEVELAND – The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame hosted a star-studded plaque dedication Friday night at its lakefront museum, celebrating the 2024 inductees ahead of the Induction Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 19. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Mary J. Blige, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Frampton, members of Foreigner, and Robert Bell and James “J.T.” Taylor of Kool & the Gang were present to unveil the 2024 inductee plaques. Family members of late inductees, including Jimmy Buffett‘s wife, Jane Slagsvol, and relatives of A Tribe Called Quest’s Phife Dawg, also attended.
Inductees were able to speak to the packed crowd outside of the Rock Hall. Frampton, who recently performed in Cleveland, thanked fans for their support. “You’re the ones who made this happen, and I’ll keep thanking you,” he said. Blige reflected on her career, saying, “This has been a long time coming. We came, we saw, and we conquered.”
Motown executive and producer Suzanne de Passe, this year’s Ahmet Ertegun Award recipient, reminisced about her early career with Berry Gordy. “I can’t sing a note, but there are other ways to get here,” she quipped. She will be the fifth woman to receive the honor.
Dave Matthews shared his awe at being inducted alongside Foreigner, a band he admired as a kid, while James “J.T.” Taylor led the crowd in a singalong of Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” during the plaque unveiling.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions
What: The 2024 Induction Ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. 1 Center Court, Cleveland. The event is sold out but verified RESALE tickets are still available at Seatgeek.com. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Disney+ with a special re-airing on January 1 on ABC and available Jan. 2 on Hulu.
Inductees: The 2024 performer inductees are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. The Musical Influence inductees are Big Mama Thornton and British bluesmen Alexis Korner and John Mayall.
Jimmy Buffett, the MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield are Musical Excellence inductees, and the Ahmet Ertegun Award goes to pioneering music industry executive Suzanne de Passe.
Guests, presenters and performers: The Rock Hall has said that Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Frampton, Kool & the Gang and Warwick will be performing at the ceremony. A star-studded list of other performers and presenters will also be at the show, including Zendaya, Julie Roberts, Jack Black, Dua Lipa, Jelly Roll, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Common, Dr. Dre, Demi Lovato, Tom Morello, Chuck D, Method Man, James Taylor, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Mac McAnally, Roger Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Ella Mai, Chad Smith, Billy Idol, Wolfgang Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, Robert Trujillo, Maynard James Keenan, Steve Stevens, Andrew Watt, Lucky Daye and The Roots.
