Gene Pitney to Elvis...Who Belongs in Rock's Hall of Fame

Gene Pitney is not an artist that changed the face of rock, and does not deserve to be a member despite his successes as a singer and songwriter. Gene’s songs It Hurts to Be in Love, Only Love Can Break a Heart, and I’m Gonna Be Strong all made the top 10 as well as the title track from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. As a songwriter he penned the Crystals’ He’s a Rebel, Bobby Vee’s Rubber Ball, and Ricky Nelson’s Hello Mary Lou. I would recommend his induction in a Top 40 or Pop Hall of Fame.

The Platters have had a tremendous impact on music history. Many vocal groups patterned themselves after the group’s Twilight Time, Only You, and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Later, the band re-invented them as a beach music group beginning with With This Ring. The band is another example of traditional, vocalist, pop, but not rock stars. There are many bands touring as the Platters with as many as 40 on the road at the same time, so realize that the band you see is not likely to have members that were on any of the hits, but have a good time anyway.

The Police were a trio that combined Great Britain Gordon Sumner AKA Sting with Stewart Copeland the son of a former CIA operative, and Andy Summers. The band was tight, musically efficient, and combined rock with liberal doses of reggae and lyrics that were deceptively thought provoking. Their biggest hits Every Breath You Take, De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da, and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic were less influential than Synchronicity, Demolition Man, Driven to Tears, and Spirits in the Material World.

Elvis Presley is the king of rock. 50,000 fans cannot be wrong, 50,000,000 today. John Lennon used to say before there was Elvis there was nothing. He remains the standard that all solo performers that do not write their own material should be measured, like Dylan for songwriters, and the Beatles for bands. Other hall of fame members in the rock royal court include James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Brian Wilson. Elvis had us at hello with Heartbreak Hotel, Don’t Be Cruel, and Hound Dog. The King’s selections wavered with his induction in the army and the invasion of the Fab Four, but he re-emerged triumphantly with In the Ghetto, Don’t Cry Daddy, Suspicious Minds, and Kentucky Rain in 1969. His movies tended to not garner two thumbs up, but they were usually not intended to be anything but a lot of fun. Love Me Tender, King Creole, and Jailhouse Rock were among the more artistic. Viva Las Vegas, Speedway, and Girl Happy were frat like fun. He set the standard. He got the babes, jammed with the Beatles, sparred with Ali, and was covert with Nixon. He worked with legends Scottie Moore, the Jordanaires, and Gary Crosby (Ha!). Some of the best rock ever can be found with Little Sister, You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care), and Rubber Neckin’. The King reigns on. No one has come close to surpassing him.