Prince, Mellencamp Headed for Hall?

By Joal Ryan

This news is either going to ease Prince and John Mellencamp's possible midlife crises, or agitate them: They're nominees for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The late George Harrison and Jackson Browne are other first-timers on the ballot determining the hall's class of 2004.

Others looking to gain admittance to the Cleveland-based mecca after coming up short in previous voting, include: Punk pioneers the Sex Pistols; Ozzy Osbourne's first family, Black Sabbath; "Freebird" purveyors Lynyrd Skynyrd; ZZ Top, the bearded rockers who were once MTV's unlikeliest video stars; and poet/rocker Patti Smith (news).

Nominees become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first records.

In the case of the artist currently known as Prince, that means he's a quarter-century away from his days as the 20-year-old wonder behind his 1978 debut, For You. The prolific funky rocker or rocking funkster, now 45, has produced numerous hits, including "1999," "Little Red Corvette," and "Purple Rain" to name three titles that don't sound too suggestive for family audiences. A very lucky man, he remained a critical and popular favorite even after he changed his name to a hieroglyphic in the 1990s.

http://story.news.yahoo.c...c_eo/12495

They also have a picture of him, though he looks like he's high in it. Still, nice to see the mention and to see him get the only picture accompany the article.


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