April 28, 2025 • 9 mins
Sal Cirrincione joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about the announcement of the latest class to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chubby Checkers has been inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. Let's talk more about that with Sal Serencione,
who is the Senior director of Rock Programming and Specialty
at Premiere Radio Networks. Sal, I don't know how you
feel about Chubby Checkers, but I didn't know what he did.
I didn't know whose dog he killed and why he
(00:23):
wasn't getting inducted into the Hall of Fame after all
of these years.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, maybe it was just the nominating committee just perhaps
felt he was a novelty act, or maybe they are elitist,
as some people called them. So I don't know. But
you know, I was only a baby when the actually
I don't the twist came out I think in sixty
(00:49):
one or something, if I'm not mistaken. So I was
born the year after. But no doubt I knew all
about Chubby growing up. Many people did not only a
great song, but a dance craze, and you know he
had more. He had other songs as well. So and
quite frankly, at eighty three years old, it's great that
they're able to finally, you know, induct him. He'll be
(01:13):
there to accept the award and I don't know how
many more artists from that era will be looked upon,
so it's great that they finally did what they needed
to do.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, I've talked to him a couple of times over
the years, and he said, at this point, I may
not go. I got a feeling he's going.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, I think he's going to go. He's lobbied very
hard for it, as you know, Larry, So Yeah, I
think I think he'll be there, you know, short of
gop a bit an illness or any kind of emergency.
I think he'll be there with bells on when they
have the ceremony, which is November eighth at the Peacock
Theater in Los Angeles, And what.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
A wonderful moment that'll be. I know that there's been
a lot of rock stars pushing for him to get in,
so I would imagine there's going to be a performance
of the Twist featuring a lot of other people with
Chubby Checker.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, that sounds like the perfect way to end the night,
doesn't it now with everybody's dancing on stage, And You're right,
a lot of people have pushed for him, So I'm
glad that they the word finally got through to those
who do the nominating, because this was the first time
he's been nominated. That's the that's the real rub. If
you will, I mean, okay, if at least nominate. He's
(02:21):
been eligible for nomination since the very beginning, since the
first class went in in nineteen eighty six or seven. Yeah,
just about. But yeah, they wait, they had to wait
till now twenty twenty five to nominate him. But thank
god he's still with us and we'll be there to
accept it.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Is it because young Winner isn't there anymore? Was he
the hold up?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
A lot of people have said that over the years
that you know, there's been you know, he's the one
that ruled with an iron fist and said, you know,
no to this, no to that, et cetera, et cetera.
A reflection perhaps of his magazine, who didn't cover a
lot of the bands that people have been you know,
Champion like Rush is the biggest example. Who knows, I mean,
(03:06):
you know the new chairman, John Sykes, who of course
is uh, we all work for the same company. But
you know, I'd say this regardless. I mean, he's he's
really try to be as diverse as possible in selecting
who should be nominated, although he doesn't have a say
and who gets nominated or chosen or anything like that.
(03:27):
But you know, he's pushed for diversity and this class
demon the last few classes that John has been the
chairman have demonstrated that very much.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I love the people that got in this time. Is
there anybody controversial in the mix here? No?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
No, not at all. Uh. The only one that I've
been reading, you know, there's so yeah. The two that
jump out that there's been controversy with and you know,
have been Chubby Checker. But the who I've been reading
that have are surprised that he's getting in are some
very young journalists that don't understand the impact. I'm not
(04:05):
saying that I'm above them or no more or anything
like that, but they don't get the full impact of Chubby.
And the other one that I've seen some interesting comments
about it are the white Stripes, with many people saying, well,
they came on the scene real quick, but then went
away as quickly, so you know, why are they being
(04:28):
you know, nominated and now inducted. But you know, they're
looked upon as being very influential and did change the
sound a little bit at the time that they first
came on the scene. And Jack White is a tremendous
guitar player and he's been a you know, real proponent
for Vinyl records with his Third Band records and everything.
So I'll give him a tip of the hat to help,
(04:50):
you know, bringing back Vinyl to where it is.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
So I should go through these. You got Bad Company
Chubby Checkers, stop me if you want to comment on
anybody Bad Company Checker, Joe Cocker, Cindy Lauper, Outcasts, Sound Garden,
and White Stripes. Right, that's a pretty good list.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, it is. And like I said, it's the diverse.
That's the performer category. So what they've done here, Larry,
is they break this up now every year now the
performer category that's the big one. So when they announced
the nominations, the nominations are for the performer category and
then the rock call and off to the side pick
(05:33):
other people that they want to be recognized that night.
So for example, they've got the Musical Influence Award and
this year they're recognizing Salt and Peppa and Warren Zebon,
the late Warren ze Bon.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, I love Warren Zebon.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I yeah, And he's another one that people have lobbied
for a long time and he was never nominated, and
so you know, maybe this is their way of saying,
all right, we don't know he will ever get nominated,
but we do feel that he should be recognized. So
he's going to get this Musical Influence Award, sadly posthumously.
(06:09):
And then you have the Musical Excellence Award, and that
goes to artist, musicians, songwriters, producers whose originality and influence
creating music have had a dramatic impact on music. And
those being recognized this year are the is the producer
Tom Bell Big with the Philly Philadelphia Sound sadly no
longer with us. The great keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, who has
(06:31):
played on records from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones,
Steve Miller, the Kings, you name it, also no longer
with us. And then Carol Kay he's the bass player
in the Wrecking Crew, which is the group of studio
musicians out on the West Coast who have played on
countless songs and albums by the Life of the Beach Boys,
(06:53):
Glenn Campbell, the Righteous Brothers. The list goes on and on,
and she is with us and long overdue. She should
have been recognized long time ago, so it'll be nice
to see her get inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Let's talk about some of the people that didn't get in.
What surprised you the most of those who didn't get
in this time.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I kind of thought Billy Idol was going to get
in on his first ballot. I'm not surprised that he didn't,
but you know, he's got a new album coming out.
He performed at the ceremony last year on behalf of
Ozzy Osbourne, and then of course you had Ozzy and
a lot of artists come out in support of him.
(07:33):
So he was getting a lot of help on the
lobbying side of things, and I thought, you know, they
might just get him in. But I think he was
offset by Cindy Lauper, okay, because I mean that both
were big in the eighties. This was her second nomination.
Being female did not hurt. A matter of fact, he's
(07:54):
the only female in the performer category, so I think,
you know, he got pushed aside. He'll definitely get in
at some point. I don't think there's any question about that.
And I also think that Mariah Carrey I you know,
still get in too, but I think Cindy Lauper, you know,
was the one that wedged her out of the pie.
(08:15):
The rest not getting in does not really surprise me,
even though Fish was first in the fan vote. I
don't think they're the critics. Darlings, and a lot of
folks on the nominating committee were critics or are critics,
so I you know, I mean, they know they actually
they got nominated, but you know, I guess, meaning the
voting public didn't feel that their fellow musicians didn't feel
(08:38):
that they were up to task. I guess at this point,
so we'll see the first time that somebody who's finished
first in the fan vote, by the way, didn't get inducted.
It happened to Dave Matthews, Banton.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, it seems to happen a lot. Sal Cerencione, who
was the senior director of Rock Programming and Specials of
Premiere Radio Network, just a wealth of information. Thanks so
much for your.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Time, So sapping me on Lowry. You take care, you
two
Chubby Checkers has been inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. Let's talk more about that with Sal Serencione,
who is the Senior director of Rock Programming and Specialty
at Premiere Radio Networks. Sal, I don't know how you
feel about Chubby Checkers, but I didn't know what he did.
I didn't know whose dog he killed and why he
(00:23):
wasn't getting inducted into the Hall of Fame after all
of these years.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, maybe it was just the nominating committee just perhaps
felt he was a novelty act, or maybe they are elitist,
as some people called them. So I don't know. But
you know, I was only a baby when the actually
I don't the twist came out I think in sixty
(00:49):
one or something, if I'm not mistaken. So I was
born the year after. But no doubt I knew all
about Chubby growing up. Many people did not only a
great song, but a dance craze, and you know he
had more. He had other songs as well. So and
quite frankly, at eighty three years old, it's great that
they're able to finally, you know, induct him. He'll be
(01:13):
there to accept the award and I don't know how
many more artists from that era will be looked upon,
so it's great that they finally did what they needed
to do.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, I've talked to him a couple of times over
the years, and he said, at this point, I may
not go. I got a feeling he's going.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, I think he's going to go. He's lobbied very
hard for it, as you know, Larry, So Yeah, I
think I think he'll be there, you know, short of
gop a bit an illness or any kind of emergency.
I think he'll be there with bells on when they
have the ceremony, which is November eighth at the Peacock
Theater in Los Angeles, And what.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
A wonderful moment that'll be. I know that there's been
a lot of rock stars pushing for him to get in,
so I would imagine there's going to be a performance
of the Twist featuring a lot of other people with
Chubby Checker.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, that sounds like the perfect way to end the night,
doesn't it now with everybody's dancing on stage, And You're right,
a lot of people have pushed for him, So I'm
glad that they the word finally got through to those
who do the nominating, because this was the first time
he's been nominated. That's the that's the real rub. If
you will, I mean, okay, if at least nominate. He's
(02:21):
been eligible for nomination since the very beginning, since the
first class went in in nineteen eighty six or seven. Yeah,
just about. But yeah, they wait, they had to wait
till now twenty twenty five to nominate him. But thank
god he's still with us and we'll be there to
accept it.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Is it because young Winner isn't there anymore? Was he
the hold up?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
A lot of people have said that over the years
that you know, there's been you know, he's the one
that ruled with an iron fist and said, you know,
no to this, no to that, et cetera, et cetera.
A reflection perhaps of his magazine, who didn't cover a
lot of the bands that people have been you know,
Champion like Rush is the biggest example. Who knows, I mean,
(03:06):
you know the new chairman, John Sykes, who of course
is uh, we all work for the same company. But
you know, I'd say this regardless. I mean, he's he's
really try to be as diverse as possible in selecting
who should be nominated, although he doesn't have a say
and who gets nominated or chosen or anything like that.
(03:27):
But you know, he's pushed for diversity and this class
demon the last few classes that John has been the
chairman have demonstrated that very much.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I love the people that got in this time. Is
there anybody controversial in the mix here? No?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
No, not at all. Uh. The only one that I've
been reading, you know, there's so yeah. The two that
jump out that there's been controversy with and you know,
have been Chubby Checker. But the who I've been reading
that have are surprised that he's getting in are some
very young journalists that don't understand the impact. I'm not
(04:05):
saying that I'm above them or no more or anything
like that, but they don't get the full impact of Chubby.
And the other one that I've seen some interesting comments
about it are the white Stripes, with many people saying, well,
they came on the scene real quick, but then went
away as quickly, so you know, why are they being
(04:28):
you know, nominated and now inducted. But you know, they're
looked upon as being very influential and did change the
sound a little bit at the time that they first
came on the scene. And Jack White is a tremendous
guitar player and he's been a you know, real proponent
for Vinyl records with his Third Band records and everything.
So I'll give him a tip of the hat to help,
(04:50):
you know, bringing back Vinyl to where it is.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
So I should go through these. You got Bad Company
Chubby Checkers, stop me if you want to comment on
anybody Bad Company Checker, Joe Cocker, Cindy Lauper, Outcasts, Sound Garden,
and White Stripes. Right, that's a pretty good list.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, it is. And like I said, it's the diverse.
That's the performer category. So what they've done here, Larry,
is they break this up now every year now the
performer category that's the big one. So when they announced
the nominations, the nominations are for the performer category and
then the rock call and off to the side pick
(05:33):
other people that they want to be recognized that night.
So for example, they've got the Musical Influence Award and
this year they're recognizing Salt and Peppa and Warren Zebon,
the late Warren ze Bon.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, I love Warren Zebon.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I yeah, And he's another one that people have lobbied
for a long time and he was never nominated, and
so you know, maybe this is their way of saying,
all right, we don't know he will ever get nominated,
but we do feel that he should be recognized. So
he's going to get this Musical Influence Award, sadly posthumously.
(06:09):
And then you have the Musical Excellence Award, and that
goes to artist, musicians, songwriters, producers whose originality and influence
creating music have had a dramatic impact on music. And
those being recognized this year are the is the producer
Tom Bell Big with the Philly Philadelphia Sound sadly no
longer with us. The great keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, who has
(06:31):
played on records from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones,
Steve Miller, the Kings, you name it, also no longer
with us. And then Carol Kay he's the bass player
in the Wrecking Crew, which is the group of studio
musicians out on the West Coast who have played on
countless songs and albums by the Life of the Beach Boys,
(06:53):
Glenn Campbell, the Righteous Brothers. The list goes on and on,
and she is with us and long overdue. She should
have been recognized long time ago, so it'll be nice
to see her get inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Let's talk about some of the people that didn't get in.
What surprised you the most of those who didn't get
in this time.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I kind of thought Billy Idol was going to get
in on his first ballot. I'm not surprised that he didn't,
but you know, he's got a new album coming out.
He performed at the ceremony last year on behalf of
Ozzy Osbourne, and then of course you had Ozzy and
a lot of artists come out in support of him.
(07:33):
So he was getting a lot of help on the
lobbying side of things, and I thought, you know, they
might just get him in. But I think he was
offset by Cindy Lauper, okay, because I mean that both
were big in the eighties. This was her second nomination.
Being female did not hurt. A matter of fact, he's
(07:54):
the only female in the performer category, so I think,
you know, he got pushed aside. He'll definitely get in
at some point. I don't think there's any question about that.
And I also think that Mariah Carrey I you know,
still get in too, but I think Cindy Lauper, you know,
was the one that wedged her out of the pie.
(08:15):
The rest not getting in does not really surprise me,
even though Fish was first in the fan vote. I
don't think they're the critics. Darlings, and a lot of
folks on the nominating committee were critics or are critics,
so I you know, I mean, they know they actually
they got nominated, but you know, I guess, meaning the
voting public didn't feel that their fellow musicians didn't feel
(08:38):
that they were up to task. I guess at this point,
so we'll see the first time that somebody who's finished
first in the fan vote, by the way, didn't get inducted.
It happened to Dave Matthews, Banton.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, it seems to happen a lot. Sal Cerencione, who
was the senior director of Rock Programming and Specials of
Premiere Radio Network, just a wealth of information. Thanks so
much for your.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Time, So sapping me on Lowry. You take care, you
two
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