Steve Marinucci
Examiner.com
Twenty-five recordings, including songs by James Brown, the Beach Boys, Judy Garland, George Carlin, Bob Marley and the Doors, are among the 2009 inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Recording Academy announced Tuesday.
The selected recordings include the Beach Boys' "California Girls," James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's Man's World," George's Carlin's "Class Clown" album, the Doors' "Riders On The Storm," Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad," and Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Catch A Fire." Other artists honored included the Isley Brothers, Bo Diddley, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Mahalia Jackson, Harry James & His Orchestra, Janis Joplin, Johnny Mercer, Jelly Roll Morton, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The new additions bring the total number of Grammy Hall of Fame inductees to 851 titles.
"This year's Grammy Hall Of Fame inductees highlight a diverse array of masterpiece recordings that have had a profound impact on our musical history," said Neil Portnow, President and CEO of the Recording Academy. "The selections are timeless staples that span six decades and represent a wide range of genres from comedy to rock, reggae, jazz and R&B. They all greatly deserve to be memorialized."
The Recording Academy's National Trustees established the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1973 to honor "recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance" that are at least 25 years old. Hall Of Fame recordings are reviewed annually by a special member committee from all branches of the recording arts, and final approval is made by the Recording Academy Trustees.
