The GRAMMY Hall of Fame dates back to 1973, and totals to over 1,100 inducted recordings today. However, the first ever GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala made history on May 21 at the Novo Theater in Los Angeles, honoring 10 new inducted recordings.
The inducted recordings, 4 albums and 6 singles, are as follows:
- De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising
- Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite For Destruction
- Buena Vista Social Club’s Buena Vista Social Club
- Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
- Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”
- Charley Pride’s “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin”
- Wanda Jackson’s “Let’s Have A Party”
- Kid Ory’s Creole Orchestra’s “Ory’s Creole Trombone”
- The Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believe”
- William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water”
With Lauryn and several other honorees in attendance themselves, the evening was nothing short of extravagant, beginning with a red carpet and cocktail hour on the Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum, which is directly next door from the Novo. Six of the inducted recordings were commemorated with performances, while the remaining four were presented with tribute videos.
Lauryn Hill Graces The GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala With Her Presence
Being fortunate enough to attend the gala myself, I was able to snap my very own picture of Lauryn on the red carpet. Her look of the night was, of course, elegant and exceptional: her cascading peach skirt paired perfectly with her black vest, meanwhile the metallic beads in her hair complimented her gold choker and massive floral brooch.
Lauryn was seated with her family only two tables away from the stage during the event, giving her a prime view of Andra Day’s tribute performance to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” As the beautifully heartwarming rendition of the track concluded, not a single audience member was left seated, and the room filled with a seemingly never-ending shower of applause.
“Lauryn I love you my whole heart my whole career my greatest inspiration,” I recall Andra Day exclaiming before leaving the stage.
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill was named the number one album on Apple Music‘s list of the 100 best albums of all time the following day on May 22, making this moment even more surreal and unforgettable for the artist. Not only did the 1998 album successfully experiment with an unheard of level of vulnerability in hip hop, but it also paved the way for the future of female rappers: Lauryn became the first female rapper to ever win Album of the Year at the GRAMMYs in 1999.
Lauryn’s album may have been released decades ago, but it evidently continues to bring multiple generations together, such as at the 2023 Roots Picnic music festival last June.
Atlantic Records Makes History
While the GRAMMY Hall of Fame traditionally focuses on recordings, one label also shared the spotlight at the gala: Atlantic Records. This makes Atlantic Records the first label to ever be honored by the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. This year, the label is celebrating its 75th anniversary, not to mention it already has over 38 inducted recordings.
The Atlantic Records artist roster is absolutely stacked, including Led Zeppelin, ABBA, and AC/DC, to name a few. After a video showcased this roster at the gala, Ravyn Lenae – one of Atlantic’s youngest artists – took the stage to sing a cover of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly.”
Following Ravyn, American rock band Shinedown performed their cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” and then gospel duo The War and Treaty closed the night with their cover of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say.”
Ultimately, I would deem the GRAMMY Hall of Fame’s first stand-alone event a major success. The night brought together a guest list full of icons, from the legendary Jimmy Jam to supermodel Cindy Crawford, with the sole purpose of recognizing some of the best tunes of all time. I look forward to watching the ways in which the gala expands in the years to come.
