Gregg Rolie speaking at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1998

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Thirteenth Annual Induction Ceremony was held on January 12, 1998 at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. This year's inductees included the high profile music act Santana. Featuring Gregg Rolie, Carlos Santana, Michael Shrieve and the remaining original members as part of a new class inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Santana was one of eight honorees, (including Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, and the Mamas & the Papas, along with jazz innovator Jelly Roll Morton, legendary New Orleans songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, late rockabilly great Gene Vincent, and rhythm and blues legend Lloyd Price). The pure and pulsing African-inspired rhythms of Santana's "Black Magic Woman" soared through New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and was followed by a very well deserved standing ovation. The band was then introduced to the stage by John Popper of Blues Traveler fame. "It's a great honor," said Carlos Santana, "I almost feel like Jackie Robinson." As the first Hispanic to enter the Hall, Carlos Santana marked the occasion by giving his speech in Spanish and English. Gregg Rolie of Santana (as well as Journey, Abraxas Pool and The Storm) was thrilled to join the ranks of pop music's greatest and said, "if you would have told me when I was 12 years old, that I would be up here, I wouldn't have believed it, thank you". Sheryl Crow was also at the show and introduced Fleetwood Mac. She worked with Gregg Rolie on his new solo album Rough Tracks, as a backup vocalist. You can see photos from the Santana performance below.

Background of Santana

In 1968, Gregg Rolie met a gifted young guitarist, Carlos Santana, and the two became fast friends and musical compatriots. They formed Santana, which quickly became a Bay Area favorite. Gregg's unmistakale organ sound and Carlos's stinging guitar was part of the Santana mystique. By the time they released their first Columbia album in 1969, Santana had played Woodstock and already gained national recognition. Gregg was the "voice" of Santana, singing on the band's biggest early hits, such as "Evil Ways," Black Magic Woman," and "Persuasion." The band's first four albums, Santana, Abraxas, Santana III, and Caravanserai, are considered by many to be among the group's finest.

About the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Musical artists can be inducted into Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twenty-five years after their first record is released; inductees are elected by an international board of rock and roll experts. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's purpose, is something beyond its role as Cleveland's premier tourist spot. Visitors can voyage through the music's past to get a glimpse at who made it all possible.


PHOTOS FROM THE AWARDS

Click on the links below to view still images from the ceremony.
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INTERVEIW WITH MICHAEL SHRIEVE



The Storm World Wide Web Page Exclusive Interview
with
GREGG ROLIE

The Storm World Wide Web Page Exclusive Interview
with
ABRAXAS POOL



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