Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley to Appear at 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Luke Bryan and Brad Paisley are among the artists who will appear at the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 7.
HBO announced the country stars on Thursday (Oct. 8) as part of an all-star lineup of guests for the 2020 Rock Hall induction. Other guests include Sean “Diddy” Combs, Miley Cyrus, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, Dave Grohl, Don Henley, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron and Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson.
Those stars will honor the Class of 2020, a diverse slate of rock performers that includes Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, the Notorious B.I.G. and T. Rex.
Originally scheduled for May 2, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony was delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and will take place virtually this year.
“We’re honored to come together with this distinguished group of musicians and artists to celebrate our 2020 class of inductees,” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President and CEO Joel Peresman says in a statement. “While this year’s program will be different than those of years past, we look forward to recognizing their impact on the industry, their fans and the next generation of artists.”
Billboard speculates that Hudson seems likely to honor Houston, while Combs will probably tribute the Notorious B.I.G. The Eagles' manager, Irving Azoff, and Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, are both slated to receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which the Hall of Fame awards to non-performers.
It's unclear what role Bryan and Paisley will play in the induction, but it seems most likely that they will be on hand to honor the Doobie Brothers, who were previously the subject of a country tribute album titled Southbound in 2014. Paisley contributed his rendition of "Rockin' Down the Highway" to that project, and Bryan teamed with the group in 2011 for an episode of CMT's Crossroads.
Here's All 142 Country Music Hall of Fame Members: