Let's consider some history around passed-over Rock Hall artists. There was a several-year public outcry for Rush's induction, remedied in 2013. There remains a hard rock legion out there smacking their forehead daily that Deep Purple isn't in yet. Guitar pioneer Link Wray has his evangelists as well. There is the steadfast, always impressive campaign of Induct Janet, there's Induct Whitney, and of course, untold millions of fans bleating on comment boards about Chicago, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Carole King (as a performer this time!) and well, _____ (fill in the blank/your favorite artist [HERE]).
A more recent entry to the Rock Hall campaign race gaining steam is "Harry in the Hall," which according to the website (harryinthehall.wordpress.com), is a "polite directive" and was "created by the fans of the Harry Nilsson Facebook Community to promote, educate, and provide undeniable justification for the induction of Harry Nilsson into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016."
With a Facebook account, an active Twitter, and a sense of urgency, this appears to be one of the more organized and spirited efforts to encourage the nomination and induction of an artist.
Why not? Best of luck, Harry in the Hall. If he gets nominated (knock wood) and inducted (gasp!), your energies here in the service of this legendary, justifiably respected singer-songwriter will be a campaign that was worth running. And if not? As Cubs fans always say, there's always next year.
(Side note: As a Captain Beefheart fan, I might have to follow in Harry in the Hall's enthusiastic footsteps next year with the same strategy..."Beef in the Hall?" "Beef with the Hall?" Hmm... maybe I need to work on that moniker...)
