Joe Bonamassa has slammed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for not inducting veteran artists soon enough.
After British blues legend John Mayall died a few months prior to this year’s induction ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 19, fellow blues rock guitarist Bonamassa has urged the museum not to waste any more time and honour artists in their 70s and 80s before it’s too late.
Appearing on the ‘Artists on Record’ podcast, he said of Mayall: “I am sad and slightly p***** off that he didn’t live to see it because he deserved to go in decades ago.”
He continued: “There’s a lot of omissions that I think they need to start reconciling quickly, because you cannot wait for them all to die to then go, ‘Well, we’re gonna put you in posthumously.’ It means something.
“It would have meant something to John to get that statue.
“There’s a lot of people that are now aging out or becoming in their late 70s and 80s that really should have been in decades ago. They need to get them in because it’s the right thing to do for the artist.”
The legendary musician passed away “peacefully” on July 22 after battling “health issues” that had prevented him from touring in recent years.
Ozzy Osbourne, 75, and Cher, 78, are among the veteran artists set for induction in October.
Meanwhile, Robert ‘Kool’ Bell of Kool and the Gang, who are also being honoured, admitted getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the last item on his bucket list.
The ‘Celebration’ hitmaker, 73, told Big Issue magazine before being confirmed for induction: “We have had many accolades, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of the last on the bucket list. And it took 60 years, but we were just nominated.
“This business can be up and down. We wrote a song called ‘Hollywood Swinging’ but it took us 20 years to get a star on Hollywood Boulevard.
“So it’s about staying positive and working hard.
“We’ve played with Elton John, Dire Straits, and we did 48 shows with Van Halen, so we have been with the rockers. Right now, we’re waiting on the vote.”