Cher, Dave Matthews, Ozzy Osbourne Turn Back Time at Epic Rock Hall of Fame Ceremony

The clock was rapidly approaching midnight when Ozzy Osbourne first appeared on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony stage at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio Saturday night. Due to a variety of health ailments, including Parkinson’s Disease, Osbourne’s mobility is severely limited, and he rarely appears in public. But there he was accepting the award on a leather throne with skull armrests, and a giant vampire bat perched on top.

“Let me get the thank yous out of the way, because I’m not going to bore you with a long, drawn out fucking monologue,” he told the crowd as presenter Jack Black got down on one knee beside him. “I’d like to thank whoever voted me into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for my solo work…I’ve got to say one thing for a guy by the name of Randy Rhoads. If I’d hadn’t have met Randy Rhoads, I don’t think I’d be sitting here now. And moreso more than that, my wife Sharon. Saved my life. And my grandbabies and my babies. I love them all.”

It was the emotional highpoint of a long evening that did indeed see several “drawn out fucking monologues,” but also a few once-in-a-lifetime performances by everyone from Cher and Dua Lipa to Mary J. Blige, Peter Frampton, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Chesney, Kool & the Gang, James Taylor, Kelly Clarkson, Slash, Billy Idol, and Busta Rhymes.

Nowhere else but the Hall of Fame would such a gathering of talent even be possible, and timing was perfect since it gave Clevelanders a reason to cheer while the Yankees were ending the World Series dreams of the Guardians just one block down the street. (The city hadn’t seen a night this bonkers since the Republican National Convention came to town in 2016.)

The festivities began promptly at 7:00 pm when Dua Lipa came onstage alongside house band the Roots and belted out Cher’s 1998 comeback hit “Believe.” Cher came out to join her halfway through, stunning the crowd with the power of her voice at age 78. Zendaya, wearing a recreation of one of Cher’s most infamous Bob Mackie dresses, delivered her induction speech. “Her voice is so singular that any song she sings becomes a Cher song,” she said. “She’s navigated a multitude of musical genres, defined new ones and reinvented others.”
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It was impossible to know what tone Cher would take when accepting the award. Less than a year ago, she told Kelly Clarkson she was so angry about being excluded all these years from the Hall of Fame that she wouldn’t show up “for a million dollars.” She reversed course when she learned she was indeed getting in, but hinted she’d “have some words to say” on the big night.

But instead of airing grievances, she delivered a warm, heartfelt speech that touched on key moments from her crazy life. “It was easier getting divorced from two men than it was getting in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” she said. “I want to thank my guardian, David Geffen, because he wrote a letter and sent it to the directors, and so here I am.”

Prior to her speech, Cher revived her 1989 classic “If I Could Turn Back Time.” And the dance party continued when Kool & the Gang took the stage following a rousing speech by Chuck D. about their massive contributions to the world of hip-hop and pop music in general. Many original Kool & the Gang band members have died in recent years, but group founder Robert “Kool” Bell was on hand along with classic-era vocalist James “J.T.” Taylor. They played a medley of hits like “Ladies Night,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” “Get Down on it” and, of course, “Celebration” that brought every single person the arena to their feet.

The clock went from the Seventies to the Sixties for Dionne Warwick, who was inducted by Teyana Taylor. At age 83, Warwick doesn’t have the range or control she had back in her heyday. But Jennifer Hudson came out to help her get through 1979’s “I’ll Never Love This Way Again.” And Warwick delivered “Walk on By” by herself, drawing energy from the warmth of the crowd. “This is the third time that I’ve been nominated for this particular award,” she said in her speech. “And they finally got it right. I got the point where I said, ‘Ya’ll can keep this award.’ But I am so pleased to be here.”
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The MC5 portion of the night was brief because the deaths of guitarist Wayne Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson this year meant there was nobody left to accept the award. The proto-punk legends were inducted by longtime fan Tom Morello, who explained the massive influence they had on punk and hard rock in the years following their dissolution. (The inductions of blues guitarist Alexis Korner, Motown songwriter/producer Norman Whitfield, guitarist John Mayall, and R&B/Blues singer Big Mama Thornton were handled via short films sprinkled throughout the evening.)

Things got a little weird when the time came to induct Foreigner. Sammy Hagar gave a strong speech arguing that the group had been criminally underappreciated all these decades, before ceding the stage to Chad Smith, Slash, Demi Lovato and “Foreigner’s touring band.” He was forced to make that odd distinction because that band doesn’t have a single member of the actual Foreigner from the Seventies or Eighties. Original singer Lou Gramm was in the house alongside bassist Rick Willis and keyboardist Al Greenwood. But they watched from the sidelines as Demi Lovato sang “Feels Like the First Time” and Hagar took over for “Hot Blooded.”

It wasn’t until Kelly Clarkson came out for “I Want To Know What Love Is” that Gramm, Wills and Greenwood finally took the stage. Gramm did step into the spotlight midway through the song to croon a few lines alongside Clarkson, but he was woefully underutilized considering he’s the voice of every single Foreigner hit. He’s also waited decades for this moment, and deserved to get at least a single song on his own. It’s obvious the Hall of Fame producers wanted to pack the stage with stars to help the TV broadcast, but Gramm’s treatment felt downright disrespectful.

Thankfully, Peter Frampton faced no such difficulties. Roger Daltrey traced his whole career in a speech (“It’s easier to name the people he hasn’t worked with than name the people he has”), and spoke about their odd resemblance to each other circa 1976. “I remember one time I was going through the airport with Pete Townshend and I got chased by a flock of teenage girls screaming ‘Peter! Peter!,'” he said. “As I rushed to the gate and finally got on the plane, Townshend came up behind me and said, ‘Daltrey, you’re really lucky. They think you’re Peter Frampton. They think I’m Tiny Tim.'”

Frampton suffers from the degenerative muscle condition Inclusion-Body Myositis, and has difficulty walking, but it’s had little impact on his singing or playing. From a seated position, he broke into 1974’s “Baby (Somethin’s Happening)” before Keith Urban came out to join him for an extended “Do You Feel Like We Do.” It was a great demonstration of Urban’s underappreciated guitar skills, and Frampton’s vitality as an artist.

Sadly, Jimmy Buffett didn’t live to see the day he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dave Matthews honored him with a solo acoustic rendition of “A Pirate Looks at 40” prior to James Taylor’s induction speech. “He loved, loved being Jimmy Buffett,” Taylor said. “He loved his family. He loved his band, he loved the music, the life on the road, and he absolutely loved his audience, absolutely. He made you feel that he really did. And we were summoned, like, to a tribal celebration, you know, the Parrothead nation.” Taylor then sat down alongside Kenny Chesney and Coral Reefer Band guitarist Mac McAnally to perform Buffett’s 1974 classic “Come Monday.”

Motown executive Suzanne de Passe, who played a pivotal role in the careers of the Jackson 5 and the Commodores, accepted the Ahmet Ergetun Award before unannounced presenter Dave Chappelle came out to induct A Tribe Called Quest. “Tribe has always been about togetherness,” he said. “On their way up during their ascension, they helped form or found what hip-hop calls the Native Tongues, which included De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers and Queen Latifah and Monie Love and Black Sheep. And all these bands, in their own way, changed our music and our culture really forever. I know this is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but this movement in hip-hop was the birth of so many great artists, and it started with these men sitting at this table.”

Q-Tip had quite a lot on his mind when he stepped up to the podium following brief remarks by Jarobi White, and he spoke uninterrupted for 10 minutes about the history of the group and what the evening meant to him. “Thank you,” Chappelle deadpanned afterwards, “for those brief comments.”

The hip-hop fans in the audience were hoping to see Tribe perform, but Ali Shaheed Muhammad didn’t show up, and Q-Tip and White clearly didn’t want to revive the group as a duo. Fortunately, the Roots were on hand to lead an all-star Tribe tribute featuring Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Common, and De La Soul that touched on “Bonita Applebum,” “Can I Kick It?,” and “Scenario.” It was undoubtably one of the greatest hip-hop moments in Hall of Fame history, rivaled only by LL Cool J’s set in 2021, and the Beastie Boys tribute in 2012.

The love for Nineties hip-hop continued when Dr. Dre and Method Man walked out together to induct Mary J. Blige. “Let’s face it, you don’t just listen to a Mary album,” Dre said. “You feel that shit in your soul. Every single syllable, her emotional vocals captures the pain and culture, but her messages of resilience, of hope and light are a pathway towards healing. When you listen to Mary, we’re reminded we’re not alone in heartbreak.”

What followed were stunning Blige performances of “My Life” with Lucky Daye, “Love No Limit” with Ella Mai, and “Be Happy” and “Family Affair” on her own. “If I stopped it all today, I like to be remembered as someone who wasn’t afraid to give her life through her music to help heal, uplift and touch the lives of others,” Blige said in her speech. “I’m beyond grateful for wisdom, knowledge, understanding and self-awareness, compassion, patience. The patience one I’m still working on. I don’t have much patience, but I’m getting there. I’m beyond grateful, beyond grateful for everything. I love you guys. You’re my family.”

Jack Black was the perfect choice to induct Ozzy into the Hall of Fame as a solo artist. (He first entered in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath.) “I stand here, just another nameless rock aficionado,” Black said as if he were talking to the kids in School of Rock. “And I’m talking to you 13-year-olds watching the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. All five of you put down your phones unless you’re watching on the phone, then put it closer to your face. Oh, man, rock aficionado is about to drop some truth. Sure, you could go stream Post Malone and Taylor Swift and get all the warm hugs you need for your broken hearts, or you can stay up all night and get your minds blown by Ozzy’s entire catalog for the first time. Holy shit, you kids are so fucking lucky.”

Osbourne dreamed of having the strength to sing at least one song at this ceremony, but that wasn’t to be. He did, however, kick off “Crazy Train” with a bellowing “All Aboard!” It was performed by a one-time-only supergroup of Chad Smith, Robert Trujillo, Andrew Watt, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Maynard James Keenan. The Randy Rhoads parts were nailed to perfection by Wolfgang, earning a massive ovation from the crowd as Ozzy looked on with approval from his bat throne.

“Crazy Train” transitioned right into a tender “Mama, I’m Coming Home” with Jelly Roll on vocals and Zakk Wylde on guitar. For the grand finale, Billy Idol delivered a snarling “No More Tears” alongside guitarist Steve Stevens. As they walked offstage, everyone kneeled by Ozzy and gave him a hug. It’s quite possible he’ll never perform in public again, but it’s wonderful he lived to see this long overdue moment.

Judging by the thunderous cheers whenever their name came up throughout the night, there were a lot of Dave Matthews Band fans in the house. Julia Roberts was one of them. “The musical talent, the originality, the sheer quantity of genres they perform, it’s mind-blowing,” she said in her induction speech. “And I’ve been lucky enough to attend many a Dave Matthews Band concert, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of their songs played the same way twice. Right? The songs, the stories of love and loss, of humanity and deep connections, and resonating responsibilities, it’s all there and more. The joyous, spontaneous abandon with which they play is part of how they have become one of the most enduring and beloved bands of the last 30 plus years.”

DMB kicked off their set with a euphoric “Ants Marching” and then crammed bits of “Crash Into Me,” “So Much to Say” and “Too Much” into a medley shorter than Q-Tip’s speech. Matthews was the only one to speak for the band, and he kept it mercifully short considering it was well past the five-hour mark by this point. “First of all, the class of 2024 does feel like we’re swimming in very deep water there,” he said. “We’re very grateful to be inducted with this incredible group of people.”
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Former violinist Boyd Tinsley didn’t make an appearance, which wasn’t surprising considering the legal issues he’s faced in recent years. But Matthews did make a quick reference to him. “Boyd Tinsley,” he said, “Wherever you are, we hope you’re finding the happiness you seek.”

At the end of his speech, Matthews said they were going to play some “going away music.” But few people left when they kicked into “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads. The crowd was beyond drained at this point, especially when word started to circulate that the Guardians just lost to the Yankees in extra innings, ending their season. But it’s not possible to sit still for this particular song, and they got the entire arena dancing yet again. The traditional all-star jam may not have taken place, but this was the next best thing.