Who’s Still Alive From the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s First Class?
What To Know
- The first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1986 honored foundational performers and pioneers whose influence shaped twentieth-century music.
- At the time of the ceremony, nine of the original inductees were still alive, representing a range of genres including rock, rhythm and blues, gospel, country, and blues.
- As of today, all members of the inaugural class have passed away, but their music continues to have a lasting impact on pop culture.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame held its very first induction ceremony on January 23, 1986, at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. At the time, rock and roll itself was barely three decades old, yet already full of artists whose influence stretched across genres and generations, and the first class aimed to establish the Hall as a serious historical institution rather than a popularity contest.
The emphasis was placed on foundational performers and behind-the-scenes pioneers whose recordings and instincts shaped the sound of the twentieth century. That inaugural class included Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rodgers, Jimmy Yancey, John Hammond, Alan Freed and Sam Phillips — all of whom have now passed. But several were still with us during that first ceremony.
What was the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony like?
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Several inductees were already gone by 1986. Presley had died in 1977, Holly in 1959, Johnson in 1938, Rodgers in 1933, Yancey in 1951, Freed in 1965 and Cooke in 1964. Still, many of the pioneers were present to experience the moment. Keith Richards inducted Berry and openly acknowledged his debt to him, telling the audience, according to Ultimate Classic Rock, “It’s very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry, because I lifted every lick he ever played.” Berry responded with humor, opening his remarks with, “May I take a few minutes to set a record straight?” before sharing a brief story about their early connection. Little Richard was unable to attend due to injuries from a car accident, while Lisa Marie Presley accepted on behalf of her late father, presented by Julian and Sean Lennon.
Everett Collection
At the time of the ceremony, nine members (one was a group) of the class were still alive: Berry, Brown, Charles, Domino, Phil and Don Everly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, John Hammond and Sam Phillips. The group reflected many genres of early rock and roll, and several later spoke in interviews over the years about how meaningful it was to see early rhythm and blues, gospel, country, and blues finally acknowledged as the roots of rock’s global explosion.
Over time, the original class gradually passed away. Hammond died in 1987, Phillips in 2003, Ray Charles in 2004, James Brown in 2006, Fats Domino in 2017, Chuck Berry in 2017, Little Richard in 2020, Phil Everly in 2014, Don Everly in 2021, and Jerry Lee Lewis in 2022. As of today, none of the original 1986 inductees are still alive. However, nearly forty years later, the songs they created continue to echo in pop culture.
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