Tom Waits Leads Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees

Tom Waits will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011, alongside Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Darlene Love, Dr. John, and industry visionaries Jac Holzman and Art Rupe.

Artists have to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to be elgible for induction into the Hall Of Fame, which last year welcomed ABBA, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, the Hollies and the Stooges into their ranks.

I am still recovering,” said Waits in a statement. “I never really cared about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…but now I am surprised to discover how much I DO care.” The gravel-voiced troubadour tells Rolling Stone that the induction makes him think of his mother, who died this year. “I wish she was alive to hear the news,” he says. “She didn’t respond to rock and roll per se, but she would have loved to have a reason to get all dolled up…and…the idea of having a Waldorf salad at the Waldorf Astoria, would for her have been the cat’s pajamas.”

Congratulations to all the inductees.