The Commercial Appeal: John Mellencamp, Martina McBride honor Memphis music during Hall of Fame ceremony
On a starry fall night in the Bluff City, six of the city’s musical greats — from soul stars to blues legends, rockin’ grannies to R&B divas and more — were honored during the Memphis Music Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony. The event, held Sept. 25 at the Cannon Center, was attended by an audience of nearly 700.
The centerpiece of the ceremony came with the induction of the blues legend Robert Johnson. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of blues and rock music, the Hazlehurst, Mississippi, native developed a unique style of singing and guitar playing that shaped the Delta blues genre. Throughout his brief life, he lived with family and moved in and out of Memphis.Despite recording only 29 songs during two sessions in 1936 and 1937, Johnson’s work had a profound impact on several generations of rock musicians, including John Mellencamp.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Mellencamp traveled to Memphis to honor Johnson, performing his “Stones in My Passway” in tribute. Mellencamp then offered remarks in praise of the bluesman, as he recalled how he first heard his father playing Johnson's records when he was a boy. "They would call his music 'the devil’s music' and I would think as a young kid — 'Why does the devil get all the good music?'" Mellencamp joked. "But I’m very proud to be here and very happy that [Robert] Johnson is receving this award tonight."