Hopkins played piano on one of my favorite albums of all time, Exile on Main Street. He was a session player for decades, collaborating with a myriad of bands and musicians such as: The Jeff Beck Group; The Kinks; The Beatles (as well as solo work by George Harrison and Paul McCartney); Cat Stevens; Mark Bolan; and, many more. I then checked to see if Mr. Hopkins had been entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is not.
Here is my rant. There are many performers who have no business being in the “Hall of Fame.” (I did not evaluate the worthiness of those categorized as “early performers” or people whose music I am not familiar with, such as Bobby Darin.)
Why did Guns N Roses (2012, huh?) get inducted before Hall and Oates (2014)?
Why did Bob Seger (huh?) get elected in 2004 and Miles Davis entered in 2006?
Ringo Starr in 2015??? Tom Petty in 2002??? His halftime performance during the Super Bowl has to be the most boring of all time. The Clash (huh?) got inducted in 2003 yet Deep Purple had to wait until 2016??? OK, I need to stop using so many punctuation marks.
These acts are undeserving for enshrinement in my opinion. Beastie Boys. Bonnie Raitt. Cheap Trick. Donna Summer. Green Day. Jackson Browne. Joan Jett (Are you kidding me??!!). And then there is a 2017 entry, Journey. Maybe that recent Def Leppard and Poison tour will tilt them into the Hall of Fame.
Again, no Nicky Hopkins?
