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04 June 2010

Ray Charles Inducts Billy Joel In Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (1999)

On 15 March 1999 "Ray Charles inducted Billy Joel, the Piano Man who burst out of Long Island with a rocker's swagger and Tin Pan Alley songwriting skill [in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]. The wedding standard Just The Way You Are, Uptown Girl and We Didn't Start The Fire are among his hits. Joel gave a long hug to Ray Charles, who inducted him. Joel said he learned his music from Charles, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett." The program aired on the 18th.
The other inductees were Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Dusty Springfield (who died two weeks before).
The event in New York was covered by ABC's Entertainment Weekly. Source: ABC News VideoSearch (ID VSAP111932_0). Conus Archive (ID 155361) keeps another 56:55 report of the ceremony and the show.

After the ceremony, 'Billy Joel and The Rock Hall Jam Band' (led by Paul Shaffer, with a.o. Bonnie Raitt, and Paul McCartney) performed What'd I Say. This performance was part of the 5th disk - titled Whole Lotta Shakin' - of the 9-DVD boxset Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum Live (Time Life, 2 November 2010, ASIN: B002W5HBGM).

Ray's speech at 44:35 ("You're inducted, brother"):
   [Clips were removed from YouTube]

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