Guitar god Stevie Ray Vaughan is among the list of artists up for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On October 9, Thursday, the list of nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 was released, which included Vaughan and artists such as Lou Reed, Sting, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Bill Withers.
According to Rolling Stone, the public will again be allowed to vote alongside the artists, historians and music industry insiders in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to choose among the list of nominees such as Vaughan whom they’d like to see inducted. Music fans can cast their votes until December 9, and the top five acts will be comprising a “fan’s ballot” that will serve as one of the 700 required to determine the Class of 2015.
Vaughan is a blues guitarist from Dallas, Texas who made his name in Austin and is credited as important to the revival of blues music in the 1980s. Vaughan earned six Grammy Award and 10 Austin Music Awards in his lifetime, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Musicians Hall of Fame earlier this year.
Vaughan was reportedly admired by other legendary rock musicians. “SRV completely floored me. I probably hadn’t been so gung-ho about a guitar player since seeing Jeff Beck in the early 60s,” said David Bowie after a 1982 performance of Vaughan’s in Montreal.
Artists eligible this year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame must have released their first album or single in 1989. Although Vaughan has been eligible for induction for six years, this is the first time the guitarist has been nominated. Vaughan is reportedly doing well in the pubic poll as he is leading it with 17.69% of votes. The influential electric guitarist is followed by new nominees Nine Inch Nails, with 16.12%, and Green Day, with 13.45%.