Jon Bon Jovi reunited onstage with former members for a powerful performance celebrating its admission into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the late icon Nina Simone was welcomed to the prestigious music club with show-stopping performances from singers Lauryn Hill and Andra Day.
Bon Jovi’s portion of the four-hour-plus event ran an hour-long on Saturday night, with Jon Boni Jovi giving a lengthy 20-minute speech onstage.
He said he had been writing the speech for years.
“In the end, it’s all about time. It took a lot of people to get us here tonight,” he said.
American singer Simone, who died in 2003, was welcomed into the Rock Hall in a groundbreaking way by performers who she has deeply inspired.
“Her voice was so distinctive and powerful and I never heard anything like it,” Ms. Day said.
Simone’s brother, Sam Waymon, accepted the honor on his sister’s behalf.
The Cars and four first-time nominees, including Simone, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, make up the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.
