2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

Tom Waits, Neil Diamond, the Alice Cooper Band, Dr. John and Darlene Love will be welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next spring, the organization will announce Wednesday, according to latimes.com.

All five had been long eligible for induction under the hall’s criteria that acts wait at least 25 years after releasing their first recordings.

In addition, Jac Holzman and Art Rupe, the founders of Elektra and Speciality Records labels, respectively, are entering the hall as co-recipients of the annual Ahmet Ertegun Award bestowed on influential record executives.

Demonstrating that when Elton John speaks, Rock Hall voters listen, Leon Russell has been selected as the honoree for the new Award for Musical Excellence, previously known as the Sideman category. John had been exceptionally vocal this year when promoting their duet album “The Union” in saying that his Oklahoma-based fellow pianist, singer and songwriter deserved to be in the Hall of Fame.

Of the nominees who were on the final ballot for induction, Bon Jovi, Donna Summer, Chic, Laura Nyro, the Beastie Boys, Donovan, the J. Geils Band, LL Cool J, Joe Tex and Chuck Willis were left to wait for another year to be voted in.

Read more here.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of Cleveland's greatest tourist attractions. However, the induction ceremony will ber held in New York in March.