Trailblazing singer has unique request for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Chubby Checker was thrilled to have finally gotten the call about being selected for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame . But the music legend has one more request.
"The Twist" singer famously complained in 2002 about not being included in the Rock Hall and insisted that he deserves a statue for his trailblazing career.
"Now, there was that controversy back in the day [laughs], where I told them that, because of what we've done in the music industry, the Hall should erect a statue of Chubby Checker in its courtyard inviting everyone in to rock 'n' roll," Checker said in an exclusive interview with Variety .
"Everyone got so angry about that," he said. "Everybody's made a whole lotta money off of Chubby. Give the man some credit!"
Now that Checker is part of the 2025 class headed for induction in November, it sounds like he still wants a statue.
"It's just a great thing that it's happening," Checker told Variety. "And if they finally put my statue up, well, I might not be alive to see that happen, but people will enjoy it."
Checker still performs often today, but thinks his music should be more ubiquitous. He said he wants to hear his songs played on the radio and in supermarkets from other Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, "like Billy Joel , The Beatles , Elton John or Fleetwood Mac ."
"I want to hear my music liked like them," he told Variety.
"I want to hear my music, and get it heard like [those other legends] do," Checker said. "They don't have the No. 1 song on the planet; I do. And by the way: the dance floor that so many of these artists enjoy and make millions of dollars on – I put it there. And it's still there."
The 83-year-old singer is most famous for "The Twist," which hit No. 1 in 1960 and 1962 and was named the top song on Billboard's all-time Hot 100 chart. His decades-long career also includes "Pony Time," "Let's Twist Again" and his version of "Limbo Rock."
Checker, who was eligible since 1986, will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8 along with Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper , Bad Company, Outkast, Soundgarden and the White Stripes. The ceremony will stream live on Disney+ and be available on Hulu the next day.
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Read the original article on MassLive .
