The Miracles will join Smokey Robinson in the R&R Hall of Fame this year

By Phill Marder

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame today, rectifying several injustices, announced that the Miracles, the Comets, the Crickets, the Midnighters, the Blue Caps and the Famous Flames  finally will be inducted in a special ceremony this year as part of the 27th annual Hall of Fame inductions April 14 in Cleveland.

Smokey Robinson, lead singer of the Miracles, was inducted in 1987, but somehow his cohorts, who played a major role in the success of Robinson and the Motown empire, were ignored. Bill Haley also was inducted in 1987, but again, his band, The Comets, who played on Haley’s recordings and in personal appearances, were left out.

Buddy Holly was inducted in 1986, the Hall of Fame’s initial class, but the Crickets did not accompany him although they played on almost all his records and co-wrote some of them. Hank Ballard, composer of “The Twist,” was inducted in 1990, but his group, The Midnighters, also was slighted though it appeared on all of Ballard’s successful recordings, which were numerous.

Also to be included are James Brown’s backing vocal group, The Famous Flames. Brown also was inducted in the Hall’s first year, 1986. Gene Vincent, not inducted until 1998, will be joined by his backing group, the Blue Caps.

Joel Peresman, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame president and CEO, said in a statement, “These Inductees are pioneers in the development of the music we call rock and roll. As part of our mission to recognize the most impactful, innovative and influential artists in rock, the committee brought forth these six groups that belong in the Hall of Fame.”

Unfortunately, Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band will not be among the inductees.

By Mike Greenblatt

Think of it: Buddy Holly saw Elvis in ’55, chucked his bluegrass duo, formed a band and started hiccupping his vocals rockabilly-style, furiously writing up a storm of songs. He toured England only once but inspired a generation of acolytes … including The Beatles (who name themselves after Holly’s Crickets). His was a self-contained rock band in an age when singers sang songs of other songwriters. He charted 27 times. He died in the infamous plane crash that also killed The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens (tour mate Dion and Holly bassist Waylon Jennings stayed on the bus).

Not even death can overtake the vibrant, brilliant music of the bespectacled kid from Lubbock, Texas, who was anything but a hick. A half-century later, recording artists continue to record — and find hits with — Holly’s songs.

(Revisit ‘The Day The Music Died.’)

“Look at all the great songs he wrote in such an incredibly short career,” muses Peter Asher, the Grammy-Award winning producer of both “Listen To Me: Buddy Holly” (Verve Forecast), a various-artists tribute album, and a  PBS concert special with many of the same artists that is scheduled to air in December.

“He was a smart, determined, rather erudite guy. Had he lived, he not only would have written a ton more great songs, but he would have for sure gone on to start his own label and produce other artists,” Asher says. “He wouldn’t have fallen by the wayside as a druggie or rest on past laurels to play Vegas. He’d be a major mogul today at 75, and I bet he’d still be alive. It’s interesting to speculate what would have happened had we not lost him so early, because he was so very cool.”

Asher knows a little something about cool. As half of Peter & Gordon, his McCartney-penned “World Without Love” partly defined 1964 pop culture. He then discovered, managed and produced James Taylor for 20 years; spearheaded the 1970s southern California rock ascent of Linda Ronstadt (including singing background harmonies on her hit single version of “It’s So Easy”); produced Cher, Diana Ross and 10,000 Maniacs; and produced and managed Bonnie Raitt. But talk to him, and it’s all about what he’s working on now and what he’ll work on tomorrow as one of the most respected industry bigwigs in Hollywood.

“Listen To Me: Buddy Holly” starts off with a terrific reading of “Not Fade Away” by Stevie Nicks, the song with the Bo Diddley beat that The Rolling Stones famously covered. It’s the type of tune that lends itself to interpretation, and Nicks nails it. “Maybe Baby,” in the hands of Train frontman Pat Monahan, is cool, breezy, casual pop. Then comes a stunner: Brian Wilson’s singular Beach Boy aesthetic was never more suited to another author than that of Holly. His title tune, “Listen To Me,” is sheer magic.

Musician Stevie Nicks performs during a concert in celebration of Buddy Holly's music and legacy held at The Music Box Theatre on Sept. 7, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage)

Throughout the album, there are moments that shine with creativity: from the trumpet solo on Imelda May’s “I’m Looking For Someone To Love” to the mournful violin in Natalie Merchant’s oh-so-sad “Learning The Game.” Asher agrees.

“Natalie’s version makes you cry,” he adds. “It’s amazing. Buddy Holly’s original is so bouncy. But read the lyrics. We slowed it down and gave it a whole ’nother meaning. Same thing with The Frays’ song. I love The Frays and found ‘Take Your Time’ for them. Both songs were so much fun to redo like that.”

Ringo Starr’s “Think It Over” sounds like a long-lost Beatle track. Fellow Fab, Sir Paul McCartney, participated in a different Holly tribute earlier this year that aimed to turn Holly’s material inside-out in an attempt to take an alternative spin on the material.

“It was funny,” admits Asher, “because we didn’t know there would be two tributes. I don’t think anybody did. It got rather confusing. It’s like when two different movie companies make the same movie. But, in the end, it’s a good thing, because it shows how fluid the songs are and how they can work in different ways.”

The genesis of this project started when a company called Songmasters called Asher with an idea.

“They came to me and explained what they do and who they are,” Asher recounts. “They do a lot of charity stuff. I was happy to jump in. The first thing we did, of course, is sit down and make lists of who we’d like to have, who might actually say yes, and who we could get. We asked quite a lot of people over a period of time. Some people said yes right away. Some people said maybe. Some people said no, because they were too busy or they didn’t care that much about Buddy Holly. There were all kinds of different responses. Stevie Nicks, for instance, was in from the beginning. She worked with my friend, Waddy Wachtel, one of my favorite guitar players. So Waddy and I co-produced the Stevie track. She was great! She’s on the TV show, as well. Just fantastic! In fact, I just finished mixing her live version.”

Musician Lyle Lovett performs onstage during the Listen to Me Buddy Holly Concert held at The Music Box Theatre on Sept. 7, 2011, in Hollywood, Calif.

Nicks chose to perform Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away.’

“She knew right away she wanted that one. It was the first one we did,” Asher said.

The strength and beauty of Holly’s timeless melodies and lyrics on such songs as “True Love Ways” (Jackson Browne) and “Crying Waiting Hoping” (Chris Isaak) are accentuated by the respectful and soulful interpretations on the album. And if timelessness is the true barometer of genius, even those who never heard a song like “Words Of Love” would have to fall in love with it in the hands of Jeff Lynne. For the album, Songmasters opted to go with Ronstadt’s original hit single of “That’ll Be The Day.” Asher agreed, citing it as the definitive version.

The last song recorded was Zooey Deschanel’s take of ‘It’s So Easy.’ The actress was unable to take part in the PBS concert due to her taping session for her new Fox TV show “New Girl.”

“I’d always liked her voice on the She & Him records, and I read somewhere she was a big Linda fan,” Asher said. “In her case, I just found her in my house! She was actually at a party our daughter Victoria was having. I was upstairs and my wife said, ‘Y’know, Zooey Deschanel’s here.’ So I came downstairs and asked her to participate.”

Asher is all over the PBS special, co-hosting, producing and dueting with Lyle Lovett on “Well All Right.”

The one oddball moment, the one crazy tack-on to the end of the album that you have to take with a grain of salt, as if granting genius its eccentricites, is the formerly beautiful “Raining In My Heart” by  Eric Idle.

“That’s Eric and I sitting around having a glass of wine and talking,” Asher confesses. “He’s my best friend, and we hang out together a lot. I was telling him about the project and how much fun I was having doing it. I played him some of the tracks. And he said, ‘What if I did a recitation?’ We were thinking of the Peter Sellers version of ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ which we both loved. In the end, it ended up much less to do with that and more to do with the Spike Milligan records that we both loved as kids in England and the Spike Jones records we grew to love in America.”

Between Buddy Holly, film work, and the constant quest to discover new sound, Peter Asher has plenty on his plate. He’s teamed with German film composer Hans Zimmer, with whom he just finished soundtrack work for the animated feature film “Madagascar 3.” He loved working with Rodrigo y Gabriela so much on “Pirates of the Caribbean” that he’s producing the Mexican guitar duo’s next album.

“You need to know to know who they are,” he enthuses. “They’re amazing … just incredible instrumentalists. I didn’t know that much about them until we decided to use them on ‘Pirates.’ They’re hugely successful. They recently did two nights at The Hollywood Bowl, completely sold out. Just the two of them playing guitars! I just spent 10 days recording with them in Cuba, a fantastic experience.”

Why fight about what it is?…it’s all music…it’s all magical

By Phill Marder

(As promised last time, this exciting episode explores the definition of Rock & Roll)

Like me, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is far from perfect.

I know, I know. Hard to believe.

For starters, it should have been and still should be designated the Rock Era Hall of Fame. That way, when Abba, Madonna, Bob Marley, Miles Davis and countless others were inducted, there could be no screaming, ” They’re not Rock & Roll,” as if anyone can provide the definitive definition of Rock & Roll in the first place.

Ironically, the variety of music provided by the Hall of Fame inductees is one of the nominating committee’s crowning achievements. For while I can’t tell you what Rock & Roll is anymore than anyone else, I can tell you it’s not as limited as some of you like to believe. Rock & roll is not just two guitars, bass and drums, though that may be the trunk of the Rock tree, and the Hall of Fame recognizes that. The trunk yes, but many branches have developed as the Rock Era years have gone by.

Buried deep below the surface are the roots, Country and Blues. The branches? Everything else. So don’t tell me The Moody Blues aren’t Rock & Roll. And the Commodores aren’t Rock & Roll. And Yes isn’t Rock & Roll. And Donna Summer isn’t Rock & Roll.

As John Sebastian sang in the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe In Magic?,” “don’t bother to choose, it’s jugband music or rhythm & blues.” You’re right, Eric, it’s all meat from the same bone.

It’s Buddy Holly doing “Rave On,” then turning around to do “True Love Ways” or “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” It’s Elvis snarling “Hound Dog,” then doing “It’s Now Or Never.” It’s Fats Domino pounding out “Blue Monday,” then weaving “Walkin’ To New Orleans” in and out of the string section. It’s Ricky Nelson releasing two-sided hits that paired opposites such as “Just A Little Too Much” and “Sweeter Than You.”

Did Roy Orbison become a rock & roll star singing “Ooby Dooby” or such symphonic mini-operas such as “Running Scared,” “Crying” and “In Dreams”? Who was the real Eddie Cochran, the one who gave us “Somethin’ Else” or “Sittin’ In The Balcony”? Who was the real Gene Vincent, he of “Dance To The Bop” or “Wear My Ring”?

Were the Everly Brothers those of “Bye Bye Love” or “Devoted To You”? Was James Brown not symphonic in “Try Me” or “It’s A Man’s World.”? How about Ray Charles? Have you ever listened to the album “Ingredients In A Recipe For Soul”? Was Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” closer to Donovan’s “Lalena” or AC/DC’s “Back In Black”? Or Bobby Darin – “Queen of the Hop” or “Mack The Knife?”

How about Jackie Wilson belting out “All My Love” or “Night”? Was Jackie Wilson not rock & roll? The Skyliners “Since I Don’t Have You” and “This I Swear,” two of the greatest ballads in the history of rock & roll…not rock & roll? For that matter, I could name almost any ballad that has become a rock & roll standard, “At Last” by Etta James, “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” by Brook Benton, for instance. Not Rock & Roll?

How about anything by rock’s greatest ’50s vocal group, The Platters. Not rock & roll?

Two different looks of Rock & Roll from two of the greatest groups, The Platters, the masters of the ballad, & The Beatles, the masters…period

Consider this album: Side 1 – 1. Till There Was You; 2. And I Love Her; 3. She’s Leaving Home; 4. Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill; 5. Eleanor Rigby; 6. Julia; 7. Martha My Dear.

Side 2 – 1. Fool On The Hill; 2. Honey Pie; 3. When I’m 64; 4. If I Fell; 5. Yesterday; 6. You Know My Name, Look Up The Number; 7. Good Night

If that had been the only album you ever heard by the greatest band of the Rock Era, would you have called them a Rock & Roll band? And I could have turned it into a full four-disc box set.

The Beatles are a four-piece band that played rock & roll. Because they were so versatile, they could change instrumentation, style, mood, whatever you want to call it, to give us an unbelievable variety of fantastic music. Was it all rock & roll? I think yes. Was “As Tears Go By” or “Backstreet Girl” not rock & roll? They were great cuts written and recorded by what many consider the “greatest rock & roll band of all.”

Brian Wilson gave us some of the most beautiful music ever written. Was he and his group not rock & roll?

Where some bands would emphasize their “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” side and sprinkle in the occasional “As Tears Go By,” some bands go the opposite route, emphasizing the “Nights In White Satin” style while sprinkling in “I’m Just A Singer In A Rock & Roll Band” or “Question.”

And I could go on and on, which most of you would say I usually do.

I can’t pretend to know the definition of Rock & Roll. But I was there from the beginning. Actually, I must admit, before the beginning. I had a collection of 78s which I played on an old wind-the-crank phonograph, so I was into Perry Como, Jo Stafford, Hank Williams etc. before the “big bang.” Then I got a paper route – actually two – for the prime purpose of having money to purchase the latest 45s, the first three of which were “All Shook Up,” “Blue Monday” and “Mama Look At Bubu.” And I ended up delivering the bad news on the doorstep.

Still, I was the Northern kid who said, “But I will” every time the record store stocked a new yellow Sun 45.

Take my first three 45s as an example of what I’m blabbing about. “Blue Monday,” a driving rocker by Fats Domino, was backed by “What’s The Reason I’m Not Pleasing You,” which also became a hit. “What’s The Reason” was originally a hit for Guy Lombardo in 1935 and Fats’ entire catalog is sprinkled with remakes of old standards. If Fats wasn’t Rock & Roll, who was? Elvis’ “All Shook Up” also was a two-sided hit, the flip being the quiet “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin,” written in 1937 and recorded by the Ink Spots in 1941. Elvis…”The King of Rock & Roll.”

Harry Belafonte was one of the biggest superstars of the early Rock era

The third became a No. 11 record by the superstar Harry Belafonte whose genes were provided by his Jamaican mother and West Indian father. In the style of what was then known as calypso, many today would not classify it as rock & roll but the chalypso was one of early rock’s most popular dances and it fit “Mama Look At Bubu” perfectly. Belafonte also had other major hits, “Jamaica Farewell” and today’s ballpark favorite “Banana Boat,” more commonly known as “Day-O.”

Twenty years before Bob Marley and just as much a star, why isn’t Belafonte accorded the same rock & roll respect? Only because those alive at Rock’s outset, when Belafonte was cranking out hits, are few and far between today. If “Mama Look At Bubu” doesn’t fit your definition of Rock, then reggae shouldn’t either. But both, chalypso and reggae, are branches of the Rock Era tree. By the way, the flip, a soft ballad entitled “Don’t Ever Love Me,” also charted, then returned four years later as the Arthur Lyman instrumental, “Yellow Bird,” which rose all the way to No. 4.

Which brings us to the conclusion. Can I tell you what “Rock & Roll” is? No chance. The best I can come up with is “music released since 1955 that appeals to young people.” Some young people find Metallica appealing, some like Dionne Warwick. Some love Eminem, others Linda Ronstadt. Some like The Association, and some, yes, The Velvet Underground. Some love Bob Dylan acoustic, some love Bob Dylan electric.

And some, me for instance, love all of it … practically.

Having been there from the start, when the radio played Little Richard followed by Johnny Horton followed by Paul Anka followed by Jerry Lee, I was exposed to every form of what was simply known then as Rock & Roll and, fortunately for me, I kept my ears open as the years passed or else I would have missed a lot of great music no matter what name you wanted to give it.

Why listen to the Moody Blues or The Commodores and try to fit them into a category? The Moody Blues, Procol Harum and other progressive groups such as Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Rush…you get the picture…are simply bands expanding the boundaries of Rock as far as they are capable of doing. Groups such as The Commodores, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly & The Family Stone and others simply follow the lead of Brown, Wilson, Cooke et al. They’re just different branches of the same tree.

Little Richard rocks…and so does Emerson, Lake & Palmer

It’s not Rock & Roll if you confine the definition to something that approaches “Keep A Knockin’,’ but it is rock & roll if your definition encompasses “Keep A Knockin’” as well as “My Special Angel,” “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party).”

So applaud the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this time. Their choices leave much room for debate – and, in case you haven’t noticed, no one has ranted more incessantly about them than yours truly – but give credit where credit is due. The Hall of Fame recognizes the great diversity making up what is known as Rock & Roll. It can be The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It can be Chaka Khan. It can be Eric B. & Rakim. It can be Heart.

Those who were there at the beginning will tell you the strict categorization came later. When it started, it all was just Rock & Roll. When the new 45 by Elvis or Connie Francis or The Drifters came out, only one question was asked…

Is it fast or slow?

By Susan Sliwicki

Some folks like to follow specific themes when building their vinyl record collections, such as collecting by a specific genre, format, label or even artist. Well, here’s a new way to define your collection: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame membership.

Since the articles in this Spring 2011 special issue of Goldmine all focused on inductees to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we wondered just which of the subjects of our articles would be at the head of the class for collectibility, at least in terms of online auctions.

The answer most folks would guess right off the bat is, of course, is The Beatles, who are featured in a roundabout way in our article about Bruce Spizer’s latest must-have book about collecting Beatles records.

But if you take Butcher Covers and other Fab Four rarities that tend to show up in auction houses (and bring tens of thousands of dollars apiece) out of the picture and look simply at results of collector-to-collector-style online auctions that occur on eBay, the answer is a bit different. Copies of The Fab Four’s “Please Please Me” are the most popular of the group’s recordings listed on Popsike, and they sell for $5,000 and up. But, there are a few other students who — gasp! — easily beat out The Beatles in year’s edition of Collecting The Rock Hall, based on auction results listed at Popsike.com.

(What are your records worth? Check out our guides!)

Valedictorian

The Sex Pistols (Class of 2006): While the Pistols have always happily thumbed their noses at the establishment, we’re betting they’re secretly pleased — well, the ones that are still alive, that is —  that collectors are really into their records. The Pistols hold the honor of topping our countdown of Popsike-recorded auction results with copies of “God Save The Queen,” which brought a high of $22,227.50 at auction in 2006. Copies also sold twice in 2009 for $13,073.40 each time and sold twice more in 2006 for $18,879.80 and $17,536.50.

Salutatorian

Robert Johnson (Class of 1986): When you’re the stuff of legends, it seems only reasonable that your records command legendary prices, and that’s just what Robert Johnson’s do. The most recent example? A NM copy of Vocalion 4108 featuring “Me And The Devil Blues” b/w “Little Queen of Spades” sold for $12,100 in fall 2010. (It also brought $3,304 in February 2011). Four-figure sales tend to be the rule, and it’s for all manner of Johnson’s songs, including “I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man” b/w “Stones in My Passway ($9,782.80 and $4,529); “Dead Shrimp Blues” b/w “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” ($5,100); “Kind Hearted Woman Blues” / “Terraplane Blues” ($4,330, $3,506.58 and $2,711);  “Honeymoon Blues,” “Sweet Home Chicago” / “Walkin’ Blues” ($3,575); “Me And The Devil Blues,” “Malted Milk” b/w “Milkcow’s Calf Blues” ($4,350 and $2,717); and “Come On In My Kitchen” / “They’re Red Hot” ($4,000).

This is especially impressive if you consider that these prices are coming for the equivalent of a week’s studio work. All of Johnson’s issued recordings were cut from three days’ worth of sessions in November 1936 and two days in June 1937. He recorded 29 songs in his all-too-brief career, which came to a painful halt Aug. 13, 1938, when Johnson died of suspected poisoning.

 Honor Students

Elvis Presley (Class of 1986): They don’t call Elvis “The King” for nothing. His records regularly command royal prices at online auctions, including his top-performer to date on popsike.com, a Mint, unplayed copy of Sun 209, “That’s All Right” / “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” which pulled in a hefty price of $11,400. (A similar copy of Sun 209 sold for $10,000 in March 2010).  In fact, every single Sun 45 and 78 Elvis ever made shows up somewhere in the list, and all of them command four figures and more. He’s got plenty of other strong draws, too, including $5,000 paid for an unopened copy of “Speedway” sold in 2007.

Buddy Holly (Class of 1986): Another artist gone far too soon, Buddy Holly left behind a distinct musical legacy that collectors are happy to pay nice prices to own. Among the top examples: A complete set of Holly’s U.S. EPs that sold for $1,782 in 2007; an acetate of Holly’s “I WantTo Play House With You,” which brought $1,725 in 2009; a 3-EP collector’s pack that sold for $1,488.81 in 2005; and some promo pressings, including a pink-label copy of Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day”  ($1,211) and a yellow-label Brunswick pressing of Holly and “The ‘Chirping’ Crickets” ($1,250).

Alice Cooper Band (Class of 2011): Alice Cooper may be the new kid on the Rock Hall block, but records related to its early days  — particularly the 45 “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” b/w “Wonder Who’s Loving Her Now”  on the Very Record label recorded when the band still called itself Nazz, have brought a pretty penny at auction, selling for up to $3,050. The band’s incarnation as Spiders for “Don’t Blow Your Mind” b/w “No Price Tag” on the Santa Cruz label ($788 to $1,525) has also done nicely.

Tom Waits (Class of 2011): The eclectic singer-songwriter may not be all that much to look at, but his records draw some nice attention, particularly a promo test of 1983’s “Swordfishtrombones,” which sold for $1,090.59 in a 2008 online auction. Also of interest is the diverse pool of records toward the top of Waits’ popsike list, including a red/blue vinyl recording of “I Sing You Under The Table” ($607.09); a 3-LP box set of “Ended up in Edinburgh” ($563.66) and a 3-LP copy of “Make It Rain” ($562.) Also interesting? Many of these sales were originating in Britain and Germany, which makes us ponder Waits’ collectibility overseas vs. in the U.S.

Jerry Lee Lewis (Class of 1986): A 78 RPM Sun Records acetate of Lewis’ “It’ll Be Me” takes top honors for the outspoken artist also known as The Killer. It sold for $1,561 in 2008. Also on the list? A South African 10-inch pressing of London 5520 that sold for $826 in 2006.

Bob Marley (Class of 1994): Bob Marley’s recordings consistently draw $500 and up, topping out at $3,075 on the popsike list for “Diamond Baby” b/w “Where’s The Girl For Me” on the CoxSone label; other copies of that record brought $1,225 in 2010, $1,401 in 2005, $1,650 in 2008 and $2,850 in 2009.

Donovan (Class of … Not Yet): OK, OK, we know The Sunshine Superman isn’t in the Rock Hall … Yet. But he’s already there in Goldmine readers’ hearts (which is why he was featured in our Rock Hall issue as our fan pick). So how does he stack up with collectors? Surprisingly, better than several members of the 2011 class. A two-sided, 12-track acetate Donovan cut at The Beatles’ Apple studios in 1969 or 1970 sold for $1018.41. Also of interest? A cool blue vinyl, 10-inch U.K. acetate, also cut on the Apple label, that sold for $578 in 2009.

The Allman Brothers Band (Class of 1995): When it comes to collecting big-ticket Allman Brothers Band records, there are two titles that dominate popsike: so-called holy grail mono copies of “The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East” and the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs pressing of “Eat A Peach. “Fillmore” has sold for $600 and up in online auctions conducted since 2004, while “Eat A Peach” has brought between $385 and $910, depending upon condition.

The Rest of the Graduates

Chuck Berry (Class of 1986): Chuck Berry’s a rock and roll legend. Unfortunately, his records haven’t quite hit legendary status among collectors. A first-pressing Mint mono LP of Chuck Berry “After School Session” has honors for the biggest auction price tag of $980. A mono copy of his “Rocking At the Hops” on Chess sold for $970 in January 2011, and a NM U.K pressing of his “One Dozen Berries” brought a handsome $837.51 at auction in February 2011.

Hank Ballard (Class of 1990): Alas, Hank Ballard, either with or without The Midnighters, is not a super-hot artist to collect compared with other Rock Hall alumni. His top-performing records at auction include a NM Hank Ballard and The Midnighters “Singing and Swinging” on King ($396); a still-sealed copy of Hank Ballard’s Biggest Hits on King ($257); and a VG+ copy of “The Midnighters: Their Greatest Hits” on Federal ($244.)

James Brown (Class of 1986): Record prices don’t exactly reflect Brown’s stature as the hardest-working man in show business. His top auction result was for an unissued LP on the People label that Brown completed with Fred Wesley, which sold for $1,600 in 2004; it included the tracks “Watermelon Man” and “Everybody Plays The Fool.” His other top offerings were an unissued 3-LP set on the King Label ($1,260 in 2004) and a trio of records — “Please Please Please,” “Try Me” and “Think!” — that sold for $1,082 in 2007.

Ray Charles (Class of 1986): It’s a crying shame that, for a man of his musical talent Ray Charles isn’t a hot-ticket artist with collectors. His top draw? A VG++ copy of “What’d I Say” on Atlantic 2031, issued in 1959, that sold for $315 in 2006. For folks who just love good music, seems like collecting Ray Charles is a relative bargain compared to other Hall of Famers.

Sam Cooke (Class of 1986): Sam Cooke was shot to death in December 1964 altercation, but even death couldn’t stop his hits from rising up the charts. But unlike fine art, the value of a musician’s work doesn’t necessarily appreciate with his death. Cooke is just such an example: His top entry on Popsike.com was $986 for a mono Mint-condition copy of his second album, “Encore” followed by $836 paid for a Mint copy of “I Thank God.”

Fats Domino (Class of 1986): Of course, living a long life doesn’t mean your records will cruise to the top of collectors’ lists, either, as Antoine “Fats” Domino can attest. But he does have one very beautiful auction entry for a mono, splash-color vinyl pressing of  “Just Domino” on the Imperial label (LP 9208), which sold for $1,190 in September 2010. The record was a one-of-a-kind pressing made at the Imperial plant.

The Everly Brothers (Class of 1986): Goldmine readers love their music, but The Everly Brothers aren’t necessarily heating up a lot of high-end collectors’ want lists. Their top-selling record to date on popsike is a 78 RPM pressing of “Keep A’Lovin’ Me” / “The Sun Keeps Shining” on Columbia 21496, which sold for $356 in 2007, followed closely by the 1960 Apex 78 “Let It Be Me,” which sold for $354 in 2008.

Little Richard (Class of 1986): Whop bop-a-lu-a, a whop bam boo! You’d think the artist who could string together such a catchy clutch of scat would rank higher on collectors’ lists, but alas, there are really only two Little Richard records that regularly see higher-end action on the auction circuit. Interestingly enough, they’re both on the Specialty label, which was founded by 2011 Rock Hall inductee Art Rupe. In the past four years, “Little Richard” has brought between $262 and $866 at auction, while “Here’s Little Richard” has drawn between $242 and $510.

Darlene Love (Class of 2011): Perhaps this fierce songbird’s induction to the Rock Hall will boost collectibility of her records. Her best performer so far on Popsike.com has been a VG+ copy of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” b/w “Winter Blues” on Philles X125, which brought $610 at auction. For the most part, though, her records are selling in the $150 and under range.

Neil Diamond (Class of 2011): He is, he said. But what he isn’t is particularly collectible, at least so far. The most desirable item shown in Popsike.com is a deejay copy 45 of Neil & Jack on Duel 517, “Till You’ve Tried Love,” which is Diamond’s first recording, and which sold for $532.

Dr. John (Class of 2011): Alas, Dr. John is in the same general boat as Darlene Love and Neil Diamond when it comes to collectibility. There are a few nice pieces that have sold in the $400 to $500 range, including a  promo copy of “Zu Zu Man” by the Zu Zu Blues Band on the A&M Records.

Leon Russell (Class of 2011): Elton John loves Leon Russell’s work. Now that Russell’s in the rock hall, maybe the rest of the world will discover his treasures. But to date, his big-ticket records are topping out less than $300. At the top of his Popsike list? A Mint, limited-edition, unplayed copy of his duet with Elton John, “If It Wasn’t For Bad” on Mercury, which sold for $242.97 in October 2010.