She may not have had the Soulful sound of the girl groups that populated the airwaves during her run, but Lesley Gore didn’t need to have it. What she did do was speak for a generation of young suburban white girls with her Quincy Jones produced sleek Pop songs. It may not have been Rock with attitude, but her place in Rock and Roll history is undeniable.

With Steve Winwood already in with Traffic, his best shot for a second induction may lie with the Spencer Davis Group which was where he gained his first exposure. The Spencer Davis Group was a brief but powerful act that was one of the best British based Blues Rock band ever. The question for induction is not whether they had enough American hits (they did chart in the States), but whether they were around long enough or whether they feel Winwood does not need to get in twice.

Of all the Roots-Reggae singers, Burning Spear had to the most politically conscious. Singing of the Rastafarian movement and other songs of historical context, Burning Spear may have not have been the most commercially viable, but he may have spoke for his island’s issues better than anyone else ever did. Burning Spear however is likely not going to be the next Reggae artist (if there ever is one) to get the call from Cleveland.

The first thought of Kenny Rogers these days may revolve his ill advised plastic surgery but there was a time when Kenny Rogers was the undisputed king of Country Pop and his crossover appeal was off the charts. Ironically, this could work against him in terms of the Rock and Roll Hall, as he was not Rock enough for the Hall nor was he Country enough to have the same respect that the Outlaw musicians had. Still, there would be much more bizarre Country based choices than “the Gambler”.