This could be the most interesting case in our discussion. On the surface a Folk singer just seems out of place in a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However when one looks at some of the intangibles of Joan Baez, it does not seem out of place at all.

We remember a bit from Wayne’s World where Wayne Campbell discussed how in the 70’s the Fleetwood Mac album, Rumors (in another bit he inputted Frampton Comes Alive) was shipped to every house. He very well could have inputted Boston’s debut album which likely was found in most turntables in suburbia. No joke, that album really was that big.

A lot of people have criticized the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for its perceived bias towards Punk Rock. There may be something to that, but at present, the wave of West Coast Punk Rockers has no inductee. X would be our best guess, but if Black Flag were to be that representative, it would not be a surprise.

Somehow in the late ’60s, if you were not making a political stance or experimenting in the studio, you ran the risk of not being taken seriously. Sure, you could still be successful, but respect was hard to come by. In the case of Tommy James & the Shondells, their respect would come much later.