Billy Preston should be able to enter the Hall in the Sideman category in the future which is probably how he should enter. This isn’t to say that his solo work wasn’t good, because it certainly was. His 70’s Soul Pop work was very good and infectious. It may not have been substantial enough to get him in as a solo performer, but the Sideman wing of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will probably house Billy Preston one day.

Although they did not receive the same the level of commercial success or critical acclaim as other Country Rock bands, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is one of the longest lasting and pivotal bands of the genre. They came out of the Southern California Folk Rock movement and were part of the group that melded it with Country. The Nashville community seemed to embrace the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band more than other Country Rock bands of their era, yet simultaneously they did not receive the same kind of love from the Rock and Roll community. The latter point will probably be enough to keep them out of the Hall.

Considered by many Americans to be a one hit wonder, the Norwegian band, A-ha were actually anything but. Although their breakthrough song and video, “Take On Me” was the song they are most known for, in Europe they had monumental success. At their best as a Synth Pop act, A-ha forayed into Alt Rock elements and had developed a solid reputation as band worth watching live. A-ha are true International stars, and despite an 80’s bubblegum reputation they may have within American circles, many Europeans do not see them that way.

Before Sam Cooke had his breakout success with his smooth R&B Pop style, there was Jesse Belvin who was easily among the most underappreciated artist of his day. Belvin was nicknamed “Mr. Easy”, which was appropriate for the way he could write and sing seemingly without effort. Belvin’s early career saw him perform under pseudonyms and various companies and finding a concrete collection of his early work proves ominous for even the most diligent music historian. By 1958, Belvin’s star seemed to be on the rise as he finally took control of his style and recordings. His career was cut short at age 26 from a car crash and whether he would have had the career that Sam Cooke eventually had will always be open for debate. The debate here is whether the Hall will look at what he could have been as opposed to what he actually got to do. With no current nominations, the Hall’s opinion seems apparent.