Problem World

"And then there’s the issue of inducting Freddie King as an ‘Early Influence’ — an issue that came up the last time this happened with Wanda Jackson. The Rock Hall’s definition of the category from their website: ‘Artists whose music predated rock and roll but had an impact on the evolution of rock and roll and inspired rock’s leading artists.’ The key part of that definition is that the music ‘predates rock and roll.’ The rest of the definition applies to all Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Both Freddie King and Wanda Jackson’s important works did not predate rock and roll by any definition. Wanda Jackson was a contemporary of Elvis. Freddie King had most of his hits in the ’60s."