(CelebrityAccess News Service) — The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee met on June 5 and narrowed down the potential candidates for nominations in the artist category to 29 possible final ballot nominees. There are 50 people on the nominating committee, and each member was asked to vote for three of the following members with the top 15 making the final ballot.
The semifinalists this year are Jeff Beck, Black Sabbath, Jackson Browne, The Chantels , Chic, The Dells, The "5" Royales, Buddy Guy, The Harptones, George Harrison, J Geils Band, Wanda Jackson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, MC5, John Mellencamp, The Meters, Laura Nyro, Gram Parsons, The Pretenders, Prince, Bob Seger, Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, The Stooges, Joe Tex, Traffic, Van Halen, War and ZZ Top.
Fifteen of the semifinalists have previously been on the final ballot but did not get enough votes to be inducted. Black Sabbath has already been nominated six times even though Ozzy Osbourne said he does not want to be inducted. Lynyrd Skynyrd has been on the final ballot four times. The Dells, Patti Smith and The Stooges have been on the final ballot twice. (The Patti Smith Group has been on the final ballot once.)
Jackson Browne, The Chantels, Chic, The Dells, The "5" Royales, MC5, The Meters, Gram Parsons, Bob Seger, Sex Pistols and Joe Tex have all been on the final ballot once. — by Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
