Posted on 08/08/2025 1:22:21 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Chubby Checker will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8, but the singer has made clear he won't be in attendance.
And interestingly, the Rock Hall is on board with that. At Checker's July 27 concert in Des Plaines, Illinois, the organization presented him with his induction trophy early. Additionally, Checker then explained from the stage in an interview that he purposely had his manager book him a concert for the evening of Nov. 8.
"I told my manager, 'Make sure when we go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the induction that I'm doing what I love doing the most, being in front of an audience. A live audience, not a television audience,'" Checker explained (via Future Rock Legends). His manager has purportedly done exactly as requested, though exact details of where Checker will be performing that night have yet to be revealed.
Checker did, however, alert the Rock Hall: "We're not coming. We have a gig."
As far as why Checker is uninterested in attending the November ceremony, he explained that he'd far rather be playing shows to his current fans.
"Chubby goes to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he's an old guy, he's probably retired, he's not doing anything. Maybe he has crutches and he's coming to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to get his little award and go back home," he explained. "I said, 'No. Let's be doing a show like I'm doing today.' This shows that I'm alive and well and the audience is wonderful and my dream is still being fulfilled, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is happening all at the same time."
Who Else Is Not Attending the 2025 Rock Hall Ceremony? Checker is not the only inductee this year to decline the invitation. The veteran bassist Carol Kaye has also said she won't be attending. (The 90-year-old is set to be inducted via the Musical Excellence category.)
In a Facebook post, Kaye said that she is "turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that studio musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s recording hits.
"I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth. We all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER. Thank you for understanding."
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I take it you weren’t around to do the twist.
Know who else isn’t in the Hall of Fame? Neil Sedaka. That’s absolutely wrong. He should have been inducted his first year of eligibility 40 years ago.
This guy’s somehow not dead? Wow!
He deserves to be in the HOF as to many others, but it’s a big joke. Thus I fully approve of him doing it his way.
Another Twist song.
Twisting extends your life. Proven scientific fact.
I prefer Don Covay's original version, also from 1961.
I only twist when I’m playing golf.
"Well, lots of doctors agree, so I've been told,
Do the Twist and you'll never get old."
--Gary U.S. Bonds
Yeah...I can’t believe he is still around. Used to watch him with my great grandma...she had me do the Twist with him on TV!
"Come on, Chubby, let's do the twist.
Come on, Chubby, let's do the twist.
Imitate your little sis, and go like this."
Good pull!
The Twist--Chubby Checker (1960)
I was a teenager living in Wayne, PA and I knew Chubby as Mister Evans and was friendly with his son and daughter. The girl drove her dad’s DeLorean.
I like his attitude.
He didn't even write it. Didn't play a single instrument, and just barely passable singing. He's a novelty act with just that one schtick.
Now I'd agree that rappers don't belong in there either. But there are plenty of actual musicians that deserve to be in there more.
He's in there for one reason. RRHOF is woke as hell, and they wanted another black inductee. Simple as that.
Part of "The Wrecking Crew".
Stumbled on to the ceremony on TV one year, saw Joan Baez inducted.
What was interesting to me was the song she sang was “the night they drove old dixie down”, which is maybe a bit out of style lately, if you know what I mean.
But Joan sang it loud & proud, I’ll give her that.
Don’t really consider her a rock & roll person, but liked it that she sang that great song.
Of course, he is most associated with “The Twist,” which was #1 in 1960 then #1 again in 1962, as well as “Let’s Twist Again” (#8 in 1961). But his song “Pony Time” (#1 in 1961) started the dance craze known as “The Pony.” He had many other hits, including the classic “Limbo Rock” (#2 in 1962).
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