In addition to a surprise appearance by Jimmy Page, the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony featured guitar heroics from Peter Frampton, who performed alongside inductee Sheryl Crow.
Speaking with ABC Audio backstage during the event, Frampton shared why he felt Crow, who actually saw the “Baby, I Love Your Way” artist at her first-ever concert, is a worthy entrant into the Rock Hall.
“She keeps writing these amazing pieces of music,” Frampton said. “Her words are just very powerful … she’s the whole deal.”
Frampton performed while sitting down — in 2019, he announced he’d been diagnosed with degenerative muscular disease. However, he still feels the call of the live stage.
“I can still play and enjoy playing,” Frampton said. “Maybe I can’t play like I played in the ’90s or whatever … I put it, ‘Less notes, but more feel.’ That’s what I do, I love to play.”
Page, meanwhile, showed up to perform “Rumble,” the signature instrumental from late guitar pioneer Link Wray, who was honored with the Musical Influence Award. In addition to its wide sonic influence, “Rumble” became infamous for getting banned from radio despite being an instrumental song.
“How do you get an instrumental song banned on the radio?” E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt laughed while speaking to ABC Audio on the red carpet. “That’s quite a rock ‘n’ roll accomplishment right there. So he deserved to be in just for that alone.
“He just embodied the whole rock ‘n’ roll sensibility,” Van Zandt added of Wray. “So happy he got in.”
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