Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, And Others Backstage At The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees all delivered emotional statements from the stage of Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, outlining what the honour meant to them. And when members of the Class of 2022 walked by Billboard’s one-on-one booth backstage, they were able to share even more.

LeBon sang an emotional rendition of the band’s 1993 song “Ordinary World,” which he co-wrote about coping with the death of his best friend. He told Billboard that the song still takes him back nearly 30 years later. “I think about my beloved friend Dave Miles and what it means to be free of his death.” “That was the tune,” he says. “My feelings for him imprisoned me.” I couldn’t go any further. I couldn’t grow. That song was my method of breaking free. A technique of saying goodbye and letting go. Every time I sing it, it brings tears to my eyes.”

Duran Duran won the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan poll in April, with nearly a million votes. According to keyboardist Nick Rhodes, the Duranies’ support meant “everything.” According to bassist John Taylor, who befriended Rhodes when he was 12 and Rhodes was 10, the band can still relate. “We were admirers. Not simply music purchasers. “Nick and I used to go backstage and watch the band do their sound check,” he continues. “We adore fan culture.” We enjoy identifying with people through music, therefore we’ve always had a soft spot for our supporters. We understand. They are us.”

This year’s class is one of the most musically diverse in the Rock Hall’s history, and when asked who they would most like to collaborate with, each member of the band picked a different honoree. Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam were there for LeBon. Roger Taylor went with Judas Priest, Rhodes with Dolly Parton, and John Taylor with Annie Lennox. “The thing to do would be to get us and Judas Priest to make the track together and Dolly and Simon to sing with Jam & Lewis producing,” Rhodes said.

Richie Rich

Lionel Richie, one of several inductees who performed during the occasion, had the audience on their feet and dancing during a joyful rendition of his iconic hit “All Night Long.” According to Billboard, he has reached a point in his life and business where he is all about bringing people together. “Do you know how amazing it is to come into a room and everyone begins to smile?” he asks. “I’m not going to play. I’m walking into a dinner, a restaurant, and I’m walking my kids to school. What I mean is, I’m not sure how you become this blessed, but there comes a point when you realise the songs have translated into this thing called love.”

He mentioned another passion: country music. Tuskegee, Richie’s enormously successful album reinventing his best classics as duets with country performers including Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and Jason Aldean, was released ten years ago. Richie, who also wrote Kenny Rogers’ hit “Lady,” says his own country album of fresh music is on the way. “Country has been so supportive of me, and the answer is that it will happen,” he says. “I’m a huge procrastinator, so when it knocks me over the head or runs over me, I’m like, ‘OK, I’ll get on it,’ but [my manager] has been pushing me.” Tell Nashville you’re on your way. It won’t take long. I swear.”

“There was a purposeful effort to try and walk away from anything that was happening at all and make us look like a single entity,” Stewart added. “A unified front.”

The duo also played during their Songwriters Hall of Fame induction earlier this year (which was postponed from 2020), but they believe they can spend years without playing together. When they do, muscle memory takes over. “We’ve done so much in the past that we immediately know, ‘OK, this is this song, we can do this,'” Stewart adds.

However, Lennox clarifies that any plans for a reunion tour are unrealistic. “There’s always a certain delight that comes from performance, and all singers’ bodies are their instruments, and I actually did have a very significant thing happen in my back,” she explains. “I have some health difficulties, and the prospect of undertaking a long tour is exhausting.” It’s like, ‘What’s the best thing to do at this point in my life?’ We have a lot of fun playing together. I really enjoy playing with Dave. He’s fantastic. “One of the world’s best musicians.”

Preparing for the exciting Rock Hall concert helped Lennox shake the pandemic blues. “I kind of lost my will to live,” she admits. “I’m joking. That was all I had to say. I just didn’t feel like going out during the pandemic. I didn’t feel like exercising, but this gave me desire to go back and get back in shape, which was a huge plus.”

Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have more Billboard chart No. 1s than any other songwriting and producing combo — and they’re not stopping anytime soon. The duo is now working on Volume 2, the follow-up to 2021’s Jam & Lewis, Volume 1, which featured Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, and others.

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