The Ink Spots
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Year:
1989
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Inducted by:
Bobby McFerrin
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Category:
Early Influences
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Bill Kenny -
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Charlie Fuqua -
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Deek Watson -
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Jerry Daniels -
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Orville Jones
Introduction
Countless vocal groups modelled themselves after the Ink Spots.
With a high-flying tenor floating above their tight harmonies, the Ink Spots were the predecessors of doo-wop. They became so popular that all-white venues integrated to get them in their lineup, a rare occurrence in the Forties.
Hall of Fame Essay
1989
One of the year’s most heralded events in record collecting fandom was the discovery of the legendary first acetate recordings, made in 1953, by the very first inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Elvis Presley.
The songs, “My Happiness” and “That's When Your Heartaches Begin,” were both popularized earlier by the Ink Spots. The Presley sides offer proof of the Ink Spots’ profound influence on rock & roll. They are, to this day, considered the forerunners of R&B-group singing style.
