Linda Ronstadt, Yes, Nirvana among 2014 Rock Hall of Fame nominees

Just two months after Linda Ronstadt went public with the news that she can no longer sing because of Parkinson’s disease, she’s made the final nominations list for the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Peter Gabriel, Nirvana, Cat Stevens, Yes, LL Cool J and the Replacements.

The remainder of the 16 acts that made the ballot that will go to Rock Hall voters are the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Deep Purple, Hall and Oates, KISS, N.W.A., the Meters, Link Wray and the Zombies.

Inductees are voted on by 600 members of the Rock Hall including all previous living inductees, musicians, historians, journalists, critics and music industry personnel.

Starting last year, the process expanded to include a fan vote. Fans can weigh in with their choices starting Oct. 16 and continuing through Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. Pacific time at the Rock Hall’s official website, and also at Rolling Stone and USA Today sites. The top five vote-getters will constitute the “fans’ ballot” that will be counted among the other 600 to be cast.

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Ronstadt has been eligible for induction for more than 20 years under the Rock Hall’s requirement that artists wait 25 years after their first commercial recording to become eligible. Eagles co-founder Don Henley recently described her absence from the hall as “another travesty,” but Ronstadt herself told The Times “I don’t care if I ever get inducted.”

Among the acts likely to generate the greatest fan response are progressive-rock group Yes, hard rock bands KISS and Deep Purple and folk-rock singer-songwriter Cat Stevens.

Compton rap group N.W.A was among last year’s final nominees, but did not make the cut for induction. Gabriel is vying for a second induction, following his 2010 entrance into the Rock Hall as a member of British prog-rock band Genesis.

Inductees are expected to be announced in December. The induction ceremony is slated for April in New York City, and highlights from the event will be shown on HBO in May.

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