Hall of Fame Presenters

CLEVELAND ROCKS: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Carole King, Robbie Robertson and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill will be among the presenters for this year's 27th annual induction ceremony, which takes place on April 14 for only the second time in the Hall's home of Cleveland. Mellencamp will do the honors for Donovan, Gibbons and Hill will induct blues guitarist Freddie King, King will honor her one-time Brill Building boss Don Kirschner, Robertson will induct producers Tom Dowd, Glyn Johns and Cosimo Matassa, while Robinson will be on hand to honor back-up groups, including his Motown outfit the Miracles along with Gene Vincent's Blue Caps, Bill Haley's Comets, Buddy Holly's Crickets, James Brown's Famous Flames and Hank Ballard's Midnighters. In addition, Public Enemy’s Chuck D will induct the Beastie Boys, Steven Van Zandt does the honors for the Small Faces/Faces, Chris Rock (?!) will welcome the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bette Midler will fete the late Laura Nyro. A presenter for Guns N' Roses will be announced shortly. (3/20a)