Carol Kaye is 'declining' her invitation to the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Carol Kaye is 'declining' her invitation to the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Show Caption
Hide Caption
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2025 inductees, which include hip-hop pioneers Outkast and '80s icon Cyndi Lauper.
unbranded - Entertainment
Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bassists in rock and pop music, announced on June 18 that she will be declining her invitation to this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' wrote the 90-year-old musician in a since-deleted Facebook post. 'I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)... because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.'
During the 1960s and 1970s, Kaye was part of a group of session musicians in Los Angeles known as the Wrecking Crew, a collective which often collaborated with the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, the Monkees and more. In 2008, Denny Tedesco directed a documentary on the group, which featured Kaye. However, the 90-year-old musician has long objected to the group moniker.
In a 2015 interview, Kaye said the 'first time that phrase was used' was in Hal Blaine's book. 'I had no idea he was going to do something phoney… It's a lie. We were all independent people, there was no set band,' she said.
Hal Blaime, a 'Wrecking Crew' drummer, said in the same interview that Kaye had 'somehow forgotten' that 'The Wrecking Crew was established in the early 1960s.'
'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she wrote in her recent Facebook post. 'That's a terrible insulting name.'
Kaye ended her post with a strong dissent, 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth – we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.'
Kaye will still be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame despite her absence at the 2025 induction ceremony, where she was set to recieve the Musical Excellence Award. Other inductees this year include Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.
The complete list: 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line rep threatened over loyalty program changes
Getting upset is a natural reaction to news you don't like, but no matter how angry you are, please don't shoot the messenger. If you're one of the many loyal Carnival Cruise Line passengers who are unhappy about the overhaul of the cruise line's loyalty program, you're certainly welcome and encouraged to share constructive feedback with the cruise line. Related: Carnival Cruise Line unveils controversial new loyalty program But please don't make the mistake of thinking your anger gives you any right or reason to threaten and insult the cruise line's brand ambassador, president, or other employees. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, who diligently responds to hundreds of passenger questions and complaints every day on his popular Facebook page, doesn't deserve the onslaught of nasty comments coming his way in the aftermath of the loyalty program announcement. Sure, he's a voice for Carnival Cruise Line, but more importantly, he's a voice for its passengers. Besides communicating important cruise line information to Carnival passengers on Facebook, Heald represents Carnival cruisers and their interests. He doesn't just respond to passenger comments, he meticulously addresses them and constantly gathers feedback to share with decision-making Carnival executives. He handles passenger comments with remarkable patience and compassion, even though disgruntled cruisers often write to him in a rude way. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald truly listens to and cares about Carnival passengers, and he works hard to ensure that their concerns and requests are taken seriously as the cruise line evolves its loyalty program, ships, and offerings. Even though he deals with rude comments from inevitable unsatisfied passengers every day, Heald continues to put cruisers and their interests first. After sharing details of the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program at the end of his day on June 18, he immediately went to work the next day to gather passenger feedback about the loyalty program changes. Related: Carnival Cruise Line takes on a new passenger problem As the brand ambassador began to answer questions and respond to concerns about the program with intentions to share constructive criticism with his colleagues, he was shocked by an unfortunate pattern of rude, and even threatening, comments. While many loyal passengers shared their frustration and plans to "jump ship" to sail with another cruise line, some went too far and took their anger out inappropriately. Heald didn't just ignore those comments though, he addressed them head on. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. "To the few who threatened me and threatened my family and made terrible vile remarks against the people I work with at the mothership in Miami, well, I hope you never cruise with us again," Heald wrote in a comment he posted on the June 19 edition of his daily three-minute video update for his followers. He even expressed wishes for those people to be banned from sailing on any cruise line. "Your promise to cruise with another cruise line after writing those disgusting comments is something I wish I could forward to other cruise lines to suggest that they stop you from cruising there, but sadly, I can't," Heald continued. "Thank goodness they are a very small minority." More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line's Project ACE vs. Royal Caribbean's Discovery ClassCarnival Cruise Line raises red flag over new cruise 'hack'Carnival Cruise Line fixes massive passenger pain point The brand ambassador also stressed that he understands passengers' frustrations over the new loyalty program and will "fight the good fight" on their behalf. "I know people are frustrated and I promise, I absolutely promise, that I will do everything I can to represent you and to be your voice," Heald insisted. "And those who truly know me know that I am very sincere in that. Thank you so much, and I hope we see you all having fun with us again very soon." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Carol Kaye has declined her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction invitation
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Carol Kaye, one of the most prolific recording bass players in rock history, has revealed she won't be in attendance when she's inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this Fall. She's set to be honored as part of the Hall's Class of 2025 contingent, which includes several other overdue nods, with The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Bad Company, and Outkast among Kaye's classmates. However, the 90-year-old, estimated to have played on over 10,000 recording sessions and heard on records by Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and the Supremes, has declined her invitation to November's event. 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there. I am declining the rrhof awards show,' she wrote on a now-deleted Facebook post, dated Wednesday, June 18. Kaye says she is 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s recording hits.' She first stepped into a recording studio in the late 1950s, laying down rhythm guitar on Sam Cooke's arrangement of the jazz standard, Summertime. She later pivoted to session work and became a talent in hot demand across the '60s and '70s as part of a group of musicians affectionately known as the Wrecking Crew. Kaye, however, doesn't take kindly to being considered a Wrecker. 'You are always part of a team, not a solo artist at all,' she explains, perhaps finding it odd that she's been singled out for the honor. 'There were always 350-400 studio musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that only. Since the 1930s, I was never a 'Wrecker' at all…. that's a terrible insulting name.' Before her Summertime gig, Kaye was a jazz guitarist, adding that she was 'accidentally asked to record' on the track, and then 'accidentally placed on a Fender Precision Bass in mid-1963 when someone didn't show,' leading to her prolific spell as a bass player. 'I never played bass in my life, but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was easy for me to invent good bass lines,' she adds. 'As a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play, and they used a lot of Jazz musicians.' Notable spots as a bass player saw her set the tone for Quincy Jones' Hikky-Burr, which became the soundtrack to the Bill Cosby Show, and the Beach Boys' iconic LP, Pet Sounds. 'My job was to add feel and groove to Brian's written bass parts,' she once told Bass Player. 'I tried to keep it cooking for him.' She's also said that it took 36 hours to cut Good Vibrations – 'we knew it was a big deal' – and in a rare interview, the band's late figurehead, Brian Wilson, was full of praise for her craft. On personal achievements alone, it is easy to see why so many have campaigned for her inclusion into the Hall's history books. But it's also easy to understand why Kaye, seeing herself as one cog in a much larger music-making machine, doesn't sit easily with the spotlight on her. Her Facebook post signs off by saying: 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting the truth. We all enjoyed working with each other. Thank you for understanding.' Drummer/producer Questlove has a different take on the situation. Commenting on Stereogum's Instagram post, which featured a screenshot of Kaye's post, he says: 'I appreciate the sentiment, but on the other side of this coin, not getting your flowers and receiving love isn't serving anyone here. 'For historical context, the world needs to see her receive this accolade,' he adds, seeing her as representative of the wider session musician scene. Kim Thayill, meanwhile, believes Soundgarden's induction marks a positive posthumous chapter in the legacy of Chris Cornell.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over ‘Insulting' Label
Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over 'Insulting' Label originally appeared on Parade. Iconic musician Carol Kaye is skipping this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony — and she's not holding back about why. Kaye, 90, reportedly explained in a Facebook post that she's turning down the honor because the event doesn't properly represent the legacy of studio musicians during her era. 'NO I won't be there,' she wrote. 'I am declining the awards show… turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' She also voiced frustration over the Hall referring to her as part of the 'Wrecking Crew,' a label she's long rejected. 'You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all,' she wrote. 'There were always 350–400 Studio Musicians… I was never a 'wrecker' at all… that's a terrible, insulting name.' Shortly after her induction was announced, Kaye doubled down in the comments, saying, 'Please know our only name was Studio Musicians,' and added she wasn't sure if she could tolerate being labeled a 'wrecker' to attend the event. Although Kaye is opting out, the Hall will still induct her. A pioneering bassist with more than 10,000 recording credits, Kaye helped shape the sound of popular music behind the scenes, performing on hits by The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel and The Supremes — just to name a few. In her post, she also reflected on her unconventional rise to fame. Originally a jazz guitarist, she was invited to a recording session in 1957 and accidentally ended up playing bass in 1963 when another musician failed to show. 'I never played bass in my life,' she recalled, but quickly found a knack for inventing catchy bass lines. 'As a jazz musician, you invent every note you play.' Now, despite the honor, Kaye is choosing to stand by her values. 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in… We all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over 'Insulting' Label first appeared on Parade on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
