Bon Jovi, Nina Simone make it into Rock Hall

Big league: Richie Sambora, left, and Jon Bon Jovi performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Big league: Richie Sambora, left, and Jon Bon Jovi performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.   | Photo Credit: David Richard

The Cars, Monday Blues among others welcomed to the club

Jon Bon Jovi reunited onstage with former members for a powerful performance celebrating its admission into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the late icon Nina Simone was welcomed to the prestigious music club with show-stopping performances from singers Lauryn Hill and Andra Day.

Bon Jovi’s portion of the four-hour-plus event ran an hour-long on Saturday night, with Jon Boni Jovi giving a lengthy 20-minute speech onstage.

He said he had been writing the speech for years.

“In the end, it’s all about time. It took a lot of people to get us here tonight,” he said.

American singer Simone, who died in 2003, was welcomed into the Rock Hall in a groundbreaking way by performers who she has deeply inspired.

“Her voice was so distinctive and powerful and I never heard anything like it,” Ms. Day said.

Simone’s brother, Sam Waymon, accepted the honor on his sister’s behalf.

The Cars and four first-time nominees, including Simone, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, make up the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.