Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Greatest Moments

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1995 Led Zeppelin Bring It All Back Home: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones overcome band tension for an epic induction set.

1997 Rascals Hang Tough, Help Little Steven Get New Gig: Steven Van Zandt scores a role on The Sopranos after inducting the Rascals — who almost fell apart rehearsing for the ceremony.

2001 Steely Dan Finally Make It: Steely Dan are inducted after a half serious decade-long campaign to get themselves in.

2002 Ramones' Punk-Rock Farewell: The band's surviving members honor Joey Ramone and themselves.

2002 Talking Heads Make Peace for a Night: After not playing together for "something like 18 years," according to Chris Frantz, the quartet joined together for a once-in-a-lifetime set.

Next: Prince Inducts George Harrison, Springsteen Salutes U2 and More

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  MOVIES 'This Is the End' Brings the Goods
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  TV The Women of 'Mad Men'
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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »

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