While the name of pop diva Madonna in the recent announcement of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2008 inductees struck many “rock ‘n’ roll” fans as curious (though no stranger than the 2006 induction of jazz great Miles Davis), inclusion of the best selling instrumental rock group of all time, The Ventures, is a good albeit long overdue fit.

With album sales of circa 100 million, The Ventures have served as a major influence on generations of rock ‘n’ roll guitarists over the more than 40-year lifespan of the group.

Formed as a duo in 1958 by lead guitarist Bob Bogle and rhythm guitar player Don Wilson, the pair added bass player Nokie Edwards (who would later trade roles with Bob Bogle and be replaced by guitarist Gerry McGee when Edwards left the group in 1968) and drummer Skip Moore (soon replaced by Howie Johnson then long-time drummer Mel Taylor, today the drum chair is filled by Mel Taylor’s son, Leon Taylor) to record the 1960 hit “Walk Don’t Run,” which reached #2 on Billboard’s Top 100. By 1963, The Ventures had five albums on Billboard’s Top 100 - at the same time.

It would be difficult to overstate the influence of The Ventures on the development of the electric guitar’s role in rock ‘n’ roll with respect to the instrument itself due to the group’s association with Mosrite guitars and their later Ventures Fender models; their early use of guitar effects, such as Nokie Edwards use of a fuzz pedal on 1962’s “2000 Pound Bee”; and playing style - one of their ’60s instructional albums also made it to Billboard’s Top 100 album chart.

The 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

Peformer Category
The Ventures (Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, Nokie Edwards, Gerry McGee and Mel Taylor [posthumously])
Madonna
Leonard Cohen
The Dave Clark Five (Dave Clark, Lenny Davidson, Rick Huxley, Denny Payton and Mike Smith)
John Mellencamp

Sidemen Category
Little Walter

Non-Performer Category
Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Cleveland, Ohio, will induct the 2008 honorees at a ceremony on March 10, 2008, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

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This entry was posted Tuesday, December 18th, 2007 and was filed under Jungle News, Rock Artists, Pop/Dance Artists, Music History. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.