Chubby Checker has finally been elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but the pioneering musician still isn’t content.
In a recent interview with Variety, Checker – who has been Hall eligible since 1986 – explained why he believes his career belongs among the greats.
“I was thinking that if I was chosen [for the Hall of Fame], or that if I wasn’t chosen, I’m still Chubby. What we did then, what we do now, is still there,” the singer explained. “It’s just a great thing that it’s happening. And if they finally put my statue up, well, I might not be alive to see that happen, but people will enjoy it.”
The statue he’s alluding to goes back to an incident in 2002, when Checker protested the Hall insisting he deserved credit for helping blaze a trail for rock and roll.
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“I told them that, because of what we’ve done in the music industry, the Hall should erect a statue of Chubby Checker in its courtyard inviting everyone in to rock ‘n’ roll,” he recalled. “Everyone got so angry about that. Everybody’s made a whole lotta money off of Chubby. Give the man some credit!”
What Chubby Checker Wants From the Music Industry
Checker has remained remarkably active over his six decade career. While he’ll always be associated with his timeless hit “The Twist,” the singer accumulated 16 Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, proof of his impressive longevity. While the Hall honor is nice, he has an even bigger hope for his legacy.
“You know what I do want from the music industry – or maybe I don’t care anymore, I don’t know – is to hear my music in the same way people can hear Billy Joel, the Beatles, Elton John or Fleetwood Mac: everywhere,” Checker explained. “On the radio. In supermarkets. I want to hear my music liked like them.”
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“The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says I’m in, and I appreciate that,” Checker continued. “But I want to hear my music, and get it heard like [those other legends] do. Billboard gave me the first No. 1 song of all time for ‘The Twist’ in 2008, because it was on top longer than any other song. I want people to hear it. I want to hear it. They don’t have the No. 1 song on the planet; I do. And by the way: the dancefloor that so many of these artists enjoy and make millions of dollars on – I put it there. And it’s still there.”
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Many have shared their thoughts on possible induction.
Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
