Kelly Clarkson, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Chad Smith, and Demi Lovato came together to salute Foreigner at the group’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night in Cleveland.
The mini-set focused more as a tribute to the band, with many of the original members not appearing onstage. Mick Jones, who has Parkinson’s disease, stayed home, with his daughter Annabelle Dexter-Jones taking the stage during the band’s speech. Dennis Elliot announced earlier this week that he’d be skipping the ceremony as well.
Lovato, flanked by Slash, Smith and the band’s current touring lineup, came out first for “Feels Like The First Time,” while Hagar joined soon after for “Hot Blooded.” Clarkson gave the standout, duetting “I Want to Know What Love Is” with the group’s singer Lou Gramm, giving him a warm hug after they wrapped.
Despite their massive commercial success in the Seventies and Eighties, Foreigner had to wait over 20 years to enter the Hall of Fame once they became eligible. It took a massive push by Paul McCartney and Mark Ronson (stepson of Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones) to finally get them in. “This gives the ultimate credibility to all the creativity and work that myself and Mick and the whole Foreigner band has been doing for decades,” original Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm told Rolling Stone in April. “I wish I knew [why it took so long]. I think I have an idea, but it’s not even worth talking about. I’m just so happy we’re part of it now.”
Earlier this year, Jones revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He hasn’t toured with the new lineup of Foreigner in several years, and didn’t attend the Hall of Fame inductions. The other surviving members were originally supposed to come, but drummer Dennis Elliott backed out two days ago.
“We were finally given the schedule last night, and it is not to our satisfaction,” he wrote on Facebook. “So we are staying home. We have been asking for weeks, and they have waited until the very last minute to send it knowing we were all packed and going to bed. Totally unacceptable to us. Hope you have a good time.”
The exact nature of his dispute wasn’t made public, but there were reports he’s upset that his wife wasn’t given permission to walk the red carpet prior to the show. Gramm, keyboardist Al Greenwood, and bassist Rick Wills were all on hand to accept the honor.