Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee Reveals Why He Won’t Attend Ceremony

Chubby Checker, the singer and dancer identified for his iconic 1960 cowl of “The Twist,” has spilled on why he’s skipping his induction into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame later this 12 months following an almost four-decade-long wait.

“I informed my supervisor, I stated, ‘Be sure after we go to the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame, the induction, that I’m doing what I like doing essentially the most: Being in entrance of an viewers. A stay viewers, not a tv viewers,’” stated Checker in a clip shared by Future Rock Legends from a present in Des Plaines, Illinois final month.

After his supervisor booked him a present, he claimed the corridor informed him to “neglect” about his gig.

“We always remember about gigs,” Checker harassed.

The 83-year-old rocker, whose delivery identify is Ernest Evans, recalled his childhood hopes of turning into a “star” and stated each time he performs, his “dream” is “renewed.”

He went on to dismiss critics who may even see him as “outdated,” “retired” and “not doing something” on the day of the ceremony.

Checker was eligible for induction into the corridor since its first-class in 1986, however he wasn’t nominated till this 12 months.

Over the course of his profession, Checker helped popularize the Pony and Limbo dance crazes together with his songs “Pony Time” and “Limbo Rock,” respectively.

His cowl of “The Twist” — written and launched by 1990 Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame inductee Hank Ballard and his group, the Midnighters (who had been inducted individually as a bunch in 2012) — turned a smash hit in 1960.

The tune notably topped Billboard’s record of all-time No. 1 singles on its Sizzling 100 charts from 2008 by way of most of 2020 earlier than The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” took the crown that September.

At his Illinois present, Checker accepted a statue from the hall earlier than a sea of adoring followers, noting that he’ll now be “illuminated by all the nice issues” which have occurred in his life each time he travels by way of the corridor’s residence of Cleveland, Ohio.

“I’m so grateful, I recognize it. And I can’t say how fantastic it’s that this has occurred to me, and I’m alive to get pleasure from it,” Checker stated.