Kevin Mazur/Getty Images/Rock Hall; Kevin Kane/Getty Images/Rock HallThe HBO special featuring highlights from the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony premieres Saturday, May 5, at 8 p.m. ET. Bon Jovi, The Moody Blues, The Cars, Dire Straits, the late Nina Simone and the late Sister Rosetta Tharpe were honored at the event, which took place April 14 at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium.
Here’s a rundown of some of the ceremony’s key moments:
–Bon Jovi was inducted by radio and TV personality Howard Stern. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi gave an epic acceptance speech, while former guitarist Richie Sambora and bassist Alec Jon Such reunited with the group at the podium and during the band’s performance segment.
—Killers frontman Brandon Flowers welcomed The Cars into the Rock Hall. The band’s surviving members performed together for the first time since their 2011 reunion trek. Weezer‘s Scott Shriner stepped in for late bassist Benjamin Orr, who died in 2000.
–Dire Straits inducted themselves, with founding bassist John Illsley taking the mic to introduce his ex-band mates Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher. The group didn’t perform, as frontman Mark Knopfler and his brother, rhythm guitarist David Knopfler, didn’t attend the event.
—Heart‘s Ann Wilson inducted The Moody Blues. Longtime core members Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge were joined onstage by founding lead singer Denny Laine and keyboardist Mike Pinder, although neither Laine nor Pinder took part in the band’s performance.
—Mary J. Blige inducted the late Simone, while Andra Day and Lauren Hill delivered musical tributes to the influential jazz/R&B singer.
–The ceremony opened with The Killers performing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers‘ “American Girl” in honor of the late Petty.
— Wilson teamed up with Alice in Chains‘ Jerry Cantrell to perform Soundgarden‘s “Black Hole Sun” as an homage to late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell.
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