Rock Hall of Fame finally gives props to Heart

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:50:00 +0000

On Thursday, Heart was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013. The band’s appearance on the ballot wasn’t a huge surprise: Besides the fact Heart was also nominated last year, the group has never been more popular — or more prolific. Earlier this year, the band’s principal members, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, lovingly curated a career-spanning boxed set, "Strange Euphoria." A few months after that came their brutally honest memoir, "Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll."

But at the same time, this Rock Hall recognition feels long overdue. Nearly 40 years after Heart started, the Wilsons remain remarkably underrated musicians. Their songs seamlessly integrate folk-rock tenderness and rock and roll aggression, creating the perfect balance of ferocity and vulnerability. As lyricists, they’re driven by a songwriting tradition where precise, elegant language is most effective. Subtle word choices and poetic imagery are a consistent hallmark of Heart’s songs — from the industry snake portrayed in 1977’s “Barracuda” through to the suckerpunch heartbreak of 2010’s “Hey You” (“Have you had enough of me?/Hey you”). And they’re unselfish artists who thrive on collaboration, whether with each other or trusted foils such as childhood friend Sue Ennis and producer and studio collaborator Ben Mink.

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Rock Hall of Fame finally gives props to Heart