Chubby Checker is thrilled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 83-year-old musician is best known for his hit “The Twist.” He will be honored at the Nov. 8 ceremony in Los Angeles.
Checker has waited a long time for this recognition. He was eligible since the Hall started in 1986. “I don’t want to be in the Rock Hall when I’m dead.
I want to smell my flowers when I’m here,” he said from his New Jersey home. In 2002, Checker protested outside the Rock Hall museum in Cleveland. He wanted his music to be played more often.
“The best thing for any artist is to get his music played,” he explained. Checker’s career began with a childhood dream.
Chubby Checker finally honored
He was inspired by country singer Ernest Tubb in South Carolina. Later, he moved to Philadelphia and took his stage name. His version of “The Twist” changed dance music.
It was the only single to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 twice until Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
Checker has had 32 songs on the Hot 100, with seven in the top 10. Hits like “Pony Time,” “The Fly,” and “Let’s Twist Again” showed his influence.
“Anyone after Chubby Checker who had a song that you could dance to, they were in my world,” he said. The Rock Hall honored “The Twist” in 2018. But Checker’s personal induction is special to him.
“I’m a blessed human being,” he said. “Every time I go on stage my dream comes true, my dream is renewed — that’s what keeps me going.”
Checker still performs regularly. He brings joy to audiences and celebrates his lasting impact on music.
