Artists are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first recordings, and the inductees are chosen by more than 500 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. The official ceremony will be held in New York City on March 14th.  The Fuse network will air highlights from the ceremony on Sunday, March 20th.

Here is look at the inductees entering next year’s Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame:

ALICE COOPER BAND

The Alice Cooper Band was comprised of lead singer and namesake Alice Cooper, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, rhythm guitarist Michael Bruce, bass player Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith.  The band got its start in the late sixties as an L.A. bar band and soon made a name for themselves with their bizarre live shows.  The band paired a hard rock sound with over-the-top theatrics and elevated the rock concert to new levels, not to mention the string of hit singles they put out in the seventies, including classics like “Eighteen,” “School’s Out” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”  The original lineup split in the mid-seventies, but Cooper continues to tour and record as well as oversee his own restaurant, Alice Cooper’s Town, in Phoenix, Arizona.  Buxton passed away in 1997.

NEIL DIAMOND

Neil Diamond was studying pre-med at New York University before he decided to start writing songs for a living in 1962.  Like many singer-songwriters, Diamond began by writing songs for others.  His song “I’m a Believer” became a massive hit for the Monkees in 1966.  By then he had his own record deal and was recording his own hits.  Diamond moved to California and released a series of hit singles that would turn him into one of music’s biggest stars.  Some of those hits, like “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show,” “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin’ Rosie,” became classics.  Diamond would dabble in other forms of entertainment, including a one-man show on Broadway and a starring role in the remake of “The Jazz Singer,” but he always returned to his rock and roll roots and continues to sell out concerts even to this day.

DR. JOHN

Dr. John learned to play piano and guitar as a child growing up in New Orleans.  He would eventually take all the music and traditions the city had to offer and bring them to a wider audience both as a session musician and on his own recordings.  His first album, “Gris-Gris,” released in 1968, was hailed as a masterpiece, and his continued mix of voodoo, funk and expert piano playing helped build his cult following.  Dr. John also made a name for himself as a collaborator working with, among others, Van Morrison, Professor Longhair, B.B. King and Allen Toussaint and the Meters, who helped produce his biggest hit, “Right Place, Wrong Time.”

DARLENE LOVE

Darlene Love’s voice became famous even before her name.  Hall of Fame producer Phil Spector picked her and the Blossoms to serve as singing surrogates for the Crystals’ number one single “He’s a Rebel” in 1962.  Eventually, Love started recording with Spector under her own name, releasing hits like “Wait Till My Bobby Gets Home” and the holiday classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” In the eighties, Love added acting to her resume, appearing in the “Lethal Weapons” films and the Broadway show “Leader of the Pack,” based on the Ellie Greenwich songbook.

TOM WAITS

Tom Waits’ raspy growl may not have sung many hit singles, but his songwriting and performing skills have made him one of music’s most respected and covered artists.  Waits began performing at L.A. nightclubs in the late sixties and early seventies with an eccentric blend of humorous stories and jazzy improvisations.  He released his debut, “Closing Time,” in 1973 followed by a series of albums that were loved by critics, but sold relatively poorly.  In the eighties, Waits, who had appeared in several films, increased the theatrics and experimentations in his music and released the unorthodox-sounding trio of “Swordfishtrombones,” “Rain Dogs” and “Franks Wild Years.”  A testament to his songwriting skills, Waits’ songs have been recorded by everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Marianne Faithfull, and Johnny Cash to Elvis Costello and Rod Stewart, who had a hit with “Downtown Train.”   Waits continues to tour, record and earn new fans.  His 2006 release “Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards” was a hit among college indie fans and even earned him a spot on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.”
MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENT

LEON RUSSELL

Leon Russell made a name for himself as a session musician in the sixties.  He added his rollicking piano to countless records, including hits by the Byrds and Phil Spector.  He also played at George Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh.”  In the seventies, Russell led Joe Cocker’s live band for the album “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” and has continuously released his own recordings.  He jumped back into the spotlight earlier this year with his widely-acclaimed collaboration with Elton John, “The Union,” which reached number three on the Billboard chart and earned a Grammy nomination.
AHMET ERTEGUN AWARD RECIPIENTS (NON-PERFORMERS)

JAC HOLZMAN

Jac Holzman founded Elektra Records in 1950, primarily as a folk label.  He brought in some of the genre’s biggest names, including Tom Rush, Phil Ochs and Judy Collins.  In the sixties and seventies, Holzman led the label into more and more diverse territory, signing such wide-ranging acts as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the Doors, the Stooges, Queen and Carly Simon.

ART RUPE

Art Rupe founded Specialty Records shortly after the end of World War II.  The independent record label would go on to dominate the R&B charts in the late fifties, most notably by releasing Little Richard’s groundbreaking singles.  Rupe had a knack for finding talent, and he helped start the careers of Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Ray Charles and Larry Williams, among others.

Frank Sinatra passed away on May 14th, 1998.  Over the years, artists like U2′s Bono, Michael Buble, and Rod Stewart have covered his material.

Here is the track listing for “Sin-Atra,” due next month:

1.) New York, New York – Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad)
2.) I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple)
3.) Summerwind – Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche)
4.) It Was A Very Good Year – Dee Snider (Twisted Sister)
5.) Witchcraft – Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth)
6.) Fly Me To The Moon – Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
7.) Lady Is A Tramp – Eric Martin (Mr. Big)
8.) Strangers In The Night – Joey Belladonna (Anthrax)
9.) High Hopes – Franky Perez (Scars on Broadway)
10.) I’ve Got The World On A String – dUg Pinnick (King’s X)
11.) Love And Marriage – Elias Soriano (Nonpoint)
12.) That’s Life – Jani Lane (Warrant)

Prosecutors apparently pushed for jail time due to Neil’s prior record.  He was involved in a previous drunken driving incident that resulted in a man’s death in 1984.  For that, Neil was sentenced to 20 days in jail and ordered to pay two-and-a-half million dollars in restitution.

Specific terms of the new agreement were not released.  However, an EMI spokesperson said, quote, “All legal disputes between the band and the company have been settled as a result of this new deal,” adding that it would “help the band reach new and existing fans through their incredible body of work.”

Murmer Films will distribute “United States Of Cabo.”  The Canadian-based company recently released a preview trailer from the film to the Internet.

This isn’t Armstrong’s first time stepping into the St. Jimmy character.  He previously played the part for a week in September, filling in for Vincent.  When he was in the cast, the musical made just over a million dollars.  Details regarding Amrstrong’s appearances in the production are available online at www.AmericanIdiotOnBroadway.com.

Disturbed hosted the first “Music As A Weapon” tour in 2001 with acts like Drowning Pool and Adema.  The second edition of the trek took place in 2003, featuring Chevelle and Taproot.  Stone Sour and Flyleaf were among the artists on “Music As A Weapon 3″ in 2006.  Ten acts took part in the fourth “Music As A Weapon” tour in 2009, including Kilswitch Engage, Lacuna Coil, Chimaira, and Bury Your Dead.  Disturbed has also led one “Music As A Weapon” tour in Australia and New Zealand.  P.O.D. and Alter Bridge were on board for the 2008 overseas trek.

Perry left Journey in the late 1990s to pursue a solo career.  Journey’s current lead singer — Arnel Pineda — was discovered by Schon and his bandmates who invited him to front Journey in 2007.  Born in the Philippines, Pineda’s renditions of Journey hits caught the attention of the rockers when they were on the lookout for a new frontman.