Rock Hall 2017: Letterman to Sub For Ailing Neil Young

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David Letterman will induct Pearl Jam into the Rock Hall on Friday night. The veteran late night talk show host is filling in for Neil Young who is unable to make it due to illness.

The Hall announced the news on its Twitter account today (April 5): “Due to illness, Neil Young is sadly unable to induct @PearlJam @ this year’s ceremony. We’re thrilled David Letterman has agreed to step in.”

Tickets info for the 32nd annual event, to be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, sold out immediately. Seats are available at our secondary market partner, TicketNetwork.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame revealed on January 27 the first special guests that will appear at its Class of 2017 induction ceremony. Jackson Browne will induct Baez, and Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush will induct Yes.

On March 29, it was revealed that ELO would be inducted by Dhani Harrison, son of George Harrison. The former Beatle was a frequent collaborator with ELO’s Jeff Lynne, most notably in the ’80s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys.

Journey will be inducted by Train frontman Pat Monahan, Pharrell Williams will be doing the honors for Nile Rodgers and Snoop Dogg for Tupac Shakur‘s posthumous induction.

Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder were frequent guests on the Late Show with David Letterman. Here’s a special one…

The #RockHall2017 Ceremony will once again have its television premiere on HBO on April 29.

This year’s group of Inductees include five artists (Baez, ELO, Journey, Pearl Jam and Tupac) who were on the ballot for the first time and Yes, who’s been discussed and deliberated for a few years (third nomination – 2014, 2016, 2017). Pearl Jam and Tupac also became eligible for nomination this year for 2017 ceremony, having released their first albums in 1991.

Related: Who are the most deserving artists still waiting to be inducted into the Rock Hall? Read this and this!