Almost LIVE: American Music Masters Tribute to Janis Joplin

Today the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concludes their 14th Annual American Masters Series with a concert tribute to this year's spotlight aritist Janis Joplin.

Channel 3 News is here conducting interviews with many of the performers.  Check in for updates on who we've talked to and to watch exclusive videos clips from our interviews.  Then join us tonight at 11pm for a re-cap of the day's events.  Feel free to post any Janis memories you may have or any questions you'd like answered down in our comments section. 

5:59pm  Interviews are done.  Time to shut down and gear up before the big concert tonight.  If you want to come down, tickets are still available at the State Theater box office here at Playhouse Square.   And don't miss Jeff Maynor's report on today's events tonight on Channel 3 News at 11.  Also, our full interivews with everyone you've seen here will be available to watch later this week on wkyc.com.

5:43pm  Nope!  Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson.  Talk about huge, he's like 6'5".  I think the Browns could use him.  Anyway, Ray talks about why it's important that we remember and honor artists like Janis Joplin.

5:11pm  Who's next?  Maybe Guy Clark.

5:08pm  Okay, say you find out you're going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Would you miss that moment?  Believe it or not, Gregg Rolie almost did when he and Michael Carabello were inducted along with the rest of Santana.  Find out why he nearly skipped the cermony in this video clip.

4:28pm  Standing by for Santana's Gregg Rolie and Michael Carabello

4:26pm  Next up is one of Monica Robins' favorite singers, Susan Tedeschi.  With six albums and one live DVD under her belt, Susan has sold over a million records in the US alone.
Tedeschi has developed a loyal following garnered from years of touring, live shows and radio support. Critically acclaimed, she has scored four Grammy nominations including Best New Artist in 2000, Best Female Rock Vocal in 2003, and best Contemporary Blues Album in 2004 and 2007.  Today before rehearsing, Susan took a tour of the Rock Hall. We asked her what she thought of one of Cleveland's crown jewels.

3:07pm  Here she is, one third of Labelle, the group that sang the original "Lady Marmelade", Nona Hendryx.  She's toured with some of the biggest names in the business and has made several stops in Cleveland.  Here's what she has to say about her Cleveland shows.

2:42pm  Nona Hendryx is on her way to see us.

2:12pm   Just wrapped up with Carolyn Wonderland.  She;s toured with Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter and jammed with Rock Hall inductee Bob Dylan, Ray Benson(who we hope to talk to later).  A Texas native, we asked Carolyn what fellow Lone Stater Janis Jolin means to her as a singer/songwriter.

1:37pm  Schedule change.  Definitely have to be flexible here.  Veteran soul singer Bettye Lavette was our next interview.  She's been recording for over 40 years and a string of R&B Chart Toppers that include "Let Me Down Easy", "Child of the Seventies", "Doin' the Best That I Can" and "Tell Me A Lie".  In the clip below, we asked the Detroit native what advice she has for up and coming musicians.

12:53pm  Just found out our next interview is Carolyn Wonderland.  Will have video posted shortly.

12:26pm  Our first interview is "in the can".  We spoke with singer/songwriter Bob Neuwirth who taught Janis "Me and Bobby McGee" and co-wrote "Mercedes Benz" with her.  In this video clip, we asked the Akron native what it meant to him to have the Rock Hall here in Northeast Ohio.

12:01pm   First up, here's a look at out set-up in the basement of Playhouse Square's State theater...