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Kool & the Gang, founded by Youngstown natives Robert "Kool" Bell and his younger brother Ronald Bell, are among the 15 nominees being considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 2024.
The band is joined by Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. & Rakim, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Jane's Addiction, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinead O'Connor, Ozzy Osbourne, Sade and A Tribe Called Quest on the ballot, which was announced today.
"Continuing in the true spirit of rock 'n' roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps," said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in a statement.
The Bell family moved from Youngstown to New Jersey when the brothers were 10 and 8 years old, and their musical careers started in New Jersey. However, in a 2023 interview with this newspaper, Robert Bell talked about how he and his brother would use paint cans and bongos as little kids. And in a 2018 interview, Ronald Bell (who died in 2020) talked about how his love of music was shaped by his father bringing home Miles Davis' "Round About Midnight" album and listening to his Aunt Mae and his uncles playing records all of the time when he was growing up in Youngstown.
Read more in Sunday’s Vindicator.