Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts new members

Isaac Hayes

NEW YORK (CNN) -- An eclectic mix of punk rock, country, and soul music legends were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday night at a ceremony at New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel.

Kicking off the 17th annual ceremony was inductee Isaac Hayes, who wrote many soul hits with songwriting partner David Porter -- including "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin' " -- and is probably best known for singing the theme song from the movie "Shaft."

"It's a very exciting and validating experience to be recognized ... along with all those giants of the music business," Hayes said.

Other inductees included Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Ramones, guitarist Chet Atkins, singer and songwriter Gene Pitney, singer Brenda Lee, and Talking Heads.

'It's really a beautiful thing'

Petty, whose songs include "I Need to Know," "Refugee" and "Free Fallin'," said he was "truly humbled" to be added to the list of inductees.

Brenda Lee said she "felt like Cinderella at the ball."

"It's very easy to be cynical about the hall of fame," Petty told The Associated Press backstage. "But on the other hand, it's really a beautiful thing for someone like me. I dedicated my entire life to this music."

His presenter, Jakob Dylan, recalled how he used to watch from the wings as his father Bob Dylan performed with Petty.

Jim Stewart, who co-founded Stax Records, the independent rhythm and blues and soul label that counted Hayes, Otis Redding and Sam and Dave among its artists, was the non-performer inductee. He is credited with creating contemporary soul music.

Presenter Jewel said she was "really excited" to induct Brenda Lee.

"I feel like Cinderella at the ball," said Lee, who recorded her two best-known songs -- the ballad "I'm Sorry" and the holiday standard, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" -- before her 16th birthday. "It is a long way from the Georgia cotton field to the Waldorf-Astoria."

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Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder spoke for over 20 minutes about how The Ramones influenced his musical career before presenting the New York natives with their inductee awards.

Dee Dee Ramone played the moment for laughs. "I'd like to congratulate myself, and thank myself, and give myself a big pat on the back," he said. "Thank you Dee Dee, you're very wonderful."

Joey Ramone, one of the group's founding members, died last year. But his mother, Charlotte Lescher, said that he was confident the group would make it eventually.

"He felt pretty sure they were going to be inducted," she said. "It was important for him to have recognition for what they did. He never felt they were really recognized."

'Happy ending' for Talking Heads

Talking Heads played its first live gig in 18 years.

Talking Heads, another band that came out of the 1970s New York punk scene, played their first live gig in 18 years. They performed "Psycho Killer," "Burning Down the House" and "Life During Wartime."

"I'd like to thank the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for giving this band a happy ending," drummer Chris Frantz said.

Grammy award winning singer and songwriter Alicia Keys gushed about Hayes before handing him his statuette.

"He taught me so much," Keys said of the groundbreaking singer, songwriter and producer who created the 1969 classic "Hot Buttered Soul."

Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was founded in 1983 and the first induction ceremony was held in 1986. All inductees are represented in a permanent exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

The ceremony will be telecast March 20 on VH1.