Elvis leads Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductees

The first 25 inductees for the Memphis Music Hall of Fame will include rock and roll icon Elvis Presley, blues guitarist B.B. King and the rap group Three 6 Mafia.

The Memphis Rock n' Soul Museum said Tuesday that the inaugural class for the Memphis Music Hall of Fame will be inducted Nov. 29.

Museum executive director John Doyle told The Memphis Daily News that the hall of fame has been in the works for six or seven years. Many of the musicians have ties to the city's once-prominent production studios, including Stax Records, Sun Studio and Hi Records.

Others being honored include blues pioneer W.C. Handy, Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, R&B singers Al Green, Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. and the MGs.

The inductees were determined by a nominating committee consisting of national authors, historians and music industry representatives, who came together for deliberation in May. Inductions will be held annually.

"All of us apologize for being late. We should have started this 20 years ago, or maybe 40 years ago," Doyle said.

Created by the Smithsonian Institution, the Rock n' Soul Museum is located just steps from Memphis' famed Beale Street.