Blues Hall of Fame welcomes Class of 2022

May 26—Selby Minner says it's one of the top two nights of the year.

The Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame, of which Minner is the program coordinator, welcomes 10 artists this weekend to its roster of more than 150 inductees. Honorees will be celebrated during the 19th Annual Induction Gala, which will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday in Rentiesville.

Minner, who along with the late legendary blues musician D.C. Minner, established the Hall of Fame, Rentiesville Blues Festival and the Down Home Blues Club, where the gala is staged. She said this year's crop are among the best-known artists of the blues genre.

"The show that people don't want to miss is Hadley Hockensmith," Minner said. "He's probably the most renowned artist that will be here."

Hockensmith was born in Atlanta but moved when he was 3 years old with his family to Oklahoma. The guitarist, bass player and songwriter toured 34 years with Neil Diamond and said his induction made all those years of packing up a van worthwhile.

"I've always loved the blues since I started playing guitar," he said. "Even though I toured with Neil Diamond, I don't think the bluesy-feeling left my playing, so I've always considered myself a blueser from Oklahoma."

Hockensmith even talks about his connection with the blues provided him with an opportunity to meet one of his idols: B.B. King.

"I was working with a singer and I said, 'Man, I'd love to meet that guy,' and he told me he knew where he was staying," Hockensmith said. "So he called and B.B. answered the phone my friend said there's this kid that just loves your playing, and he would love to meet you. King said 'Well...I've got on my silk pajamas but come on down.'

"When we got there, there was King with his guitar, Lucille,' by the bed. King asked if I would like to play her, so I did and he said, 'I see ... you've got the feeling.'"

Hockensmith described his decades-long gig with Neil Diamond as a case of being in the right place at the right time.

"I moved to L.A. to be a studio musician and started doing some sessions around town," he said. "I used to work with a guy who played drums with Elvis named Ron Tutt. After Elvis died he went to play drums for Neil Diamond and he told me in confidence, 'I've got some secret info ... Neil's going to lose his lead guitarist. Would you be interested?'

"It was like a couple of weeks later I went to play a few songs with the band and Neil, and everything worked."

The other nine inductees include Victor Breashears, Mark Claybrook, Earl Day, Ernie Fields Jr., Batiste Jones, Steve "The Actor" Kilman, Willie McGee, Louis Pettit Jr. and Tommy Tripplehorn.

If you go

WHAT: Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame induction gala.

WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday.

WHERE: 103020 D.C. Minner St., Rentiesville.

COST: $10, includes barbecue dinner at 7 p.m.

INFO: (918) 855-0978.