Diamond, Waits, Cooper join Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Singers Neil Diamond, Tom Waits and Alice Cooper have joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The musicians were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual ceremony in New York, which will be aired on US cable TV on 20 March. They were joined by New Orleans pianist Dr John and R and B singer Darlene Love.

Neil Diamond launched his career as a songwriter in the 1960s in the Brill Building songwriting factory. He soon launched a solo career and his rich baritone coupled with his lively onstage presence. He became one of the most successful artists of all-time. His global hits include 'Sweet Caroline' and 'Solitary Man' and 'Cherry, Cherry'.

Alice Cooper's horror-inspired shock rock first went mainstream in 1971 with his hit 'I'm Eighteen'. He and his band are best known for their theatrical stage shows. He was inducted by fellow rocker Rob Zombie. Talking on the occasion, Cooper said, "We've always been a hard-rock band. We just wanted to decorate it a little differently."

Tom Waits is a gravel-voiced singer, songwriter and street poet, who earned a passionate following with a prolific string of critically acclaimed albums in the 1970s. "They say I have no hits and that I'm difficult to work with... like it's a bad thing," the BBC quoted Waits as saying.

Love, who sang on several Phil Spector tracks with groups such as The Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, called her induction into the Hall her best 70th birthday present. Singer John Legend, who inducted pianist John, said: "He has never stopped flying the flag of funk." John's songs include 'Right Place', 'Wrong Time with Allen Toussaint' and the 'Meters', which he performed at the ceremony.