Lou Gramm on HOF induction: “It was bittersweet”

Rochester, N.Y. (WROC) — Lou Gramm is back in Rochester after scaling the peak of the music industry over the weekend.

Gramm and his band Foreigner were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside other greats like Peter Frampton, Cher, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Dave Matthews Band.

“It was extremely exciting,” Gramm said. “The performances were good from all the inductees and we had a lot of fun. I got to sing I Wanna Know What Love Is” with Kelly Clarkson, who’s got an awesome voice and is really a wonderful lady.”

Lou Grammatico, as he was called at Gates-Chili High School, played a major role Foreigner’s remarkable success, co-writing many of the band’s songs, many of which made the Top 40 chart.

Despite their critical acclaim, Foreigner didn’t make into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame until this year, after the death of founding member of Foreigner Ian McDonald and while lead guitarist Mick Jones battles illness.

Jones’ daughter read a letter from him to his fans at the induction ceremony.

“Very moving, very, very moving,” Jones said of the message. “And we expressed over and over how we missed him and how we thought if there was any way possible he should be here and we hope he’s watching. It was bittersweet.”

Asked how his 1983 would have reacted to knowing the band would be in the Hall of the Fame, Gramm said he’d “probably be stunned honestly because when the Rock Hall started and I was seeing all the inductees come in, I spent some time wondering if Foreigner would, I knew we had the credentials to be inducted but I was wondering if we would be inducted because it’s more than credentials. It’s the people in the Hall who either vote for you or not.”

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