The Night Tripper, born Malcolm Rebennack, joins Neil Diamond, Darlene Love, Alice Cooper and Tom Waits as the latest inductees into the Cleveland-based institution. Dr. John was a session player during the 1950s heyday of R&B in New Orleans before becoming an unlikely star at the height of psychedelic 1960s. His first album, Gris-Gris, appeared in 1968 and shook the music community with his spooky blend of New Orleans rhythms and voodoo overtones. Dr. John played guitar in his early years, but switched to piano when his hand was hurt in a shooting. Lately, he sticks mostly to piano, but is known to pick up a guitar every now and then. The photo, by Dylan Stansbury, is from the 2010 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Gala.
