At The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony on April 14, the Hall corrected a couple of gaffes in their history: namely, the exclusion of “backing groups.” While singer/frontmen like Smokey Robinson, Gene Vincent and James Brown have been Hall of Famers for years, their groups The Miracles, The Blue Caps and The Famous Flames had been excluded from the Hall, until now.

Another legendary backing band to finally be inducted this year was Buddy Holly’s Crickets. One of the earliest rock and roll bands, they influenced lots of artists, including legendary sax player Bobby Keys. Keys was turned on to rock and roll music when he heard Buddy Holly playing at the opening of a gas station near his grandparents’ house. He eventually became friends with Buddy and The Crickets (after buying them burgers, fries and shakes). Later on, Crickets drummer J.I. Allison became his legal guardian. Given the influence the group has had on Keys’
professional and personal life, he’s glad to see them finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

You can read much more about Keys’ history with Buddy Holly & The Crickets, as well as his adventures with The Rolling Stones, John Lennon and Eric Clapton, among many others, in his new book, Every Night’s A Saturday Night. You can watch an edited version of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony this Saturday night at 9 pm ET on HBO.

–Brian Ives, CBS Local