Grass-roots efforts of Voices for Yes aimed at belatedly propelling prog-rockers to Hall of Fame

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A grass-roots effort to get Yes in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began with John Brabender’s outrage over the band’s having been ignored for so long. Now, he’s trying to get them the needed votes.

Eligible for induction since 1994, Yes was belatedly announced as one of 15 preliminary nominees earlier this year. Fans can help Yes complete the journey — by voting via Rolling Stone, at the Rock Hall site or at USA Today. The top five vote getters will be collected on a special fan ballot, to be including along with the 600 or so cast by musicians, journalists and industry figures. The deadline is December 10, 2013.

Brabender’s work as a Republical political consultant told him that he might be able to help get the word out — and Voices for Yes was born. Joining him in crafting this “bi-partisan campaign” are Democratic strategist Ted Devine and Steve Capus, former head of NBC News — both of whom, like Brabender, are huge Yes fans themselves.

The fast-growing Voices for Yes campaign now includes a petition web site at www.voicesforyes.com, as well as social media outreach on Facebook and Twitter (@VoicesforYes). They have also worked closely with fan sites, including www.YesFans.com, Notes From The Edge, Steven Sullivan’s Forgotten Yesterdays and Henry Potts’ Yes: Where Are They Now? page.

The hope is, after the belated inductions of Genesis and then Rush, that the nominating committee has come to recognize the error of its ways after ignoring progressive rock for so long. Organizers with Voices for Yes argue that fan voices played a huge role in Rush’s candidacy, and could again with Yes.

Jon Anderson, who co-founded Yes, agrees. He has been urging fans of the group to vote — and recently hinted that their induction might lead to a long-hoped-for reunion.

“I think getting into the Hall of Fame will bring us together again,” Anderson says in this clip. “If we get together, then we get together, and everything is forgotten. Then, we’ll get on with the music, because that was the reason we were together — music. Not business, not money, not fame, not fortune. We got together because we liked making music.”

Anderson hasn’t worked with Yes since 2004.

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