Saturday night, boy band member turned chart-topping solo artist, Justin Timberlake, was inducted into his hometown Memphis Music Hall of Fame at the Cannon Center, boasting a good cry and a duet with Sam & Dave's Sam Moore. The night featured a candid, yet hilarious, induction speech from Timberlake's good pal Jimmy Fallon and covers of classic tracks by Al Green and Otis Redding.
"When they first asked me to help induct Justin into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, three things came to mind: How much? Where am I staying? And most importantly, how do I get out of this," Fallon joked in the midst of his induction. "This is Justin Timberlake we're talking about, and who better to induct him than me, Mrs. Justin Timberlake."
The Tonight Show host then detailed how Timberlake brings "110 percent" to everything the duo has collaborated on. "As his friend I could tell you that this is such a big honor for Justin and it couldn't happen to a more deserving guy," Fallon continued. "He's given us so much amazing music over the years. I'm talking 'Cry Me a River,' 'SexyBack," "Suit & Tie,' 'Mirrors,' "D*ck in a Box!' That's right, he was the first Justin whose d*ck went viral. Sorry, Bieber," Fallon joked in a nod to the pop singer's latest nude photo scandal.
The former NSYNC member stepped onstage for his acceptance speech, telling the 2,000 person crowd, "This is the f*cking coolest thing that has ever happened to me." The singer's 20-minute speech drew powerful emotions and tears as his voice began to crack. The speech acted as a tribute to the musically empowering city as The Tennessean reports. "London ain't got no Gus's Fried Chicken. Paris may rendezvous, but they ain't got no Rendezvous. Egypt has the pyramid, they don't have no Bass Pro Pyramid," Timberlake said after expressing his undying love for Memphis and how honored he is to now sit among the iconic musicians he grew up listening to.
During the "Mirrors" singer's performance portion of his Hall of Fame induction, he boasted an appropriate cover of Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" along with Memphis Music Hall of Famer, Sam Moore, which saw a quick lyric change to "I left my home in Memphis, headed for the lights of L.A.," Rolling Stone notes.
Other recent members of the Hall of Fame include Booker T., Elvis Presley guitarist Sonny Moore, Charlie Rich, Alberta Hunter and Al Jackson Jr.
