The Cars drive into Rock Hall of Fame

CLEVELAND — The Cars, a band with roots in northern Ohio, have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.The other inductees, announced Tuesday, are Bon Jovi, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.Here's the official word on the planned concert, from the Rock Hall:"The 33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Klipsch Audio, will take place on Saturday, April 14, 2018 in Cleveland. Ticket on-sale dates will be announced in January. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2018 Induction Ceremony will again have its television premiere on HBO, and a radio broadcast on SiriusXM. Broadcast details will be announced in early 2018," an announcement stated.Musicians become eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording, officials from the Rock Hall said.Fans are allowed to weigh in on who should be inductee, and Bon Jovi won the fan vote. On Wednesday morning, Jon Bon Jovi Tweeted, "Thank you. See you in Cleveland. #rockhall2018." The Cars' chief songwriter and best-known member, Ric Ocasek, according to his Wikipedia bio, is a graduate of Maple Heights High School who briefly attended Bowling Green State University.Citing an article originally published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Wikipedia bio said: "Ocasek met future Cars bassist Benjamin Orr in Cleveland in the 1960s after Ocasek saw Orr performing with his band the Grasshoppers on the Big 5 Show, a local musical variety program. He reconnected with Orr a few years later in Columbus, Ohio, and the two began booking bands together. Soon, they formed one of their own and began to perform in and around Ohio State University."Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.