The remaining two original members of The Hollies are set to miss the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday night (15Mar10) - they are on tour in the U.K.
The group is set to be honoured at the ceremony in New York, but guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott - the only two founding members left in the band - won't be able to attend.
The Hollies are currently on tour in Britain, and have drafted in former members Graham Nash and Allan Clarke to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony on their behalf.
Elliott says, "I wish them well and I hope they bring my award back in one piece. There was no way we could get an alternative date for these venues. We're just a bit hamstrung, we couldn't get there. Our fans in this country are a priority. It's a great honour to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, no doubt about it. But it's just one of those things. What would we do?"
Monday night's bash is set to be marred by absences - only half of Abba will be there after Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog decided not to attend, Peter Gabriel is too busy to reunite with his former Genesis bandmates, and The Stooges will be without guitarist and founder Ron Asheton, who died last year (09).