Grief to Glory: Four-Year Journey for Phil Collins’ Rock Honors

What started as a grieving widow’s diversion will culminate in celebration.

I’m the founder of the grassroots #getphilvotedin campaign, and we’re hosting a fan event to crown a four-year effort to encourage the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to honor Phil Collins’ solo achievements.

Collins, now 75, became eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. That’s 25 years after the 1981 release of his groundbreaking first solo record, “Face Value.” Collins previously entered the Rock Hall with his band Genesis, but his solo artistry has been overlooked.

Until now.

I lost my 58-year-old husband to colon cancer in 2021 and started the Rock Hall campaign in his honor. My husband loved Collins’ music, too.

I’m a communications professional, and my plan was essentially a huge PR campaign. I reminded people through social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, plus a podcast and website, why Collins should be recognized.

Last year, I attended the 2025 Rock Hall induction ceremony to connect with influential people in that world. A fateful meeting with producer John Wood, whose film, “The Session Man: Nicky Hopkins,” helped get Hopkins inducted that year, was a great connection.

Not to be deterred, I kept reaching out through Wood and others I met with ties to the Rock Hall and Nominating Committee with informational notes and encouraging messages.

Next up? Orchestrating and hosting the Nov. 13 fan event tied to Collins’ overdue induction, the same weekend the musician joins the Hall as a solo artist. Fans from as far as New Zealand, Australia and the Virgin Islands are coming to celebrate.

The event will feature TAD Management’s “One More Night: The Phil Collins and Genesis Experience” band, food, a full cash bar and a raffle with autographed Collins items and other memorabilia. We’ll also have, a special limited-edition set of drumsticks and a drumhead created for the event in partnership with Promark/Daddario and Remo Percussion.

The campaign is partnering with Gretsch Drums, who made many iconic kits for Collins since the early ’80s. Gretsch is handcrafting five custom pieces to commemorate the induction that will feature art designed by me and brought to life by well-known artist Mark Allee.

I’ll also donate one of the five drums to The King’s Trust. The Trust is celebrating his 40th year of serving the youth charity this year, and I felt the timing was right to offer support to the charity so dear to the singer’s heart.

Another of the five drums will be made available to fans in a charity raffle/auction highlighted for the Fan Event, raising money in part for the MusiCares Foundation in honor of musician Harry Kim.

Phil’s longtime trumpet player died in April after battling cancer.

Harry was so wonderful, and his friendship, love and support after losing my husband meant the world to me. Honoring his memory by supporting a charity that helps musicians, something Harry did often, is the least I can do.

Also confirmed to participate in the event is Collins’ former bandmate, British musician/songwriter, Brian Chatton, who was a founding member of the 1969 band Flaming Youth with Collins. Chatton will join the band for a few songs, sign autographs and copies of his book, “Rolling with Rock Royalty.“

I’ve been asked by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland to donate three items from my personal collection to be a part of the Inductee Displays for the 2026 Class. One will be the tambourine Collins gave me from the stage at the last-ever Genesis concert in London in March 2022.

It was a very emotional day when the art shippers arrived, but I thought that rather than having the tambourine and the other items in a display case in my home I should share them with the world.

The question I’m always asked about my four-year campaign is simple. Does Collins know what I did to boost his Rock Hall chances?

I don’t know.

I never wanted to bother him, and he didn’t ask for any of this. I wanted to right a wrong; that’s all. I did this for me. As a fan. And because he deserves it. He gave so much of himself to his fans; I wanted to give a little back to him.

Packages for the Fan event from 12-3 pm Nov. 13 at the Ritz Carlton ION Terrace, Downtown LA are available online now. Packages range from $40 – $225 with some including Limited Edition collectibles and campaign merchandise. For further inquiries: getphilvotedin@gmail.com.

Traci Baker is a public relations professional and ardent Phil Collins fan.