Reed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

LOU

This musician was the frontman of the influential proto-punk band The Velvet Underground before launching a solo career. His 1972 album Transformer includes the hit "Walk on the Wild Side.

This clue refers to Lou Reed, the influential musician and frontman of The Velvet Underground, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The answer is simply his first name, "LOU," which fits the short length typical of crossword answers. The clue plays on his last name, "Reed," which is also a type of plant, but here it’s used to directly point to his well-known identity in music history.