After Neil Young came down with an illness that’d force him to miss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, David Letterman filled in to induct Pearl Jam and did so with a heartfelt, personal speech reflective of their history together.

Letterman entertained in one of his very first public appearances since retiring from The Late Show as he recounted Pearl Jam’s accomplished career. “They’re true living cultural organisms,” he said of the band. “They would recognize injustice and they would stand up for it. Whether it was human rights or the environment. Whether it was poverty. They didn’t let it wash over them. They would stand up and react.”

Watch the full speech and read the full transcript here.