User:Vanessamariemarchewka/sandbox

New England Music Hall of Fame edit

The New England Music Hall of Fame also known as N.E.M.H.O.F. was founded in 2020. One of the co-founders of the New England Music Hall of Fame is Christopher Annino not only co-owns the New England Music Hall of Fame but The Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was born with numerous disabilities. Despite his disabilities he is incredibly versatile with his abilities and in his career. He is an award-winning filmmaker was a former firefighter and multi-sport athlete who competed both as an amateur and professionally. He graduated with his bachelor's in journalism at Mitchell College. He also went to Ct School of Broadcasting; the CT Fire Academy and he is a Certified Chaplain. He is currently attending Western Governors University-Masters Educational Leadership program. He also has multiple honors awards such as, the National Thespian Society, Phi Theta Kappa, National Leadership Society, NCAA Athlete, Massachusetts Blues Ambassador.

The second co-founder of the New England Music Hall of Fame is Angel Orsini. She is also the co-founder of The Womens Wrestling Hall of Fame. Orsini holds a master's degree from Rutgers University and is a black belt in karate. Her and joy Nash own a life coaching wellness business called "Elevated Living." Orsini is a highly decorated professional wrestler and an award-winning filmmaker.

The New England Music Hall of Fame was created to support musicians in the New England area. Musicians who grew up in the area or who are known from that state. We induct all different musicians from independent artists that are local to big name artist.


The mission statement is to, "unite, educate, influence, promote and preserve the integrity of New England's music and the people who represent it. We want to help not just the music but the musician. Music has no gender or race and just like it we don’t discriminate."

The vision statement is, " We will achieve our mission along with creating music experiences, both live and virtual, through awarding talented musicians and other positive contributors with the recognition they so greatly deserve. Our events create opportunities for musicians, music lovers, and businesses to connect, network, and promote all the amazing talents they have to share, because we are the vehicle that brings them purposefully together. Tommy Bonnano embodied this and the reason why we exist."

Inductees for 2023 were: 2023 POSTHUMOUS INDUCTEES edit

Brad Delp edit

Born June 12, 1951 Peabody, Massachusetts, U.S Brad was an American musician, best known as the original lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Boston. He joined Boston in 1970, in which he played and sang on the band's first three albums. Brad was known for being kindhearted and contributed to a number of charitable causes.

Justine Covault edit

Justine Covault was a respected musician, record label owner, and influential figure in the Boston music scene. Originally from Detroit, she resided in Arlington and made significant contributions to the local music community. Covault was known for her involvement in bands like Justine & The Unclean and Justine's Black Threads, where her musical talent shone through.

In addition to her role as a musician, Covault founded and owned Red On Red Records, an independent record company that became widely recognized for its focus on power-pop, punk, alt-rock, indie rock, and Americana genres. The label quickly gained prominence as a key platform for New England music, releasing songs by notable artists such as Cold Expectations, The Chelsea Curve, Linnea's Garden, Andrea Gillis, Girl with a Hawk, Robin Lane, and Rose Guerin.

Covault's dedication extended beyond her own musical endeavors. She actively promoted concerts and worked as a show promoter, showcasing emerging talent and providing opportunities for artists to showcase their work. Her passion for supporting musicians and her commitment to the growth of the local music scene made her a beloved and respected figure in the Boston music community.

Unfortunately, Justine Covault's passing has left a void in the music community, with many expressing their sadness and paying tribute to her on social media. Her musical talent, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering support for emerging artists will be remembered and cherished by those who knew and worked with her.

Sib Hashian edit

(Musician) Former drummer f the band Boston. Hashian is heard on Boston's self-titled debut album, as well as on the follow-up Don't Look Back. Hashian was of Armenian and Italian ancestry and lived in Lynnfield, Massachusetts [3] with his wife, Suzanne (née Jipp).[4] They had one son, Adam, and two daughters, songwriter Aja Hashian and singer-songwriter Lauren Hashian,

Sib, the youngest of four children, was raised in Lynn and was a graduate of Lynn English High School, Class of 1967. After receiving his first drum pad as a child, music became his passion. Sib earned money drumming as a young teen to help support his family. While in his late teens he was playing seven sets a night, seven nights a week, in the club district of Boston honing his craft of drumming. Sib continued his education at Catholic University in Washington D.C. earning an associate degree. But, with the Vietnam draft looming, he chose to enlist into the United States Army Officer's Candidate School. After successfully completing OCS, Sib served as a First Lieutenant in the Vietnam War. Less than two years after being Honorably discharged from the Army. There is a film on Sib's life called "Back Beat from Above" by Yellow Box Entertainment and Sib's award presentation will be at the premier of this inspirational

Donna Summer edit

Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012),[2] known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following.[3][4]

Influenced by the counterculture of the 1960s, Summer became the lead singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow and moved to New York City. In 1968, she joined a German adaptation of the musical Hair in Munich, where she spent several years living, acting, and singing.[5] There, she met music producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and they went on to record influential disco hits together such as "Love to Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love", marking Summer's breakthrough into international music markets. Summer returned to the United States in 1976,[6] and more hits such as "Last Dance", her version of "MacArthur Park", "Heaven Knows", "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", "Dim All the Lights", "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" with Barbra Streisand, and "On the Radio" followed.

Summer amassed a total of 32 chart singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 in her lifetime, including 14 top ten singles and four number one singles. She claimed a top-40 hit every year between 1976 and 1984, and from her first top-ten hit in 1976, to the end of 1982, she had 12 top-ten hits (10 were top-five hits), more than any other act during that time period. She returned to the Hot 100's top five in 1983, and claimed her final top-ten hit in 1989 with "This Time I Know It's for Real". She was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach the top of the US Billboard 200 chart and charted four number-one singles in the US within a 12-month period. She also charted two number-one singles on the R&B Singles chart in the US and a number-one single in the United Kingdom.[7] Her last Hot 100 hit came in 1999 with "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)". While her fortunes on the Hot 100 waned in subsequent decades, Summer remained a force on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart throughout her entire career.

Summer died in 2012 from lung cancer, at her home in Naples, Florida.[8] She sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She won five Grammy Awards. In her obituary in The Times, she was described as the "undisputed queen of the Seventies disco boom" who reached the status of "one of the world's leading female singers."[3] Moroder described Summer's work on the song "I Feel Love" as "really the start of electronic dance" music.[9] In 2013, Summer was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[10] In December 2016, Billboard ranked her sixth on its list of the "Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists"

Charles Karp edit

Charles Karp (April 13, 1953 – March 10, 2019) was an American musician and Emmy Award-winning documentarian. A former student at Coleytown Middle School and Staples High School, both in Westport, Connecticut, Karp had a professional career that stretched nearly 50 years. He won an Emmy producing music for films and television, and his biography credits him as working on jingles for such products as Twix candy bars, US Tobacco and Xerox. He died at age 65.

Christine Anne McVie edit

(Influencer) Christine Anne McVie (/məkˈviː/;[1] née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, notably Chicken Shack, in the mid-1960s British Blues scene. She began working with Fleetwood Mac in 1968, initially as a session player, before joining the band in 1970. Her first compositions with Fleetwood Mac appeared on their fifth album, Future Games. She remained with the band through many changes of line-up, writing songs and performing lead vocals before partially retiring in 1998, and was described as "the prime mover behind some of Fleetwood Mac's biggest hits".[2] Eight songs written or co-written by McVie, including "Don't Stop", "Everywhere" and "Little Lies", appeared on Fleetwood Mac's 1988 Greatest Hitsalbum. She appeared as a session musician on the band's last studio album, Say You Will. She also released three solo studio albums. McVie was also known for possessing a soft, pure, alto voice. As a member of Fleetwood Mac, McVie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1998 received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.[4][5] In the same year, after almost 30 years with Fleetwood Mac, she left the band and lived in semi-retirement, releasing a solo album in 2004. She appeared on stage with Fleetwood Mac at the O2 Arena in London in September 2013 and rejoined the band in 2014 prior to their On with the Show tour.[6]McVie received a Gold Badge of Merit Award from BASCA, now The Ivors Academy, in 2006.[7] She received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in 2014 and was honored with the Trailblazer Award at the UK Americana Awards in 2021.[8][9] She was also the recipient of two Grammy Awards.

2023 NEMHOF MEDIA AWARDS edit

Henry Santoro edit

NEMHOF Historian Award Winner Santoro comes to GBH News from Radio BDC, where he served as news director. Prior to that Santoro was a fixture on morning radio as the award­ winning news director and morning news anchor for WFNX­FM from 1983 until 2012. Throughout his 30 years as a morning anchor, Santoro has delivered coverage of many of the most significant news stories of the era, beginning with the AIDS crisis in the early 1980s and leading to the 9/11 attacks, the first election of Mayor Menino and the presidential election of Barack Obama. He has interviewed cultural and political personalities including Andy Warhol, Mitt Romney, Allen Ginsberg and Yoko Ono, and has a deep connection to local news and community events in Boston. He also has taught radio and journalism courses as an adjunct professor at Emerson College.

Steve Morse edit

NEMHOF Journalist Award

Steve Morse Music History and Liberal Arts and Music Theory, Harmony, and Ear Training Steve Morse was the senior rock music critic at the Boston Globe for three decades and continues to write for the paper on a freelance basis today. During his tenure, he interviewed legends such as the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Chrissie Hynde, U2, Pearl Jam, and Radiohead. He attended 250 concerts a year for 30 years, including frequent tour openings around the country as well as major events such as Live Aid and Farm Aid. Morse has contributed to Billboard and Rolling Stone magazines and served on the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for a seven-year term. He hosted a radio show, "Morse on Music, for Boston station WBOS-FM for two years and has aired "60 Second reviews on VH1. Morse has done many industry projects such as writing liner notes for album releases by Billy Joel and the Dave Matthews Band. He grew up around Boston and attended Brown University.

Carmelita edit

Carmelita was on the following radio stations throughout her career WBCN Boston, WERS, and was the former music Director and on-air personality at the legendary Baystate Rock WAAF. The Denise Award the highest honor anyone can get for media and Carmelita is the first female to win this award.

Carter Alan edit

NEMHOF Broadcaster of the Year

Carter Alan is a disc jockey and radio announcer who has been working professionally in Boston since 1979. His work began at the student radio station at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by 19 years at Boston radio station WBCN. At WBCN, he was the music director as well as a DJ.[1] Alan is perhaps most famous for playing U2 before they were popular in the United States, helping them to "break" the market.[2]

In 1998, he moved to WZLX. As the assistant program director, Alan also hosts the midday show from 10 am to 2 pm, compiles the Rock 'n' Roll Diary, hosts Sunday Morning Blues every Sunday morning, and produced WZLX's first charity CD, From the Vaults.

He has also written four books: Outside Is America, The Road to Pop (both about the rock band U2), Life on the Road: The Adventures of Dinky Dawson and Radio Free Boston: The Rise And Fall Of WBCN.

Albert O edit

NEMHOF Historian Award

Albert grew up in a medium-sized college town in the Midwest, being the oldest of 10. His first musical memory (as family legend has it) is requesting Shostakovich at the local music emporium at the ripe age of 3.

As a pre-teen in the 60’s, he lived for Top 40 radio, combing the AM airwaves for new and exciting music via baby blue GE transistors. His first exposure to “outside” artists came from an older neighbor who took young Albert under his wing and entrusted him with his vinyl. “Seemingly overnight, my Beatles, Stones and Byrds LPs took a back seat to the Blues Project, Fred Neil, the Holy Modal Rounders and the Fugs. I bought everything I could with my paper route money on the Elektra, Vanguard and Island labels, eventually taking things a step further witnessing live music at local universities, clubs and coffeehouses, thanks to a high-quality, fake ID (it was much easier then)”.

Aimlessly toiling at the family flower shop, Albert jumped at the chance to help move high school friends to Berklee in the early 70’s, visiting Greater Boston often and eventually staying permanently. Albert considered it “everything I dreamed of…open all night and all within walking distance”. A chance meeting in the mid 70’s with someone involved in the (then) SMU Dartmouth, MA radio station (“it barely reached down Chase Road”) opened the proverbial radio doors, eventually leading to stints at community MIT radio WTBS/WMBR, WLYN (pre-WFNX), over 20 years at legendary WBCN, and over 5 years at Greater Media’s WROR & WBOS.

Albert finds it both refreshing and re-invigorating to be involved with WUMB, be it hosting Highway 61 Revisited or sitting in for the stellar daytime hosts. “I feel like I’ve come full circle, doing ‘real’ radio again and featuring artists of all genres who actually have something to say for listeners who are both appreciative and knowledgeable – a rare breed in this day and age”.

Jim Sullivan edit

Jim Sullivan bio. As a high school baseball player growing up in Maine, I used to pump myself up for games by playing Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power at full volume on my crappy bedroom stereo. The ultimate adrenaline rush. Or sometimes, Alice Cooper’s Killer, digging those hard-rocking, theatrical dark deeds. My friends and team mates didn't quite get it – they liked Chicago (the band) and whatever Top 40 stuff crossed their path. But that was OK: I was secure in my choices and my taste. And the punk rock revolution was around the corner. That's where my musical taste locked in with many others, all of us bored with corporate rock. That period was a time of extreme excitement (friction, joy, conflict) that helped inspire me to write about what I loved. And, it opened the doors to even more worlds, writing and otherwise. I wrote for my college paper the Maine Campus and became a rock columnist and feature writer for Maine’s largest daily paper, the Bangor Daily News. My first rock interview was Slade in 1975, where, post-show, I asked Noddy Holder if he still got excited on stage. He exclaimed that he did – “My jeans are stiff as a board!” I was also writing for a music magazine, Sweet Potato, that started in Portland. After graduating from the University of Maine, I moved to Boston in 1978. I continued writing for Sweet Potato – a new Boston edition opened - and began writing freelance music reviews and features for the Boston Globe the following year while attending Boston University, earning an M.S. in Journalism. I also wrote for various national now-defunct music (The Record, Creem, Music-Sound Output, etc.) as well as doing a dozen or so pieces for the nascent USA Today – broadened my taste and sharpened my critical faculties. I found Boston most fascinating, the local rock scene and the many national and international bands that through. Maybe it wasn't New York or L.A., but most anything that hit those cities hit ours, too, and the diversity was most impressive. Name a genre on an any given night bands from that genre would be playing town. Difficult choices had to be made. Quality of the local scene: Never less than B+ and often in the A range. I joined the Globe staff in 1988, writing for virtually every section of the paper at some point, but anchored in the Arts Section and specializing in pop music and culture. The landscape of coverage was immense – from Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis to Sex Pistols and Ramones, from Neil Young and Elvis Costello to Pink Floyd and Butthole Surfers, from Roxy Music and Sparks to Patti Smith and Tina Turner. I left in the summer of 2005. Since, I've freelanced for, among others, the Boston Phoenix, the Boston Herald, the Christian Science Monitor, Best Classic Bands, WBUR’s ARTery, Rock and Roll Globe, The Hard Noise, the Cape Cod Times, and Playgirl (Yes, a ribald ride with Amanda Palmer and a profile of Lez Zeppelin). In 2022, it was time to combine things, to remake and remodel some of what I’d done over the years, add perspective and context, do some additional interviews to come up with Backstage & Beyond: 45 Years of Classic Rock Chats and Rants (Vol. 1), published July 21, 2023 and Backstage & Beyond: 45 Years of Modern Rock Chats and Rants (Vol. 2), to be published Oct. 19, 2023. The first volume of the anthology focuses on artists who came to prominence in the 1950s through the early 70s, but whose careers extended well beyond. Twenty-one of them are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Richard Thompon was kind enough to say, “These are wonderful stories across the whole range of popular music, by one of rock’s finest journalists. As history lengthens, and some of these legends move on. these become increasingly precious fragments of lives lived at the sharp edge of music.” The second volume deals with artists who took shape during the mid 70s, mostly the punk, post-punk, new wave eras. From Joy Division/New Order bassist-songwriter Peter Hook: “I have spoken to many journalists in my time, some good, some bad, some terrible. And it is lovely when you meet someone who is just like you - a huge music fan! Jim Sullivan is a music fan. I knew it very quickly after our first meeting in the early 80's. He is friendly, knowledgeable, forthright, and opinionated! An expert in his chosen field. Meeting him now is like meeting an old friend and one of the highlights of any American tour. He is no pushover. If you have faults or are resting on your laurels, he is the first to tell you off. I value his opinions highly and treasure his friendship even more.” Although much of the book revolves around things that took place in Boston, I didn’t want it to be an overly Boston-centric book. Hopefully, it’s for rock fans anywhere and everywhere. The five local-but-national acts I chose for the first two volumes: Aerosmith, the J. Geils Band, the Cars, Pixies and Mission of Burma. Jim lives in Brookline with his wife Roza and a trio of felines. If the season’s right and the weather’s nice, you may find him at Fenway Park at night -if not a rock club – and if it’s daytime, you may find him out on a golf course, forever trying to score in the 80s, succeeding enough to make him keep coming back. A summer 2023 highlight: Playing two 9-hole rounds in Newton with Alice Cooper, a smooth-swinging five-handicapper, who had some free time in Boston, prior to the Hollywood Vampires show at the Boch-Wang Theatre and tries to play every other day on tour. And, yeah, the 16-year-old me – if I knew this was in the future - woulda said, “That’s pretty cool!” And, frankly, so did the 66-year-old me: Alice telling rock stories, golf stories (and tips), showbiz stories, making a brief stop to pet the course border collie, Blush, and take a pic. All of us playing pretty damn good golf, too. One of those stories: Back in the day, Eddie Van Halen wanted to golf with Alice, so they did and after the round he asked Alice how he did: “You are a great guitar player,” Alice said, politely. Yes, Eddie sucked, but the real reason he wanted to play with Alice was so that he’d introduce him to his friend Glen Campbell who was a fabulous guitarist and great golfer, as good as any pro from 60 yards in. Alice shot just a bit over par and they were two of my best rounds, too. It included a blind chip to the green over a hill on the sixth hole which landed two inches from the cup. Now, we do have “gimmes” in my little golf world, but not on a birdie putt. I walked up to the green without my putter before I remembered that, but Alice graciously handed me his putter for the polite tap-in.

Albert O edit

Historian Award NEMHOF

Albert grew up in a medium-sized college town in the Midwest, being the oldest of 10. His first musical memory (as family legend has it) is requesting Shostakovich at the local music emporium at the ripe age of 3.

As a pre-teen in the 60’s, he lived for Top 40 radio, combing the AM airwaves for new and exciting music via baby blue GE transistors. His first exposure to “outside” artists came from an older neighbor who took young Albert under his wing and entrusted him with his vinyl. “Seemingly overnight, my Beatles, Stones and Byrds LPs took a back seat to the Blues Project, Fred Neil, the Holy Modal Rounders and the Fugs. I bought everything I could with my paper route money on the Elektra, Vanguard and Island labels, eventually taking things a step further witnessing live music at local universities, clubs and coffeehouses, thanks to a high-quality, fake ID (it was much easier then)”.

Aimlessly toiling at the family flower shop, Albert jumped at the chance to help move high school friends to Berklee in the early 70’s, visiting Greater Boston often and eventually staying permanently. Albert considered it “everything I dreamed of…open all night and all within walking distance”. A chance meeting in the mid 70’s with someone involved in the (then) SMU Dartmouth, MA radio station (“it barely reached down Chase Road”) opened the proverbial radio doors, eventually leading to stints at community MIT radio WTBS/WMBR, WLYN (pre-WFNX), over 20 years at legendary WBCN, and over 5 years at Greater Media’s WROR & WBOS.

Albert finds it both refreshing and re-invigorating to be involved with WUMB, be it hosting Highway 61 Revisited or sitting in for the stellar daytime hosts. “I feel like I’ve come full circle, doing ‘real’ radio again and featuring artists of all genres who actually have something to say for listeners who are both appreciative and knowledgeable – a rare breed in this day and age”.


Jim Sullivan edit

Jim Sullivan bio. As a high school baseball player growing up in Maine, I used to pump myself up for games by playing Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power at full volume on my crappy bedroom stereo. The ultimate adrenaline rush. Or sometimes, Alice Cooper’s Killer, digging those hard-rocking, theatrical dark deeds. My friends and teammates didn't quite get it – they liked Chicago (the band) and whatever Top 40 stuff crossed their path. But that was OK: I was secure in my choices and my taste. And the punk rock revolution was around the corner. That's where my musical taste locked in with many others, all of us bored with corporate rock. That period was a time of extreme excitement (friction, joy, conflict) that helped inspire me to write about what I loved. And it opened the doors to even more worlds, writing and otherwise. I wrote for my college paper the Maine Campus and became a rock columnist and feature writer for Maine’s largest daily paper, the Bangor Daily News. My first rock interview was Slade in 1975, where, post-show, I asked Noddy Holder if he still got excited on stage. He exclaimed that he did – “My jeans are stiff as a board!” I was also writing for a music magazine, Sweet Potato, that started in Portland. After graduating from the University of Maine, I moved to Boston in 1978. I continued writing for Sweet Potato – a new Boston edition opened - and began writing freelance music reviews and features for the Boston Globe the following year while attending Boston University, earning an M.S. in Journalism. I also wrote for various national now-defunct music (The Record, Creem, Music-Sound Output, etc.) as well as doing a dozen or so pieces for the nascent USA Today – broadened my taste and sharpened my critical faculties. I found Boston most fascinating, the local rock scene and the many national and international bands that through. Maybe it wasn't New York or L.A., but most anything that hit those cities hit ours, too, and the diversity was most impressive. Name a genre on an any given night bands from that genre would be playing town. Difficult choices had to be made. Quality of the local scene: Never less than B+ and often in the A range. I joined the Globe staff in 1988, writing for virtually every section of the paper at some point, but anchored in the Arts Section and specializing in pop music and culture. The landscape of coverage was immense – from Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis to Sex Pistols and Ramones, from Neil Young and Elvis Costello to Pink Floyd and Butthole Surfers, from Roxy Music and Sparks to Patti Smith and Tina Turner. I left in the summer of 2005. Since, I've freelanced for, among others, the Boston Phoenix, the Boston Herald, the Christian Science Monitor, Best Classic Bands, WBUR’s ARTery, Rock and Roll Globe, The Hard Noise, the Cape Cod Times, and Playgirl (Yes, a ribald ride with Amanda Palmer and a profile of Lez Zeppelin). In 2022, it was time to combine things, to remake and remodel some of what I’d done over the years, add perspective and context, do some additional interviews to come up with Backstage & Beyond: 45 Years of Classic Rock Chats and Rants (Vol. 1), published July 21, 2023 and Backstage & Beyond: 45 Years of Modern Rock Chats and Rants (Vol. 2), to be published Oct. 19, 2023. The first volume of the anthology focuses on artists who came to prominence in the 1950s through the early 70s, but whose careers extended well beyond. Twenty-one of them are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Richard Thompon was kind enough to say, “These are wonderful stories across the whole range of popular music, by one of rock’s finest journalists. As history lengthens, and some of these legends move on. these become increasingly precious fragments of lives lived at the sharp edge of music.” The second volume deals with artists who took shape during the mid 70s, mostly the punk, post-punk, new wave eras. From Joy Division/New Order bassist-songwriter Peter Hook: “I have spoken to many journalists in my time, some good, some bad, some terrible. And it is lovely when you meet someone who is just like you - a huge music fan! Jim Sullivan is a music fan. I knew it very quickly after our first meeting in the early 80's. He is friendly, knowledgeable, forthright, and opinionated! An expert in his chosen field. Meeting him now is like meeting an old friend and one of the highlights of any American tour. He is no pushover. If you have faults or are resting on your laurels, he is the first to tell you off. I value his opinions highly and treasure his friendship even more.” Although much of the book revolves around things that took place in Boston, I didn’t want it to be an overly Boston-centric book. Hopefully, it’s for rock fans anywhere and everywhere. The five local-but-national acts I chose for the first two volumes: Aerosmith, the J. Geils Band, the Cars, Pixies and Mission of Burma. Jim lives in Brookline with his wife Roza and a trio of felines. If the season’s right and the weather’s nice, you may find him at Fenway Park at night -if not a rock club – and if it’s daytime, you may find him out on a golf course, forever trying to score in the 80s, succeeding enough to make him keep coming back. A summer 2023 highlight: Playing two 9-hole rounds in Newton with Alice Cooper, a smooth-swinging five-handicapper, who had some free time in Boston, prior to the Hollywood Vampires show at the Boch-Wang Theatre and tries to play every other day on tour. And, yeah, the 16-year-old me – if I knew this was in the future - would a said, “That’s pretty cool!” And, frankly, so did the 66-year-old me: Alice telling rock stories, golf stories (and tips), showbiz stories, making a brief stop to pet the course border collie, Blush, and take a pic. All of us playing pretty damn good golf, too. One of those stories: Back in the day, Eddie Van Halen wanted to golf with Alice, so they did and after the round he asked Alice how he did: “You are a great guitar player,” Alice said, politely. Yes, Eddie sucked, but the real reason he wanted to play with Alice was so that he’d introduce him to his friend Glen Campbell who was a fabulous guitarist and great golfer, as good as any pro from 60 yards in. Alice shot just a bit over par, and they were two of my best rounds, too. It included a blind chip to the green over a hill on the sixth hole which landed two inches from the cup. Now, we do have “gimmes” in my little golf world, but not on a birdie putt. I walked up to the green without my putter before I remembered that, but Alice graciously handed me his putter for the polite tap-in.

CLASS OF 2023 (EAST COAST): edit

Randy Edelman edit

Composer Randy Edelman lives life boldly, conquering his own visions, creating his own destinies, muting public opinion to craft his own fate, and offering a musical legacy that will reign for eternity. He evaluates feelings, intuition and instincts and finds a melody for all of them.

Raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, the keyboard couture was born with the ability to hear music and transcribe it onto the piano. After a brief quarrel with fate where Randy was temporally thrust into the pursuit of pre-med, he moved into full-time piano and composition study at the Cincinnati Music Conservatory where he was then able to follow his unquestionable destiny. He eventually procured an arranging assignment at James Brown’s King Records. In 1971 Randy relocated to New York to work as a staff writer at April Blackwood Music, while simultaneously playing piano in Broadway pit orchestras. Yet even then there was no possible way for anyone, even Randy, to realize that his constellation would lead to a unicorn marathon of celebrated careers that would touch the lives of so many.

Like a seductive alchemist Randy began to write and record his own albums transforming the world’s anguish into a narrative of truth and granting him a thriving audience in the UK, with television spots on such British institutions as “Top of the Pops” as well as many others showcasing his solo hits like, “Uptown, Up tempo Woman” and “Concrete and Clay.” He also performed solo concerts at prestigious venues, including the London Palladium, Drury Lane Theatre, and Royal Festival Hall.

The original material from Randy’s songs via his solo albums began being covered and recorded by a myriad of artist including: Barry Manilow (A Weekend in New England), The Carpenters (I Can’t Make Music), Nelly (My Place), Patti LaBelle (Isn’t it a Shame), Willy Nelson (Down in the Everglades), Olivia Newton-John (If Love is Real), ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog (Turn the World Around), Blood, Sweat, Tears (Blue Street) The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Grey), Dionne Warwick (The Laughter and the Tears) and a long list of others. He has performed in breathtaking arenas with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, The Association and The Carpenters, and with Olivia Newton-John at The Budokan in Japan.

However back home in Hollywood Randy became interested in pursuing a new endeavor which was creating the life, blood, and essence of the movies, through music, and making even the plainest faces alive with promise. His individuality and originality only touch upon the core of his iconic acclamation and his dexterity and endowment for the creations of over 100 soundtracks both for motion picture and television. Embodied within his eclectic film catalogs are the mischievous comedies of “My Cousin Vinny”, “The Mask”, “Billy Madison” “Ghostbusters ll”, “Twins”, “Kindergarten Cop”, “Shanghai Noon”, his romantic satires such as “While You Were Sleeping”, “27 Dresses”, “Six Days Seven Nights” and his whimsical fantasies, “Dragon heart”, “Beethoven”, “Drop Dead Fred”, “The Chipmunk’s Adventure” and “The Indian in the Cupboard” Then there are those dark, haunting, and ominous thrillers, “XXX”, “Anaconda”, “Diabolique”, “Daylight”, and his most recent, the intense and evocative music of “The Possession of Anne.”

However, like a chameleon he is of a very specialized and distinctive breed of musicians and has the ability of shifting to different hues and degrees of emotions and brilliance as shown via his more serious and passionate films including “Gettysburg” (directed by Ronald F. Maxwell), “The Bruce Lee Story” (directed by Rob Cohen), “Come See Paradise” (directed by Alan Parker) and “Last of the Mohicans” (directed by Michael Mann). Amongst the other legendary directors, he has lent his talent to are the late Ivan Reitman, the iconic Ron Howard, and celebrated producer and visionary Ted Turner.

Some of the television shows and series he has scored encompass: MacGyver, Mr. Sunshine, Backdraft 2 for Netflix, and Citizen X for HBO. These credits only touch the surface of his accomplishments. He has also created the music for “Dare Mighty Things” for NASA’s final Shuttle launch, “Wimbledon, Grand Slam Tennis Series” for ESPN, “ESPN Sports Century,” and even the NBC “on air” Olympic Theme, of which he has celebrated over 20 years of Olympic themed glory keeping the musical flame alive.

The multi-award winning serialist has received some of the most prestigious awards including BMI’s highest honor, the Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement, the Composer and Lyricist’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, an Emmy for the close of the NBC Olympic Broadcast, and an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati, which was received alongside the only other PhD recipient Coretta Scott King. In addition, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and British Academy Award (BAFTA), for “Last of the Mohicans.” Furthermore, “Dragon heart” was nominated for the Saturn (Science Fiction) Award, and “Leap Year” was awarded the Gold Spirit Award (in honor of Jerry Goldsmith) for Best Comedy.

Besides recording and conducting all of his own scores in Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City, and London, he has lived their performances in film festivals in Ubeda Spain, in Lucerne, Switzerland (with the 21rst Century Orchestra), and at Fimucité the Tenerife International Film Music Festival in the Canary Islands. One is likely to hear an Edelman score piece on a regular basis throughout the country, on countless symphony programs, including the Boston Pops.

Randy has for the past year or so treated sold out audiences in New York and London to his live solo performances entitled “A Life in 80 Minutes” (which spans for more like 2 hours). He has been performing on stage a behind the scenes view of his outstanding career through his music and his touching and humorous stories. Rave reviews have continuously been generated from critics including Michael Musto, publications such as Hype, Louder Than War, NY Weekly Times and a vast array of other publications.

Always dancing on the rim of a volcano, Randy continues to compose and record, lighting up the world like fireworks plunging into the night sky and shattering the darkness. The illustrious composer of modern and future times has recently released his post anthemic song of hope and inspiration titled “Comin’ Out the Other Side”, available via Tribeca Records.

The never-ending saga of Randy Edelman constantly endures and advances with his ongoing work on the score for his musical, “Short Cut,” telling of the construction of the Panama Canal, and his recently released Sony Masterworks album of Randy Edelman’s orchestral score to Ghostbusters II in all formats....Randy is currently working on his brand-new album “Can’t Be Killed by Any Conventional Means.”

Randy wrote the hit song "Weekend in New England."


Goldie & The Gingerbreads edit

Goldie & the Gingerbreads (Influencer/ pioneer) was an all-female American rock band from 1962 to 1967.[1] They were the first all-female rock band signed to a major record label.[2]

Whereas most female bands were ignored by the big record labels and their live performances rarely attracted more than gimmick-seeking crowds, the quartet consisting of three musicians and a singer: Ginger Bianco, Margo Lewis, Carol MacDonald, and Genya "Goldie" Zelkowitz (later Genya Ravan), were among the first to break into a domain dominated by men. They were signed to Decca in 1963[3] and to Atlantic in 1964.


Mach Bell edit

Mach's a Boston-based singer with hard-rock groups like the JOE PERRY PROJECT (1982-84), THUNDERTRAIN (1974-1980) and most recently the MACH BELL EXPERIENCE (founded in 2022). Classically trained on the cello as a child, Mach switched to the electric guitar during the Swinging 60's and in the early 70's he switched again, this time to frontman & lead vocalist. It was Joe Perry who gave Bell his nickname "Cowboy" during their time writing, recording and touring together in the JOE PERRY PROJECT (Once a Rocker Always a Rocker, MCA Universal/Geffen Records).

Mach is a lifelong diarist, and his road journals are the basis for his memoirs Once a Rocker Always a Rocker: A Diary (2019) and I Gotta Rock (2021). Cowboy continues to make news & write new music. He travels, appearing at concerts, book signings, media events and artist panels. Another book and more rock! Leading the all-new, hard-driving MACH BELL EXPERIENCE. When he's not writing or rocking, Cowboy's favorite pastimes include screenwriting, filmmaking, flower gardening, cooking and beach combing with his wife, Julia. Cowboy even dug himself a backyard frog pond, along with his sidekick, a Bombay cat named Lucky.


Carole Sylvan edit

Known primarily for her powerful and soaring soulful vocals, she isn’t limited to that. R & B may be her bread and butter, but she is more than capable of crossing genres. Carol is a Julliard trained classical vocalist and she can sing anything from rock ‘n’ roll to opera. She has a very commanding stage presence. She holds the crowd in her hand with every syllable she sings. Even when she isn’t on stage her charisma shows through and you know instinctively that she is someone special.

The multitude of artists she has worked with reads like a who’s who of musical luminaries. Her vocal collaborations include Lionel Ritchie, Peabo Bryson, C & C Music Factory, Patti Labelle and so many others it would take pages to list them all. Today she is fronting a band called the Name Droppers which is made up of New England Music Hall of Fame Inductee's Bobby Torello and Scott Spray, former members of the Johnny Winters Band.

Sin Sisters edit

It all began in 1988. Released from 12 years of a strict Catholic school education, Janice Ingarra, Kathy Kessler, and Patti Rahl, all from Connecticut, experienced a moment of revelation. The divine moment when the rich, honeyed tones of their voices embraced them in pitch-perfect harmony. So long, farewell, nuns. Hello, Sin Sisters.

Over the next two decades—first as part of Bobby and the Angels, Beauty and the Beat, then with The Spectacles, they were fortunate to perform with a host of accomplished musicians that enhanced their sound with their sterling musicianship. They also shared the stage with legendary acts like NRBQ, James Montgomery, The Rascals, and John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, to name a few. They were also featured singers for many years for WPLR Smith and Barber and the Morning Show. These three working moms took the stage all over New England performing at music venues, festivals and private events.

Shortly after they appeared on “WFSB-Better Connecticut” as the Santa Sisters with Scot Haney, a televised Christmas fundraiser, they got a call from Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman of Saturday Night Live fame. She’d heard about three girl singers from a friend, and the next thing they knew they were her backup singers and contributing to her critically acclaimed CD Strip and Live Hive DVD.

For Ohlman, it was a no-brainer. They have this singular sound that combines gospel with soul, and it’s an ultra-beautiful thing. she speaks. They’re consummate performers and just a delight on stage. Right away, I considered them our artistic partners. In 2009, the Sin Sisters realized what most singing red-wine connoisseurs discover: voices improve with age and with that revelation a new band was formed. The Sin Sisters’ nickname, all of those years, was just an inside joke from the early days since they really weren’t ‘Angels.’ Patti’s husband Don, one of their first bass players, insisted they stay true to their now legacy, forming The Sin Sisters Band.

In 2015, The Sin Sisters Band bid farewell to Patti and Don, who took their talents to the South. Despite the distance between them, the sisters have been regularly backing up the Beehive Queen at, among other venues, The Kate and the Rhythm & Roots Festival in Charlestown, RI. While they each enjoyed success as solo artists, the purest joy and magic when they combined forces couldn’t be denied. From then on, they were hooked on brewing their own special sound rooted deep in harmony, soul and friendship.

Robin Lane edit

(Musician/ Songwriter) Robin Lane is a songwriter and performer whose timeless recordings with her band, the Chartbusters, and more recently under her own name, are enduring proof of what is so good about contemporary music. From her thrilling rock chestnut "When Things Go Wrong," which dented Billboard's Hot 100 in 1980, to her heart-wrenching "Last One to Know" from 2003's Piece Of Mind to more recent gems including "It's Your World" and "Woman Like That," from 2022's Dirt Road to Heaven, Robin's songs are tough, brutally honest, and thoroughly engaging. And if that weren't enough, she has a great story. (Check out the credits on Neil Young's Everybody Know This Is Nowhere, just for starters.) Robin has endured, and gotten better, and her music makes it crystal clear that she's always done what she does not for fame and fortune but because that's who she is, and she loves what she does.

Sister Funk (Band) edit

  • Kathy Auburn-Guitar
  • Amy Blaze-Drums
  • Denise Troy-Vocals/ Keyboards
  • Peepa Jean-Sax/Guitar/Vocals/

A groundbreaking all female lesbian band. CT based Sister Funk have been around for 20 years. They have broken down many barriers and had the privileges of sharing national stages with acts like: Mellissa Etheridge, B52s, Foreigner, ZZ

Did you say 20 years? Yes, this group has been to therapy and back to keep their high energy show going all these years. 2022 brings their 6th full-length independent CD release to the masses. Tracks off this new CD Wings to Fly are eclectic, rawer than their previous releases and include some solid country-rock tunes such as Ride with Me & Life on the Road and some funky-blues-rock tunes like Want What I Want and It Ain't You. There are some surprise genres on this compilation such as Frostbite (rock-metal) and One Small Step (Electra-pop).

Sister Funk has been nominated for many awards and titles: Best Rock band- Advocate, Best Rock Song- New England Music and has had their song Gone featured on Sirius Out Q as #1 for 15 consecutive weeks. Sister Funk performances are known for being unpredictable, playing multiple instruments and performing medleys of their favorite cover songs with their own creative interpretation. Don't be fooled by the name this dynamic band has something for everyone.

Human Sexual Response edit

A Boston band unlike any other, Human Sexual Response broke onto the scene in 1977 as part of the punk/new wave explosion. With three musicians (Rich Gilbert on guitar, Chris Maclachlan on bass, and Malcolm Travis on drums) and four singers (Larry Bangor, Dini Lamot, Casey Cameron and Windle Davis) HSR began their career crowding the stage at the legendary restaurant/music dive Cantone’s. Soon the popularity of their local radio hit, “Jackie Onassis”, led to larger venues, and extensive touring throughout New England and New York. In 1980, with the release of the band’s glowingly reviewed debut album, Fig. 14., featuring the dance hit “What Does Sex Mean to Me?” and the eerie “Anne Frank Story”, the Humans expanded their touring nationally and internationally. In a Roman Mood, the band’s second and last album before their break-up in 1982, included the driving “Pound” and the visionary “Land of the Glass Pinecones”, which in some quarters has become a seasonal holiday staple. Highlights of the band’s career include their Mother’s Day and Christmas shows at the Boston Film and Video Foundation; their Halloween shows in black body paint (in both Boston and Los Angeles, with Candy Samples and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark as co-hosts); and an all-covers Prom Night performance at Spit. Despite its relatively short career and lack of mainstream success, Human Sexual Response continues to resonate with fans old and new. Both of the Humans’ albums have been re-released (Fig. 14 twice, as Fig. 15). Their infrequent reunion shows, as musically thrilling and visually arresting as ever, have drawn consistently sold-out crowds.

Band members are:

  • Casey Cameron
  • Larry Bangor
  • Dini Lamot
  • Windle Davis
  • Malcolm Travis
  • Rich Gilbert
  • Chris Maclachlan

The Atlantic's edit

The Atlantic's were formed in January 1976 by guitarist Tom Hauck and bass player Bruce Wilkinson, two students at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. A mutual friend introduced them to drummer Boby Bear and lead guitarist Jeff Lock. To complete the lineup Bruce recruited singer Bobby Marron, a friend from his hometown in New Jersey.

The Atlantic's played their first show in the spring of 1976 at The Rat in Kenmore Square. In May of 1976 they scored the opening slot for the Ramones, who were playing two nights at The Club in Central Square. The band made their first trips to New York in the summer of 1976, playing at CBGB and Max's Kansas City. The band quickly became an important and authentic part of the emerging punk/new wave movement.

The following spring Ray Fernandes replaced Boby Bear on drums. In the summer of 1977, the band recorded its first independent 45 on Jukebox Records, “When You're Young” by Bruce Wilkinson, backed with “Where Would I Be Without Your Love,” by Jeff Lock. A thousand copies were pressed but never released, and the single is now considered a collector’s item. In the spring of 1978 Jeff Lock left the band and was replaced by Fred Pineau. That fall the band was signed to ABC Records, and in December the band recorded their album “Big City Rock” at the Hit Factory in New York. The record dropped in March 1979, but a few weeks before the release ABC Records was sold to MCA Records. Their new label, together with Premier Talent, put the Atlantic's on a nationwide tour with Roxy Music, followed by a regional tour throughout New England. The band performed with artists including The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Boston, The Cars, Graham Parker, and many others. The single “One Last Night” by Bruce Wilkinson received regional and international airplay, and the album garnered a glowing review in Rolling Stone.

In the summer of 1979 Paul Caruso joined the group as drummer, and the band came back in 1980 with what was to become one of New England's biggest Indy singles, “Lonely hearts,” written by Tom Hauck. It was the flip side to “Can't Wait Forever,” a Motown-flavored song by Bruce Wilkinson. “Lonely hearts” rocketed to the top of New England radio and dance charts and stayed for months.

During the next two years the Atlantic's released several more songs on tape to Boston radio stations, including “Pop Shivers,” “Wrong Number” and “Weekend.” In June 1983 the band played their final show at the Channel in Boston.

“Power Pop” presents a collection of 17 previously unreleased or limited-release tracks recorded between 1978 and 1982. They include both sides of the classic Jukebox Records single “When You’re Young” b/w “Where Would I Be Without Your Love.” Other highlights include tracks recorded at Downtown Studios with producer/engineer Phil Adler, versions of tunes found on the “Big City Rock” LP, and some of the band’s early demos.

“Power Pop” is the third Atlantic's reissue, following the self-titled “Atlantic's” and “Atlantic's Live.” With Bobby Marron’s unforgettable vocals and classic songs by Bruce Wilkinson, Jeff Lock, and Tom Hauck, the Atlantic's CD collection stands as an indispensable part of the punk/pop explosion that swept the music industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and whose descendants can be heard on alternative rock radio today.

Don Randi edit

Don Randi-musician, pianist, composer, arranger and author. Don has played keyboards on over 3,000 records throughout his career. He was a part of the Wall of Sound for Phil Spector and a major part of the Wrecking Crew from 1963-1985. He is also the founder of the Baked Potato jazz club in North Hollywood, California. Some of the biggest hits he's played on include: You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling (The Righteous Brothers), These Boots are Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra), Sound of a Different Drum (Linda Rondstadt), More Today Than Yesterday (Spiral Staircase), Help Me Rhonda, Good Vibrations, God only Knows (The Beach Boys), Be My Baby (the Ronettes), Da Do Ron, He's a Rebel (The Crystals), Jackson (Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood), ABC (The Jackson 5).Don has also played piano and arranged Neil Diamond's first #1 record Cracklin' Rosie. Various artists Don has worked with include Lou Rawls, David Axelrod, James Brown, Frank Zappa, Sonny & Cher, The Monkees, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr, Harry Neilson, Glen Campbell, Buffalo Springfield, Leonard Cohen, The Electric Prunes, Herb Alpert, Baja Marimba Band, Neil Young, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin and hundreds more.

CLASS OF 2023 (WEST COAST INDUCTION) edit

Little Richard edit

(Influencer) The New England Music Hall of Fame recognizes Little Richard as "The Original King of Rock N Roll." Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Architect of Rock and Roll", Richard's most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and raspy shouted vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll. Richard's innovative emotive vocalizations and up-tempo rhythmic music also played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. He influenced numerous singers and musicians across musical genres from rock to hip hop; his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations.

"Tutti Frutti" (1955), one of Richard's signature songs, became an instant hit, crossing over to the pop charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. His next hit single, "Long Tall Sally" (1956), hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues Best-Sellers chart, followed by a rapid succession of fifteen more in less than three years. His performances during this period resulted in integration between white Americans and black Americans in his audience. In 1962, after a five-year period during which Richard abandoned rock and roll music for born again Christianity, concert promoter Don Arden persuaded him to tour Europe. During this time, the Beatles opened for Richard on some tour dates. Richard advised the Beatles on how to perform his songs and taught the band's member Paul McCartney his distinctive vocalizations.

Richard is cited as one of the first crossover black artists, reaching audiences of all races. His music and concerts broke the color line, drawing black and white people together despite attempts to sustain segregation. Many of his contemporaries, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran, recorded covers of his works. Taken by his music and style, and personally covering four of Richard's songs on his own two breakthrough albums in 1956, Presley told Richard in 1969 that his music was an inspiration to him and that he was "the greatest".

Richard was honored by many institutions. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of its first group of inductees in 1986. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 2015, Richard received a Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music for his key role in the formation of popular music genres and helping to bring an end to the racial divide on the music charts and in concert in the mid-1950s changing American culture significantly. "Tutti Frutti" was included in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2010, which stated that his "unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music".

Carol Kaye edit

Carol Kaye (née Smith,[1] born March 24, 1935) [2] is an American musician. She is one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings in a career spanning over 50 years.[3]

Kaye began playing guitar in her early teens and after some time as a guitar teacher, began to perform regularly on the Los Angeles jazz and big band circuit. She started session work in 1957, and through a connection at Gold Star Studios began working for producers Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. After a bassist failed to turn up to a session in 1963, she switched to that instrument, quickly making a name for herself as one of the most in-demand session players of the 1960s, playing on numerous hits. She moved into playing on film soundtracks in the late 1960s, particularly for Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin, and began to release a series of tutoring books such as How to Play the Electric Bass. Kaye became less active towards the end of the 1970s but has continued her career and attracted praise from other musicians.

During the peak of her years of session work, she became part of a stable of Los Angeles-based musicians which went by a variety of informal names but has since become known as "The Wrecking Crew". Her work with the collective led to her prominent role in the 2008 documentary film titled The Wrecking Crew.

Carol Kaye was born in Everett, Washington to musician parents, Clyde and Dot Smith, both professionals. She has played and taught guitar professionally since 1949, played bebop jazz guitar in dozens of nightclubs around Los Angeles with top groups (also in Bob Neal's jazz group with Jack Sheldon backing Lenny Bruce, with Teddy Edwards, Billy Higgins etc.), accidentally got into studio work late 1957 with the Sam Cooke recordings and other big recordings on guitar for the 1st 5 years of studio work in Hollywood.

In 1963 when a Fender bassist didn't show up for a record date at Capitol Records, she picked up the Fender bass (as it was called then) and augmented her busy schedule playing bass and grew quickly to be the no. 1 call with record companies, movie & TV film people, commercials (ads), and industrial films. She enjoyed working under the direction of Michel LeGrand, Quincy Jones, Elmer Bernstein, Lalo Schifrin, David Rose, David Grusin, Ernie Freeman, Hugo Montenegro, Leonard Rosenman, John Williams, Alfred & Lionel Newman, etc. as well as the numerous hits she recorded for hundreds of recording artists.

Beginning in 1969, she wrote her first of many bass tutoring books, "How to Play the Electric Bass" effectively changing the name of Fender Bass to Electric Bass and began teaching 100s of Electric Bass students, many of them now famous themselves.

Her tutors are endorsed by such notables as Professor Joel Leach, 10-year winner of the Pacific Jazz Festival Awards with his famous Cal-State Northridge Jazz Bands, and Plas Johnson, jazz/blues studio sax legend ("Pink Panther"). She stepped out to perform live with the Hampton Hawes Jazz Trio in the mid 70s, has given many seminars all over the USA, and is a leader in Electric Bass education.

Precious Metal edit

Alex Peterson-Bass, Carole Duckworth-Drums, Janet Robin-Guitar, Susette Andres-Drummer, Mara Fox-Guitar, Leslie Knauer-Vocal's Groundbreaking all female band Precious Metal made quite a name for themselves in the 80’s rock scene of LA’s Sunset Strip. Together the fearsome five combined glam/rock/pop into a perfect meld of top-tier melodic rock anthems, all while adding their own blend of attitude, hard rock style and of course a dose of glamour. Precious Metal’s well-crafted edgy melodic metal/pop rock proved a successful mix and live they delivered. Front-woman Leslie Knauer, drummer Susette Andres, lead and rhythm guitarist Janet Robin, rhythm and lead guitarist Mara Fox and bassist Alex Rylance complete the bands original line-up. Then a bit later came Carol Control on Drums. It wasn’t long before the girls were honing their trademark sound playing LA’s clubs. Word of mouth followed and garnering interest from LA DJ Eddie X, KROQ ho featured the bands demos on all his radio shows! That led to a chance hearing by then Polygram/Mercury Records Vice-President Russ Reagan of “Girls Night Out” in his car led him to signing the band in early 1985.Also signed to a production deal with producer Paul Sabu, Precious Metal’s first album “Right Here, Right Now,” (Mercury/Polygram) was recorded over the fall of 1985 with Sabu at the helm and saw a January 1986 release. “Cheesecake” a signature song from the bands live set, was chosen to be the first single, but the was soon overshadowed when another song “Bad Guys” found its way onto the soundtrack of a movie of the same name. A music video was produced for “Bad Guys” and received much-attention on MTV’s Headbangers Ball and later VH1.

Suzi Quatro edit

(Influencer) Soon after Suzi began working with now legendary songwriters Chinn and Chapman (Mike Chapman also produced), which resulted the huge hit, “Can the Can”, which went to number one in May 1973, and went on to sell two and a half million copies worldwide. Between 1973 and 1980, Suzi Quatro featured in the British charts for no less than 101 weeks, and has sold to date over 55 million records, and still counting. her hits include, “48 Crash”, “Too Big”, “Devil Gate Drive”, “Daytona Demon”, “The Wild One”, “She’s in Love with You”, “Mama’s Boy”, “If You Can’t Give Me Love”, “Rock Hard”, and a million seller in the USA., ‘Sumblin in’ a duet with Chris Norman. From 77-79 Suzi spread her wings and landed a part on the worldwide hit TV. series ‘Happy Days’, playing Leather Tuscadero opposite Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. She continued to act in other shows including, Minder, Dempsey and Makepeace, and more up to date, Absolutely Fabulous and Midsomer Murders. In 1986 Suzi made her West End debut playing the leading role of Annie Oakley in Irving Berlin’s ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ for which she received great critical acclaim. 1988 Suzi spread her wings again and hosted her own talk show called ‘Gas Street’ which ran for a year. 1989 Suzi was one of the first rock and roll acts to go to Russia, where she performed for over half a million people in just six weeks. 1991, She was triumphant again, realizing a lifelong ambition by writing the music and lyrics, along with Shirlie Roden, and starring in ‘Talullah Bankhead’ it ran for its full season of 5 weeks, and Suzi received amazing critics, even though they were not officially allowed into review the show. Jan 1999 started Suzi’s radio career with BBC radio 2, which is ongoing today. Suzi has done her own weekly programs, and many special documentaries including Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Patsy Cline, and a recent special on her hometown of Detroit. Suzi has met, interviewed or played on stage with most of her hero’s. Suzi is a very popular DJ. even being nominated for music broadcaster of the year at the Sony radio awards in 2006 1999 also saw Suzi honored in ‘This Is Your Life’, complete with famous red book. they caught her on her 56 date UK tour, onstage at the Palladium. completely off guard, there were a few expletives that had to be edited out!! In 2006 Suzi released the autobiographical album, “Back to the Drive” … which has become the fans favorite worldwide. Suzi also made an appearance alongside Charles Dance in the theatre, in a play called “Exonerated at this time”. Unzipped, Suzi’s Autobiography was released in 2007 and has done extremely well worldwide. getting to number 2 in the Australian charts where she continues to tour. the next tour in 2013 will be her 29th down under!!! Current release, produced by longtime collaborator Mike Chapman, ‘In the Spotlight’ which is now also available in Limited Edition with an extra CD of unreleased Suzi compositions called ‘In the Dark’ , and an enhanced CD with a video of ‘Strict Machine’ and the now legendary Suzi tribute to her absolute hero, Elvis Presley, ‘Singing With Angel’s, which she recorded in Nashville with James Burton on guitar, and Elvis’s original backing vocal group, the Jordinaries.

Inductees for 2022 were: edit

BARRY GOUDREAU edit

Former Boston guitarist, Barry Goudreau. Barry has had much solo success after Boston releasing his own solo album titled" Barry Goudreau ". He later formed Barry Goudreau's Engine Room with Brian Maes, Tim Archibald, Tony DePietro, Mary Beth Maes, Joanie Cicatelli and Terri O'Soro. They released their first CD "Full Steam Ahead" in September 2017. Since 2014, Goudreau has also toured with the American Vinyl All Star Band, which also includes Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.

James COTTON edit

James Cotton was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time and with his own band. Cotton began his professional career playing the blues harp in Howlin' Wolf's. He was very influential in the music world, and regular at the Shaboo Inn.

JUNE MILLINGTON edit

Pioneer

June is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, educator, pioneer, and actress.

She was the co-founder and lead guitarist of the all-female rock band Fanny, which was active from 1970 to 1974. She along with Ann Hackler are co-founder and artistic director of the Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA) .

DUKE ROBILLARD edit

Duke is one of the greatest guitarists to come out of New England. Duke and Al Copley founded the band Roomful of Blues. He later became a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds. He has had a successful solo career. Briefly in 2013, he was the guitarist for Bob Dylan's tour.

Awards WC Handy/Blues Music best guitarist award in 2000/ 2001/ 2003 and 2004. Two Grammy nominations for best traditional blues album in 2007 and 2010 besides multiple award

MARTY O'BRIEN edit

Marty O'Brien is an American bassist. He plays professionally for live touring musical acts, recording sessions, television. He has worked with various musical artists such as such as Celine Dion, Chris Cornell, Brian McKnight, Tommy Lee, Jason C. Miller, Lindsay Lohan, Gus G, Lita Ford, and Kelly Clarkson. O'Brien's live credits include tours with bands such as Disturbed, Tommy Lee, Static-X, Methods of Mayhem, and Lita Ford, among others.

GENE PITNEY edit

Gene Francis Alan Pitney from Rockville, Connecticut Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. Among his most famous hits are "Town Without Pity", "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", "Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", and "It Hurts to Be in Love". He also wrote the early-1960s hits "Rubber Ball" recorded by Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson, and "He's a

CT LYRIC OPERA edit

Since the company’s founding, productions have been performed in New London and in New Britain, with additional Waterbury and Middletown performances beginning in 2009, and Hartford performances beginning in 2014. CLO is the only full-season opera company in Southeastern Connecticut. CLO is a non-profit organization and has helped educate and inspire many artists in Ct.

CHERIE CURRIE edit

Currie was the lead vocalist of the Runaways; The Runaways were an all-female American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. "Since You've Been Gone" reached number 95 on US charts. She was a heavy influencer on a lot of New England talent including Lizzie Borden and the Axes.

BOB ORSI edit

Bob Orsi is a legendary New England vocalist gifted with the ability to embody soul music. Bob Orsi originally was in the legendary “Scratch Band” with SNL Alum GE Smith, Paul Ossola, NEMHOF Inductee Christine Ohlman, and NEMHOF Inductee Vic Steffens. Bob Orsi continues to make wonderful music with the Mighty Soul Drivers.

FANNY edit

Fanny was an American rock band, active in the early to mid 1970s. They were one of the first all-female rock groups to achieve critical and commercial success, including two Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 singles. June Millington, Jean Millington, Alice de Buhr, Nickey Barclay, Patti Quatro, Brie Brandt

THE RUNAWAYS edit

The Runaways were an all-female American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. The band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. The original members were.

Joan Jett, Sandy West, Micki Steele, Lita Ford, Cherie Currie.

AZTEC 2 STEP edit

Aztec Two-Step is an American folk-rock band, formed by Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman at a chance meeting on open stage, at a Boston coffee house, the Stone Phoenix,[1] in 1971. Fowler grew up in Connecticut and Maine, and Shulman grew up in Manhattan. Former Maine State Representative Chris Greeley once worked as a light man for the group. They received the New York Music Awards.

UPTOWN HORNS edit

The Uptown Horns are a horn section formed in 1980 by Arno Hecht, Crispin Cioe, Bob Funk and Paul Litteral in New York City. They have toured with the Rolling Stones ("Steel Wheels") and played on #1 hit records (James Brown's "Living in America") They are in the legendary Shaboo All-star band.

ED STACK edit

For the past thirteen years, Ed Stack has been the President of the Connecticut Blues Society. Ed has been fully involved with the evolution and growth of Connecticut's Blues scene. Both he and the CT Blues society are crucial for the preservation in New England's Music history.

MATTHIAS STEELE edit

Legendary Rhode Island metal band Matthias Steele has something that not too many bands have…a long and storied past. Back in early 1985, bassist and vocalist Tony Lionetti, drummer Nino Trovato and original guitarist Todd Gencarella were high school friends in their hometown of Westerly, RI (USA

GREG PICCOLO edit

At age nineteen, Duke Robillard recruited Greg as one of the earliest members of what became the Rhode Island based powerhouse, Roomful of Blues. Greg Piccolo had amazing experiences playing with and/or recording with such music legends as Big Joe Turner, Earl King, Eddie “Clean head” Vinson”, Pat Benatar, Red Prysock, Stevie Ray Vaughan, to mention only a few. Greg has had solo success with his band Heavy Juice .

2022 NEMHOF MEDIA AWARDS edit

Patrice Wood edit

NEMHOF Journalist Award Patrice Wood is an American journalist, who works as the main news anchor for WJAR, the NBC affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island. She also serves as the education reporter and the Tuesday´s Child segment host. She was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame Women Inductees. She was also inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame. Wood is the longest-serving female newscaster in Providence television history, with 40 years on air.

Kevin Hogan edit

The Denise Award Fellow WFSB newscaster Denise D'Ascenzo was the first recipient of this honor. New London Bureau Kevin is a native to the Nutmeg State. He's been a broadcaster since 1973. Kevin's broadcast career began at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury on the campus' radio station, WXCI-FM. In 1997, Channel 3 chose Kevin to be a permanent part of the Eyewitness News team. Kevin says his career gives him an opportunity every day to meet people and report on stories that help communities.

Inductees for 2021 were: edit

MUDDY WATERS edit

Musician, singer, songwriter Muddy Waters, is one of the most important people in modern music history. He has inspired and influenced numerous musicians including Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles to name a few. Waters is one of very few musicians to be inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame www.rockhall.com, The Blues Hall of Fame, and The Grammy Hall of Fame. Muddy performed numerous times in New England.

PAULA COLE edit

Paula Cole is from Rockport, Mass and attended Berklee College of Music where she studied jazz singing and improvisation. Paula is a multi-Grammy nominated recording artist. Who made history becoming the first female Producer to be nominated for a Grammy. She won the Grammy for best new artist in 1998. Paula is the first NEMHOF inductee to be inducted in for five categories. Pioneer, Musician, Composer, Singer, and Producer.

MUD MORGANFIELD edit

Mud Morganfield has had his own success with his solo career and has properly followed in his father's footsteps. Some of Mud Morganfield's albums include. Fall Waters Fall (2008) Son of a Seventh Son (2012) For Pops: A Tribute to Muddy Waters (2014) They Call Me Mud (2018) In 2015, his album, For Pops: A Tribute to Muddy Waters, won a Blues Music Award in the 'Traditional Blues Album' category.

JAMES MONTGOMERY (MUSICIAN) 2021 edit

James Montgomery is a New England Blues Icon. In 1970 Montgomery formed The James Montgomery Band. His harmonica playing, singing and energetic stage show led to his band gaining a reputation as one of the hottest bands on the New England music scene. James has performed on stage with a long list of musicians including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Bonnie Raitt, Steven Tyler.

VIC STEFFENS 2021 edit

Very influential on the New England

Music scene as a Producer and musician.

BRIAN KEANE edit

Brian Keane is a multi-Emmy and Grammy award-winning American composer, music producer, and guitarist. In a career that has spanned more than four decades, he has composed the music for hundreds of films and television shows and produced over a hundred record albums. nine Peabody Award-winning films, six Oscar nominated films, and one Academy Award-winning film.

KEN LYON edit

A Newport native and a lifelong Rhode Island resident, Ken Lyon’s career spans five decades

Along the way, he achieved legendary status in southern New England as a “godfather” of the blues. His selfless approach as a band leader provided the launching pad for dozens of other R.I.-based musicians including tenor sax legend Scott Hamilton, blues & swing guitarist Duke Robillard, Brenda Mosher of Prince’s Vanity Six and Apollonia Six, and many others. RI music Hall of Fame 2011

THE KATE (VENUE) 2021 edit

The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center Katherine Hepburn truly loved the arts and in the spirit of the Academy Award Winning actress's memory. The Kate has helped bring quality entertainment to New England music community.

THE KNICKERBOCKER MUSIC CENTER (HISTORICAL VENUE) edit

The Knickerbocker Café, www.knickmusic.org a storied music club in Westerly, Rhode Island, was built in 1933, The club thrived as one of the leading entertainment centers in southern New England, hosting regional and national bands with an emphasis on the blues. They have had many blues legends on that stage.

CAFE 9 edit

Historical Location: Café Nine is New Haven’s corner bar. For over 30 years, a diverse and colorful medley of people have passed through the doors where on an given night you are able to rub shoulders with world famous musicians. This is the Musicians living room.

Inductees for 2020 were: edit

THE SHABOO INN (HISTORICAL LANDMARK) edit

Founded in 1971 this historic venue is the reason why great music is still alive today in New England. Hosting nearly 3,000 concerts during the Shaboo's 11-year history, including shows by AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Journey, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty (opening for NRBQ), Freddie King, Buddy Rich, Dire Straits and countless others. This was accepted by humanitarian Bruce John.

LEFTY FOSTER edit

Lefty Foster is one of the reasons why music fills the lungs of New England. A gifted singer and a great humanitarian. Lefty was the lead singer for Matt Guitar Murphy's band as well as the Shaboo All Star Band. We all are thankful for Mr. David Lefty Foster and are glad he was the first to be inducted to the inaugural class.

CHRISTINE OHLMAN edit

Christine's recording career began at age 16. Throughout her career she has worked or performed with legendary musicians such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Al Green just to name a few. She has been the lead singer of the Saturday Night Live Band since 1991. Other associated acts she has fronted are "The Scratch Band", "Rebel Montez," "The Shaboo All Stars," Big Al Anderson, and numerous others.


CLIFF GOODWIN edit

Cliff Goodwin has been in multiple bands and played with some of the greatest musicians of all time. He was Joe Cockers band leader and lead guitarist for years. He Also was guitarist for Robert Palmer. He has a band called the Silverbacks and a Joe Cocker Tribute band "Mad Dogs Unchained."

PAUL GABRIEL edit

Paul Gabriel is a Blues Music Award nominated guitarist, singer and songwriter. In March 2018 Paul Gabriel was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Connecticut Blues Society for excellence in guitar playing, singing and songwriting; also, for outstanding bandleader and entertainer. In July 2018 he was inducted into the CT Blues Hall Of Fame as a Master Blues Artist. He is the first ever triple crown New England Hall of Famer.

SCOTT SPRAY edit

Scott Spray is a world class musician and has been featured on numerous albums. He also was the bassist for Johnny and Edgar Winter as well as Harry Chapin.

BOBBY T TORELLO edit

Musician Bobby T is one of the greatest drummers of all time and his resume covers a wide variety of music genres. Bobby has played with Grace Slick, Michael Bolton, Johnny Winter, and numerous others. He has played professionally since he was 14 years old. Bobby is endorsed by WFLIII Drums.

2021 NEMHOF Music/ Media Award Winners edit

Bruce Rieder Award Thomas Horan edit

Thomas Horan is one of the best photographers on the New England scene.

Person of the Year Heather Somers edit

Senator Heather Somers, a resident of Groton, was elected to serve the 18th Senate district in November 2016. The 18th district includes Griswold, Groton, North Stonington, Plainfield, Preston, Sterling, Stonington and Voluntown.

Wonder Woman Award Nikki Moc edit

Nikki Moccia was born January 16, 1980. She attended Exciter High School and was a standout athlete she was the first female to compete and letter in wrestling. After Nikki graduated High School in 1999, she began her modeling career. She was diagnosed weeks later with stage 4 cancer. In 2015 after being treated for from stage cancer she began to act in several films. She owns a gym Empowered fitness.

2020 NEMHOF Music/ Media Award Winners:

Life Achievement Award Denise D'Ascenzo edit

Denise D'Ascenzo was posthumously inducted as the first to be nominated for the NEMHOF Lifetime Achievement Award.

Best New Artist Ryan Newman edit

Best New Artist goes to Continental Kid Ryan Newman.

Best Young Artist Veronica Lewis edit

Veronica Lewis is the first to win best new artist for the New England Music Hall of Fame. She has a plethora of talent we are looking forward to seeing great things from her.

Humanitarian Award: Cassandra Peterson edit

She has made hundreds of films, television and live appearances - including The Grammy Awards, Saturday Night Live, NBC’s Today Show, The Tournament of Roses Parade and reality shows Search for the Next Elvira, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Counting Cars, Face Off, Epic Ink and Halloween Wars.

Broadcaster Award: Ron Carson edit

Veronica Lewis is the first to win best new artist for the New England Music Hall of Fame. She has a plethora of talent we are looking forward to seeing great things from her.

NEMHOF Legend Award George Baker edit

George Baker is a Ct Ironic blues, and jazz musician.

He moved to New York City in 1961 and, because he was a fiery player who could play blues, R&B, and jazz authentically and also read charts, worked his way into the house band of the Apollo Theater. That meant he played with just about everyone who passed through those famous doors in that era. At the Apollo, his playing and abilities as a bandleader caught the ear of Marvin Gaye. Gaye asked Baker to join his touring band and Baker said yes.

Tommy Bonanno Award: Cha-cha Sue edit

This Award is given in memory of Tommy Bonanno the inspiration behind the New England Music Hall of Fame. The recipient of this award is his award has demonstrated great support in the music community.

The categories to be considered for being inducted to the New England Music Hall of Fame are Historical Landmark, Music Pioneer, Musician, Songwriter, Engineer, Producer, Promoter, Singer, Composer, Band, and trailblazer. All music genres are welcome.

Nomination Credential's is: edit

  1. The individual must have lived in New England for approximately ten years or more.
  2. Landmarks: can be a venue or outside location.
  3. There are two categories. Historical landmark that is a entertainment landmark that is over 20 years old. Or cultural landmark.
  4. A performance venue that is under 20 years old but has made a significant impact on the music scene.
  5. When that venue is inducted to NEMHOF either as a cultural or historical landmark it will be used as a satellite location to have NEMHOF sponsored events.
  6. If the individual is not from New England, they must have made a significant contribution to New England.
  7. Examples can be either touring or recording.
  8. Cover or tribute bands will not be considered for nomination.
  9. Individuals will have an instant lifetime ban if they support any type of racism, sexism, homophobia or antisemitism.
  10. Pioneer Nomination: An individual is not judged based on how famous or how many awards they have. They are based on the impact and inspiration they made.
  11. Posthumous Nomination: If an individual fits any of the credentials above and has passed away they will posthumously be inducted in.

The NEMHOF Media / Music Awards was designed to highlight both up and coming talent and those who have dedicated their career to New England. edit

  • The Denise (NEMHOF Media Lifetime Achievement Awards) We named our former NEMHOF Lifetime Achievement Award after the first recipient Broadcast Legend Denise D'ascenzo. This is the most important Award anyone can receive. Denise was New England's Princess. "Be open, be brave, be kind."
  • NEMHOF Journalist of the Year (TV)Is given to the best broadcast journalist of the year in New England.
  • NEMHOF Broadcaster of the year (Radio)Given to New England's top radio personality.
  • NEMHOF News Writer of the year (Newspaper)This award is given to the number one writer in New England.
  • NEMHOF Historian Award: Given to anyone who preserves the history of the New England Music scene. This award is given to journalists, authors, and documentarians.
  • Tommy Bonanno Award: Given to individuals on the music scene who are not musicians however has displayed unbelievable passion for the scene.
  • Bruce Rieder Award Goes to the number one photographer in New England.

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