PATCHOQUE, NY (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Long Island Music Hall of Fame's inaugural 2006 Inductees will be honored on October 15 at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts in Patchogue, NY. This class will include 28 of the First 50 individual musicians, groups and organizations the Hall of Fame has selected for induction. They will be joined in 2007 by 22 others and by succeeding induction classes in coming years.
Inductees were selected by The Long Island Music Hall of Fame Board of Directors from an evolving and growing list of people, artists, groups or entities that were born, raised, founded or have resided on Long Island for a significant portion of their career or existence. Entry into the Hall is based on historical importance and the significance of their contribution to Long Island's rich musical heritage. The organization defines Long Island by its geographic boundaries, which includes Queens, Kings, Nassau and Suffolk counties.
"This first group of 50 inductees, which we will be honoring over the course of the next two years, represents Long Island's long and diverse contributions to the world's musical landscape," said Hall of Fame Chairman Richard L'Hommedieu. "The Long Island Music Hall of Fame has taken great care to celebrate within that First 50 the Long Islanders who represent some of the extraordinary contributions Long Island has made to history of music, not only in America but throughout the world. It is our hope that these First 50 will demonstrate that Long Island has been, and will continue to be, a consistent and never-ending wellspring of world class musical talent."
"In order to properly represent Long Island's extensive contributions to the history of American music, the first group of inductees in The Long Island Music Hall of Fame must not only represent over 100 years of music history, but they also must properly illustrate the diversity of this home we call Long Island. Drawn from a growing list of over 500 potential inductees, it's clear that our first induction class is only a sample of the great talent that has called Long Island their home." — Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
Inaugural 2006 inductees:
James (Jimmy) D'Aquisto,
George M. Cohan,
Harry Chapin,
Sam Ash, Sr.,
Perry Como,
John Coltrane,
George Gershwin,
SUNY Stony Brook,
Long Island Philharmonic,
Twisted Sister,
Stray Cats,
Run-DMC,
Vanilla Fudge,
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss, the Long Island members of K.I.S.S.,
Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge,
Leslie West,
Gary U.S. Bonds,
Billy Joel,
Cyndi Lauper,
Neil Sedaka,
Sam Taylor,
Edward "Little Buster" Forehand,
Richie Havens,
Mose Allison,
Joan Jett,
Tony Bennett,
George "Shadow" Morton and
Marian McPartland.
2007 inductees:
Count Basie,
Louis Armstrong,
Aaron Copland,
The Good Rats,
Little Anthony and the Imperials,
The Ramones,
Simon and Garfunkel,
Blue Oyster Cult,
Carole King,
Arlo Guthrie,
Public Enemy,
Guy Lombardo,
Mariah Carey,
Neil Diamond,
Bob Buchmann,
LL Cool J,
Eddie Money,
Beverly Sills,
Walter Becker,
Pat Benatar,
Barbra Streisand and
Marvin Hamlisch.
