Billy Joel- My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey at LIMEHOF extended through Spring of 2025. Photo Credit: Myrna Suarez @myrnasuarezphoto
‘My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey’ draws in tens of thousands of visitors from near and far to celebrate legendary Long Island musician
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) has announced it will be extending the run of the first ever exhibit dedicated exclusively to LIMEHOF Inductee and Legendary Long Island Musician Billy Joel. The exhibit opened last November and is currently running at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook Village location (97 Main Street, Stony Brook). It was initially planned to run through September 2024.
The exclusive exhibit, called Billy Joel- My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey spans Joel’s life and career from growing up in Hicksville to his legendary run at Madison Square Garden. It includes over 50 years of Billy Joel’s most cherished items including rare memorabilia, behind-the-scenes video, dozens of awards, rare audio and video recordings, vintage instruments and historic photos, many donated by Billy Joel himself.
“The Billy Joel – My Life exhibit continues to attract enthusiastic audiences from throughout world, exceeding our expectations as his legions of fans experience every facet of Billy’s incredible career in this extraordinary exhibition,” said Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF Chairman. “We are thrilled that our visitors and the media have rated us one of the best Music Hall of Fame’s in the country, as we showcase rare memorabilia from our Long Island Inductees representing every musical genre from rock, pop, jazz, blues hip-hop and more.”
The exhibit was created by renowned designer and LIMEHOF board member Kevin O’Callaghan with direct feedback from Billy Joel himself. Upon touring it in an advanced VIP preview before it opened, Joel himself was so emotionally moved and impressed with the exhibit that he kept saying “Where did you get all of this stuff?” The exhibit has been featured in People, American Songwriter, Billboard, The New York Post, Newsday, NY1, Pix 11, News 12, NBC 4, Fox 5, and many more local and music industry news outlets.
Ticket sales have been in the tens of thousands. The opening weekend alone attracted visitors from other states including New Jersey, Massachusetts and the Carolinas. Since then, visitors have traveled in from far and wide and even from overseas to see this once in a lifetime exhibit. The Hall of Fame itself was even listed on Grammy.com as one of the top Halls of Fame in the country to visit.
The exhibit remains a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Billy Joel’s life-spanning career from his roots in Hicksville and Levittown through his albums, tours, inspirations, and personal experiences. There will be more items added including rare photos, awards and other memorabilia from Billy Joel’s life and career.
Tickets are available now at www.TheBillyExhibit.com or are available to be purchased in person at LIMEHOF. This is a timed entry exhibit so tickets will be sold by time block availability, or you can purchase VIP “any time” tickets good any time for the duration of the exhibit. For more information about LIMEHOF visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/museum/
About LIMEHOF
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook Village. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.
The Liverpool Shuffle plays on the balcony of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Joe Refano on lead guitar high above the crowd at Stony Brook village. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Beatles fans enjoy the first outdoor concert at LIMEHOF. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Liverpool Shuffle plays on the balcony of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Photo by Steven Ziatz
By Steven Zaitz
Stony Brook village became Strawberry Fields for a few magical, musical hours on Sunday, July 28, as four lads who call themselves The Liverpool Shuffle pleased the crowd of Beatlemaniacs.
A ticket to ride was unnecessary for this show, as the boys played for free on the balcony of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF).
Formed in 2003 by singer, bassist and guitarist Joe Refano, who played with Herman’s Hermits as well as with Micky Dolenz of the Monkees, the band delighted the crowd for close to two hours with hits such as “All My Loving,” “In My Life,” “Day Tripper” and “Back In The U.S.S.R.”
The concert was a nod to the famous Beatles on the rooftop concert in January of 1969 on top of their Apple Corps headquarters in central London. That was the last time they performed together in front of a live audience. After playing “Get Back” for the third time that rainy afternoon, John Lennon famously and playfully asked the crowd if the most influential band in the history of music had “passed the audition.”
Refano, who lives in Centerport, saw the Beatles live at Shea Stadium in 1966, and like pretty much everyone else, was hooked.
“We are very excited to play on the balcony and pay tribute to the Beatles for the people of Stony Brook,” said Refano as he tuned his guitar at sound check.
Jamie Bateman, a distant cousin to Ringo Starr and is originally from Liverpool, sings and plays the guitar and harmonica; Andrew Lubman plays bass, guitar, keyboard and sings many of Paul McCartney’s parts; and Brian James is behind the drum kit.
Ernie Canadeo, chairman of LIMEHOF, introduced the band and was thrilled to showcase the museum and facility in its first-ever outdoor concert.
“We decided to do the first outdoor concert as a ‘Beatles on the Balcony’ tribute, as the Beatles mean so much to everyone and they have a lot of connection to Long Island,” Canadeo said. “They played Shea Stadium and Forest Hills. Paul McCartney lives here, Ringo still plays out here and John spent a few summers here so we thought this would be a great idea.”
After “Hey Jude” and the encore of “I Saw Her Standing There,” the show was over and there was no doubt that The Liverpool Shuffle had passed the audition.
The Liverpool Shuffle will hold a free concert in Stony Brook Village on June 30.
Rescheduled from June 30, The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) will hold a free concert entitled “Beatles on the Balcony” featuring The Liverpool Shuffle (a popular Long Island based Beatles tribute band) on Sunday, July 28 starting at 2 p.m. at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook museum location, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook.
“The Beatles have multiple ties to Long Island, from their concerts at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium (1964) and Shea Stadium (1966), to John Lennon’s residency in Cold Spring Harbor in 1979 (the summer before his murder), Paul McCartney’s current home in the Hamptons, and Paul and Ringo’s continued performances at venues across Long Island,” said LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo. “We are excited that the first concert held on our balcony follows in the tradition of the Beatles legendary last live concert for the “Let It Be” sessions, held on the rooftop of Apple Corps.”
This is the first free concert from the LIMEHOF balcony and will be viewable from the parking lot. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. For details on this and upcoming events please visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/museum/
About LIMEHOF
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook, New York. To date, the organization has inducted more than 130 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.
Stephen Schwartz Photo from Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame
Broadway comes to Long Island asaward-winning Broadway and movie lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt, and the new movie adaptation of Wicked among other titles) will be inducted into The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF), 97 Main St., Stony Brook Village on Saturday, March 23 with doors opening at 7 p.m.
The ceremony will be followed by an hour-and-a-half concert featuring performances from Schwartz’s musicals.
Paul Shaffer
“Long Island has proven to be especially fertile ground for producing major talents in the fields of music and entertainment,” said Schwartz. “The list of names is long and impressive. It’s a great honor for me to be recognized as being a part of that amazing tradition.”
Although well-known on Broadway and NYC, Schwartz has solid Long Island roots having grown up in Williston Park and graduating from Mineola High School.
“It is with great honor and pride that the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inducts the legendary Stephen Schwartz into our esteemed institution,” said Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF Chairman. “With a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has enriched the world of American musical theatre and the silver screen with timeless classics. We celebrate not only his remarkable talent but also his enduring legacy, which will continue to inspire generations to come.”
The music concert to follow the induction will be emceed by musician Paul Shaffer, with whom he worked early in his career. In 1972, Shaffer was hired as the musical director for the Toronto production of Godspell. He went on to play piano for another Schwartz-written score that played on Broadway, The Magic Show in 1974. Shaffer eventually went on to play in the house band of“Saturday Night Live,” followed by serving as musical director for David Letterman’s “Late Night” and “Late Show” broadcasts.
After the ceremony, Schwartz and Shaffer will perform alongside musicians from the musical Godspell that include Rick Shutter (drummer), Doug Quinn (guitarist) and Steve Manes (bassist).
Broadway performers and singers who will be performing at this event including Teal Wicks (Wicked) Carrie St. Louise (Wicked), Dale Soules (The Magic Show), Alysia Velez (Into the Woods), Sam Simahk (Into the Woods) and DeMarius Copes (Some Like It Hot). The concert will feature music from Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, Working, The Magic Show, Pocahontas and more!
Tickets for the induction and concert event are $78.50 available for sale at www.limusichalloffame.org or may be purchased in person at LIMEHOF. Tickets include access to all of the museum, including the special Billy Joel exhibition, “My Life: A Piano Man’s Journey,” and Hall Of Fame. For more information, call 631-689-5888.
One of the items on display at the new exhibit. Photo by Tara Mae
By Tara Mae
Music is often a meander through memory; it enraptures listeners with emotional remembrance and resonance. Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame’s (LIMEHOF) newest exhibit, Billy Joel, My Life — A Piano Man’s Journey, is a nuanced trip through time and tempo so intuitively evocative that it seemed to stun the piano man himself.
Billy Joel visited the LIMEHOF to view the new exhibit on Nov. 21. Photo by Tara Mae/TBR News Media
“It is a little intimidating,” Billy Joel said to a gathering of press, LIMEHOF board members, and other inductees, at the exhibit preview on Tuesday, Nov. 21. LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo, Exhibit Designer Kevin O’Callaghan, and radio personality Bob Buchmann also spoke, remarking on Joel’s legacy and ongoing accomplishments.
A retrospective revealed through multimedia, My Life spans more than 50 years of the Grammy Award winning artist’s life and career, beginning with his childhood on Long Island through his current residency at Madison Square Garden. With no announced end date, the show, on display now, is an audio-visual sensation.
Featuring photos, video installations, personal memorabilia, artifacts, and, of course, music, the exhibit includes everything from Joel’s primary school class photo to set lists, instruments, a motorcycle, his MTV Video Music Awards, and many other personal paraphernalia.
“It was incredibly rewarding to watch Billy’s eyes as he was walking around the exhibit, saying, ‘Where did you guys get all of this stuff? It’s unbelievable,’” Canadeo said.
All the items, many from Joel’s personal collection, are notes in the score that comprise the soundtrack of his life. Visitors may enjoy their own theme songs as a jukebox offering Joel’s repertoire helps set the mood, and the piano he played on tour with Elton John rotates on a moving stage. Behind it, on a giant screen, footage plays of him performing at Shea Stadium.
Providing a multi-tonal presentation of Joel’s evolution from struggling songman to undeniable superstardom, My Life is a multi-sensory experience. The exhibit is a comprehensive homage to Joel’s past, present, and passions. It embodies both the personal and professional elements of his life.
One of the items on display at the new exhibit. Photo by tara Mae/TBR. News Media
“People are going to be emotional and very impressed with what we have collected because they have not seen most of what we have here,” Canadeo added. “It really does represent Billy’s journey: from his humble beginning [on Long Island] to becoming one of the biggest music stars in the world. And, we cover pretty much every aspect of that, all the way through.”
Throughout this trajectory, Long Island arguably serves at both opening act and supporting player. “The show is not only a tribute to Billy, but it is a tribute to Billy’s relationship with Long Island,” Canadeo said.
Tracing the development of the musician and the man, My Life chronicles different facets of Joel’s story: childhood in Hicksville; teenage keyboardist for the rock group The Hassles; working musician; motorcycle aficionado; and, world renowned artist with many multiplatinum albums to his name.
This is the first time Joel has agreed to an exhibit of this nature. “We found that he had never agreed to doing an exhibition, ever. And so that was really the big conflict I had; the mission I had was to convince him to let us to do this. And the way I did it was the realization of his loyalty to his friends,” O’Callaghan said. “He is a very loyal guy. So, the show, if you look around, it is about his influences, people who influenced him and vice versa.”
Composed by music lovers for music lovers in honor of an internationally recognized music lover, the exhibit is tribute to more than Billy Joel; it is a communal celebration. Artist, exhibit architects, and audience share one fundamental trait: they are all fans.
The exhibit lauds this musical reverence. A revelatory reflection on the sustenance for the soul music provides, My Life explores the scope of its impact. As patrons walk in, they are first greeted by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, a pivotal moment for the development of the modern music scene and Joel’s own artistic awakening.
Other artists are represented as part of Joel’s musical development and devotion.
“It is not only Billy Joel, we have on display Otis Redding, we have Paul McCartney, we have George Gershwin. [Joel] loved that idea of showcasing his influences and musical friends.And, he actually said to me, ‘So, it is going to be a party with my friends,’ and I said, ‘It is going to be a party with your friends.’ And that’s what kind of sold him on it,” O’Callaghan added.
That sense of camaraderie creates kinship between artist and appreciators as it permeates the exhibit’s atmosphere. Such a symphony of synchronicity is a symbiotic relationship that unites all participants in their mutual musical dedication. Bonds born of these shared interests are key components of My Life, incorporating both the keepsakes themselves and honoring those who treasure them.
Among the items donated by Joel are mementos lent by two of his biggest supporters, Eric Fellen and Paul Fierro. “They found us and were very generous and really this would not have happened without their help. It would have been a much, much softer show; we went over the top with what they had,” O’Callaghan said.
Such enthusiasm underscores every aspect of My Life. Common appreciation for Joel encapsulates what the artist enjoys as well as the ways he is able to continue connecting with his listeners.
“I love music…most people do, and I am very glad that we all ended up loving the same thing,” Joel said at the exhibit’s reception.
Located at 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, LIMEHOF is open Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $35 for adults; $32.50 for seniors/veterans; and, $20 for students age 13+. For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.
LIMEHOF exhibit designer Kevin O'Callaghan introduces plans for the new exhibit at a press conference on Oct. 20. Photo by Rita J. Egan/TBR News Media
Ernie Canadeo announces plans for a Billy Joel tribute exhibit at a press conference on Oct. 21. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Billy Joel memorabilia from the exhibit. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A model of the planned Billy Joel exhibit at the LIMEHOF. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A 9-foot piano from the Face to Face Tour with Joel and Elton John will be on view at the exhibit. Photo by Rita J. Egan
The entrance to the planned exhibit in November. Photo by Rita J. Egan
By Rita J. Egan
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame board and staff members are in a Billy Joel state of mind.
At a press conference on Oct. 20, Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF chairman, announced that the venue’s upcoming exhibit, Billy Joel — My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey, will open at the museum in Stony Brook Village on Nov. 24.
“It’s so appropriate that it’s located here on Long Island, where Billy has spent most of his life and created much of his incredible music,” Canadeo said. “It is also appropriate that it has been created and will be displayed exclusively at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.”
Canadeo said LIMEHOF, which has more than 120 inductees, including Joel, has been planning the first major exhibit dedicated to the singer and songwriter for nearly a year. The museum’s second exhibit since it opened November 2022 will cover Joel’s life from his upbringing in the Levitt home section in Hicksville throughout his more than 50-year music career.
Among the items featured will be awards, memorabilia, behind-the-scenes video, rare audio and video recordings, vintage instruments and photos. Many of the items will be protected with acrylic cases with no doors, and other precautionary steps will be taken.
Canadeo and LIMEHOF exhibit designer Kevin O’Callaghan visited Joel’s storage unit to find items for the exhibit. Among them is about 60 minutes of a recording session audio. Visitors to the exhibit will be able to hear Joel and his band recording a song in the venue’s theater on the second floor.
At the press conference, Canadeo said the nine-foot piano in the room was the one Joel used during the Face to Face Tour with Elton John. Inside, the staff found the musician’s harmonica and a towel.
O’Callaghan, who has worked on more than 150 exhibits during his career, said it was a dream come true for him to work on the project. “This is very close to my heart because I am a Long Islander, and I’m very proud of it,” he said.
The designer added he was nervous when he and Canadeo met with Joel since he heard the entertainer could be tough regarding saying OK to similar projects.
“He usually doesn’t do things that put him on a pedestal, but I explained to him that this would be a party, that we’re going to celebrate your career,” O’Callaghan said.
He added the exhibit will also include tributes to those who were inspired by Joel and those who inspired him, such as Paul McCartney, Ray Charles and Beethoven.
“Anything that Billy felt close to or felt that he was inspired by,” he said.
Billy Joel — My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey exhibit will open on Friday, Nov. 24 at noon at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook and run for a limited time.
The exhibit is being supported and sponsored by Catholic Health, The Billy Joel Foundation, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel, The Haugland Group, M&T Bank, The EGC Group and Lessing’s Hospitality.
Timed tickets, available at www.TheBillyJoelExhibit.com or at the museum, are $35 for adults, $32.50 for seniors and veterans, and $20 for students over 13. VIP tickets are $49. For more information about LIMEHOF, visit www.limehof.org.
From left, Kool Rock-Ski accepts LIMEHOF’s induction of The Fat Boys from EPMD’s Erick Sermon and Public Enemy’s DJ Johnny Juice. Photo courtesy of LIMEHOF
Photo from LIMEHOF
Kurtis Blow, another LIMEHOF inductee, has a personal connection to The Fat Boys, as he produced their first two albums.
Photo from LIMEHOF
Photo from LIMEHOF
Hip-hop group The Fat Boys was recently inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) at its newly opened museum location in Stony Brook on Aug. 6. Kool Rock-Ski (Damon Wimbley), the last surviving member of The Fat Boys, accepted the induction in person from hip-hop legend and LIMEHOF inductee Erick Sermon of EPMD. Public Enemy’s DJ Johnny Juice (also a LIMEHOF inductee) was also on hand to show support and speak about the group.
“It’s definitely an honor on behalf of the group, two members who are no longer here,” Kool Rock-Ski said. “To accept this on their behalf is huge, because they brought so much to the culture. Their legacy lives on with an award like this. We got to the pinnacle of our success—and we got there the hard way, by doing a lot of hard work.”
The Fat Boys rose to fame in the 1980s, where they pioneered their influential beatbox style of hip-hop music. The group was from East New York in Brooklyn and included “Prince Markie Dee” (Mark Morales), “Kool Rock-Ski” (Damon Wimbley), and “Buff Love” (Darin Robinson). They would heavily influence hip-hop culture through beatbox, comedic charisma, and rhymes. The trio released seven studio albums, four of which went gold by RIAA. In addition to their music, they went on to star in three feature films: Krush Groove, Knights of the City, and Disorderlies.
The Fat Boys had several successful singles which included “Stick ‘Em,” “Can You Feel It,” “The Fat Boys Are Back,” “Wipe Out,” “Fat Boys,” and “Jail House Rap,” to name a few. Throughout their career, they participated in several tours, one of which was Fresh Fest. And despite having eventually broken up as a group, each of the three members maintained a strong brotherhood. The Fat Boys is credited as having had a strong influence on the development and growing popularity of hip-hop.
“The Fat Boys introduced the beatbox, to the world and the song they made was funky to me,” said EPMD’s Erick Sermon, himself a LIMEHOF inductee, when he officially inducted The Fat Boys on stage. “I’m honored to do this because my memories of my kitchen on that ledge was playing The Fat Boys album.”
Kurtis Blow, another LIMEHOF inductee, has a personal connection to The Fat Boys, as he produced their first two albums.
“The Fat Boys being inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is so well deserved,” Blow said in a written statement which congratulated the group on this honor. “These young men were talented and passionate about their craft at a very young age. Producing The Fat Boys was one the highlights of my career. Rest in peace, Buffy (the Human Beatbox Master) and Prince Markie Dee (Mark Morales). I will never forget you, and you are greatly missed. Continue to carry the torch, Kool Rock-Ski!”
LIMEHOF has long recognized the unique talent and contributions that Long Island artists brought to the hip-hop genre. Notable hip-hop inductees include LL Cool J, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Salt-N-Pepa, and EPMD. Earlier this year, LIMEHOF held an event to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop which had a strong participation and turn out from Long Island artists.
“This historic induction—coupled with our recent 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Concert—cements Long Island’s legacy as one of the most important regions in the country for contributing to hip-hop’s long-term success,” said Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF Chairman.
“Inducting The Fat Boys into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a tribute to their enduring influence—recognizing their role in shaping the genre and inspiring generations,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHOF Vice Chairman and longtime host of the “Sounds of Film” radio show, and who organized the induction event.
At the induction ceremony, Kool Rock-Ski announced that he is working on a documentary film about The Fat Boys and intends to hold the premiere at LIMEHOF when it’s released.
For more information about events and future inductions, visit www.limusichalloffame.org/museum/.
Taylor Dayne belts out a hit song at Funtastic 2023.
Neil Giraldo and Pat Benatar at Funtastic 2023.
Pat Benatar waves to a fan in the crowd during the Funtastic 2023 concert at Bald Hill on July 23.
Catherine Canadeo, Taylor Dayne, and LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo pose for photos at Funfest 2023.
The crowd enjoys Funtastic 2023 at Bald Hill on July 23.
On July 23, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame celebrated the power of music with “Funtastic 2023,” a benefit concert for the organization featuring Pat Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo with special guest Taylor Dayne at the Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill in Farmingville. The packed crowd enjoyed rock favorites including “Love Is A Battlefield, “Heartbreaker” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” from Benatar and “Tell It to My Heart,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” and “With Every Beat of My Heart”from Dayne, both native Long Islanders.
From left, Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar and Taylor Dayne head to the Catholic Health Ampitheater on July 23. Photos courtesy of LIMEHOF
By Tara Mae
Since time immemorial, troubadours have chronicled every aspect of affection and antagonism through song. If love is a battlefield, music is one of the most effective weapons in its arsenal.
On Sunday, July 23, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) celebrates the power of music with “Funtastic 2023,” a benefit concert for the organization featuring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with special guest Taylor Dayne at the Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill, 1 Ski Run Lane in Farmingville. The concert kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
“We are calling it Funtastic 2023 because we want people to have a lot of fun at this concert with powerful, upbeat music that has survived the test of time,” said LIMEHOF Chairman of the Board of Directors Ernie Canadeo.
Benatar and Dayne, who are each on tour this summer, will play full sets spanning the continuing creative arc of their careers. Giraldo, a musician and five time Grammy Award winning producer, will join his wife, Benatar, onstage.
International artists whose first notes were formed on Long Island, Benatar and Dayne were inducted into the LIMEHOF in 2008 and 2012 respectively. Benatar, a four time Grammy Award winning rock singer/songwriter, is renowned for assertive, commanding hits like “Heartbreaker,” “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” and “Love is a Battlefield.”
Three time Grammy Award nominated, American Music Award winning singer/songwriter Dayne, is famous for defiantly danceable pop music, including “Tell It to My Heart,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” and “With Every Beat of My Heart.”
These multi-award winning, multiplatinum musical mavens are hometown heroes: Benatar grew up in Lindenhurst and Dayne was raised in Freeport and Baldwin.
“[The board] worked together to put on a concert utilizing the Long Island Music Hall of Fame’s inductees. From there we selected Benatar and Dayne, a natural fit…they are excellent representatives of Long Island. Canadeo said. “We felt that the LIMEHOF clientele would appreciate their music and artistry.”
LIMEHOF’s mission and membership will be well-represented at the event, with a promotional booth onsite selling its merchandise as well as concert t-shirts and raffle tickets for two house seats to a Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden. Although LIMEHOF has had smaller shows in the past, this is its premiere big benefit concert, with the goal of many encores to follow.
“I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting future members of LIMEHOF. We hope it becomes an annual event,” Canadeo said.
Just as a performance requires cooperation, Funtastic 2023 is a collaborative exercise both onstage and behind-the scenes. The idea of the concert was born from a conversation between Canadeo and John Caracciolo, who athrough his company JVC Media, operates 16 radio stations and the amphitheater in Farmingville, which is owned by the Town of Brookhaven.
“I love the venue; it is the largest outdoor venue in Suffolk County, with a terrific sound system, and accommodating seating: people may opt to bring their own chairs to sit on the lawn or take advantage of the stadium seats,” Canadeo said. “…We were discussing how to promote LIMEHOF and the conversation evolved from there.”
While the arts are seemingly threatened by everything from the advent of Artificial Intelligence to streaming sales that yield cents per play, LIMEHOF lauds the universal language of music and honors fluent local musicians. Founded in 2004, LIMEHOF has honored 120 inductees. It is committed to preserving Long Island’s musical legacy so that it may be appreciated and celebrated now and in the future.
A rolling stone for many years, in 2022 LIMEHOF finally found a permanent home at the Stony Brook Village Center. With the price of admission, visitors to its headquarters may enjoy free concerts or immerse themselves in an interactive exhibition. It houses musical mementos and traditionally hosted awards ceremonies, including the Long Island Music Hall of Fame Induction through 2018.
Since settling down, LIMEHOF has reportedly exceeded all of its all attendance goals as visitors immerse themselves in exhibits featuring musician memorabilia or a surround sound theater that plays what Canadeo described as “rare music videos.”
“As a nonprofit, LIMEHOF depends on public support through admissions, donations, and events like [Funtastic] to help us operate and continue to create memorable, exciting experiences,” he said.
The success of these programs also enables a new duo to make its debut. At the concert, Dr. Patrick O’Shaughnessy, CEO of Catholic Health, will announce Health and Harmony. This program, a partnership between the healthcare group and LIMEHOF, is designed to support residents’ mental health.
“People can listen to a select playlist that matches their mood; it is a multifaceted program that incorporates a vision to improve the wellbeing of Long Islanders through the power of music,” Canadeo explained.
During Funtastic, the message of music as sustainable sustenance for the soul is both a refrain and supporting act for Benatar, Giraldo, and Dayne.
“[This] is a wonderful opportunity for all Long Islanders to enjoy a terrific concert in a wonderful venue and support the Hall of Fame’s mission of keeping Long Island’s music heritage alive,” said Canadeo.
Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets, which range from $52.65 to $106.65 (including fees), are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information about this event and LIMEHOF, visit www.limusichalloffame.org.
(L-R) LIMEHOF 2023 music scholarship winners Jacob Leshnower (Half Hollow High School East High School), Alexis Pabebianco (Mineola High School) Chris Hummel (Harborfields High School), Coleman Schubert (Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School) and Luca Alexandru (Syosset High School).
For the first time since opening the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) Museum in Stony Brook last fall, LIMEHOF recently awarded its annual music scholarships to five graduating students from across LongIsland in a special ceremony held in the main exhibit hall.
This year’s Distinction in Music scholarship winners include Chris Hummel (Centerport, Harborfields High School), Jacob Leshnower (Dix Hills, Half Hollow High School East High School), Alexis Pabebianco (Williston Park, Mineola High School), Luca Alexandru (Syosset, Syosset High School) and winning the Pat DeRosa Scholarship was Coleman Schubert (Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School). The Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the memory of LIMEOHF inductee Pat DeRosa and was awarded specifically to a High School Senior to continue their studies in Music on the saxophone or woodwind instrument.
“We are immensely proud of our scholarship winners who have been granted the opportunity to pursue their passion for music through higher education,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director. “Their talent, dedication, and commitment to their craft inspire us all. We believe that their journey will not only shape their own futures but also contribute to the rich musical legacy of our community and beyond.”
Both Patricia DeRosa Padden, the daughter of LIMEHOF inductee Pat DeRosa and her daughter, Nicole DeRosa Padden (Pat’s granddaughter), were in attendance to present the scholarship in his name to Coleman Schubert. Afterwards they were presented with Pat DeRosa’s LIMEHOF inductee award trophy by LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo. Pat DeRosa had been inducted during the Covid lockdown restrictions and unfortunately, he passed away in March of 2023 before the official in person presentation ceremony could be held.
About Christopher Hummel (Centerport, Harborfields High School, Violinist)
Christopher Hummel
Christopher Hummel has a passion for music which has brought him from Germany to Oregon. Equally comfortable leading an orchestra (he is currently serving as concertmaster of the Long Island Youth Orchestra), playing in chamber groups (he is the violinist in the HBK Piano Trio), and as a soloist (he has performed at the Majestic Theatre, and was a featured soloist during the Long Island Youth Orchestra’s 61st season), he has had the opportunity to work with some of today’s leading teachers.
Christopher has won national accolades (3rd prize in the 2021 Charleston International Baroque Competition, and 2nd in the 2021 New York MTNA Senior Performance Competition). He currently studies with Ann Setzer and Jennifer Frautschi. When not with his violin in hand, you will find him swinging a tennis racquet or spending time with his wonderful family.
Christopher is incredibly grateful to receive this scholarship from the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. This generous scholarship will enable him to pursue his passion for music at Juilliard, taking the next step towards his dream career of being a soloist. He would like to thank the scholarship committee, his teachers, and his parents for supporting him on his journey to becoming a professional musician.
About Jacob Leshnower (Dix Hills, Half Hollow High School East, Percussion and Piano)
Jacob Leshnower
Music has played a unique role in shaping Jacob’s academic and professional pursuits. Jacob began playing piano when he was two years old and chose percussion in fourth grade after being wowed by the timpanist at a Carnegie Hall concert. In high school, he played percussion in the All-District Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Symphonic Orchestra, and Marching Band, and piano in Jazz Band and Pit Orchestra.
Jacob also has had the amazing opportunity in recent years to perform as a percussionist in All-County, All-Eastern, and All-National ensembles, as well as the featured pianist in the All-State Symphonic Band. These experiences have provided him with an opportunity to meet like-minded people and confirm my commitment to pursue music as I enter college and beyond.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacob participated, by audition, in the Juilliard Summer Percussion Masterclass Series, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the NYU Sandbox Percussion Seminar. In addition, he has conducted original research into complex and important aspects of the intersection of music and psychology that has been accepted for presentation at international science competitions. Jacob plans to continue this music-related research in college and beyond, and he would like music performance to be a major part of his career. Jacob looks forward to attending Yale University in the fall, participating in ensembles while taking lessons at the Yale School of Music. “I am honored to receive the Long Island Music Hall of Fame scholarship because it is a testament to my passion for music and a source of great encouragement as I embark upon a musical career.”
About Luca Alexandru (Syosset, Syosset High School, Guitarist, Singer-songwriter)
Luca Alexandru
Luca Alexandru is a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer. In addition to his selection as the jazz guitarist of the 2022 All National Jazz Ensemble, Luca was also selected as the jazz guitaristfor the 2022 All State Vocal Jazz Ensemble, a Bass for the 2022 All State Mixed Choir, a jazz guitar alternate for the 2021 All State Jazz Ensemble, and a finalist in the 2023 All Eastern Composition Symposium. In his free time Luca likes to write and perform music with his band, play soccer on his travel team, and teach guitar lessons.
“I am so incredibly grateful to receive this scholarship. I would like to thank all of my music teachers and mentors for their guidance and for inspiring me to be the best musician I can be every day.”
Luca is very excited for his future in Boston as he plans to attend Berklee College of Music and major in Music Production and Engineering.
About Alexis Panebianco (Williston Park, Mineola High School, Voice and Trumpet)
Alexis Panebianco
Alexis’s passion for music grew stronger after taking part in middle and high school musicals, choirs, and marching band. There was no greater honor in her music career than being Drum Major of the Mineola Mustang Marching Band. The band achieved 1st Place in New York State Championships for three years during her tenure. Participating in the marching band gave her the opportunity to learn important life skills, such as leadership, resilience, and accountability.
Alexis has also participated in the ACDA All National Chorus, the NAFME All Eastern Chorus and NYSSMA All County and All State Chorus’s as a soprano vocalist. Alexis’s positive experiences with music solidified her plans to major in Music Education at Hofstra University.
Her family has lived on LongIsland for three generations, and she looks forward to using her education and experience to help students on Long Island grow, mature, and expand their minds in the same way the resources of Long Island and music have helped her to grow into the student and musician that she has become.
“Thank you to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for awarding me the 2023 Student Scholarship! I knew that music would help me find my voice and purpose from a very young age.”
About Coleman Schubart(Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School, Oboe and English Horn)
Coleman Schubart
From a large musical family, Coleman Schubart is the fifth of six siblings and has a twin sister. Coleman studied piano and cello between the ages of 6 and 10 and then picked up the saxophone in the fourth grade. By the eighth grade, his school band was drowning in saxophone players, and his band director asked him to switch to oboe. Since then, Coleman has studied oboe with Dr. Terry Keevil, the Chamber Music Director at Stony Brook University.
Coleman began participating in NYSSMA at the age of six and consistently received score of A+ each year. In the 10th and the 11thgrade, he received scores of 100 on his oboe All-State auditions. He was an All-State alternate in 11thgrade and was selected for the All-State Band in 12th grade. Coleman is a member of the Tri-M Honor Society and has played in the pit orchestra of three high school musicals, covering clarinet, saxophone and oboe parts. Throughout high school, he has been selected for many orchestra and band festivals, and in 11th grade, he was the winner of the Eastman School of Music Award.
Outside of school, Coleman is first chair oboist in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, through which he has performed at the Tilles Center, the Staller Center, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.
He has volunteered as a parish musician in three Long Island parishes. Under the baton of his conductor father, he has been afforded countless opportunities to play with graduate school and professional musicians in ensembles ranging from quartets to symphonic orchestras. Coleman has been engaged over the last year as a featured oboe soloist for several recitals. His most recent appearances were at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington and St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Shore.
Coleman will enter Michigan State University in the fall and will study with Dr. Nermis Mieses as a dual oboe performance and music education major. He looks forward to someday sharing his love of music with future students as his father did with him.
About the Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship
Pat DeRosa
Mr. Pat A. DeRosa performed for many years from Manhattan to Montauk and beyond. He taught music in Huntington and South Huntington and in 2018 the Guinness Book of World Records named him the “World’s Oldest Professional Saxophone Player”. (101 years old and still playing in 2022). Additionally, he was inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame and the South Huntington Hall of Fame.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in South Huntington, Pat picked up a saxophone in the Bowery with his mom at the age of 12. After High School, he worked at Grumman before he was drafted into WWII where he played with the Glenn Miller Army/Air Force Band.
After the war, he played at The Latin Quarter and the Copacabana as well as other NYC clubs while attending the Manhattan School of Music where he received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in English Horn and Oboe. He played with Tommy Tucker, Tex Benecke, Lionel Hampton amongst others while on the road stopping to make a movie in Hollywood where he was invited to have lunch with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. When he returned home, he was introduced to John Coltrane and they played duets together for three years.
Most recently he could be seen playing with his daughter, Patricia DeRosa Padden of Montauk, on piano and his granddaughter Nicole DeRosa Padden, also of Montauk, on vocals and flute as well as sitting in with numerous bands on the East End and Western Suffolk. Pat retired from teaching in 1978 but his students continued to contact him often.
This Memorial Scholarship has been set up for a High School Senior to continue their studies in Music on the saxophone or woodwind instrument. The criteria includes a 95 or above in Music and a 90 overall average. An essay should also be provided by the student to show why they would like to continue to pursue music.
Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall Of Fame (LIMEHOF) is a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Islandmusic and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook Village. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and also offers education programs and scholarships, and awards to Long Islandstudents and educators.
