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LIMEHOF

Alumni and current students perform and pack the house to celebrate popular Rocky Point Music Teacher

Students, former students, colleagues, friends and family of Rocky Point Elementary Music Teacher and Department Chairperson Craig Knapp packed the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEOHF) recently to honor the 2024 ‘Educator of Note’ winner. The ceremony was held at LIMEHOF’s museum location in Stony Brook at 97 Main Street. The event featured three musical performances by current and former students, live and video recorded speeches from colleagues and students, a video presentation about Knapp’s career and a special citation presentation by New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. 

“The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame is thrilled to honor Craig Knapp with the ‘Educator of Note’ Award and to recognize his extraordinary dedication, innovation, and profound impact on countless students and on music education in our community,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham, who manages LIMEHOF’s education programs. 

“I am absolutely honored to be inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame as the 2024 recipient of their ‘Educator of Note,’ said Knapp. “To be included on the list of past honorees—many of whom I have worked with collaboratively in a variety of music education organizations, committees, conferences, and initiatives—is both gratifying and humbling. I am very proud that I carved out a successful career in a rather unconventional and unique way.” 

The event was emceed by LIMEHOF Educational Committee Member Mike Rodgers who is also director of music and performing arts in the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District. Live speakers included Music Department Chair from Rocky Point School District Amy Schecher, 5th Grade Student Emma Wurm, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York (MYO) Dr. Anthea Jackson, New York State Assemblywomen Jodi Giglio. There were also recorded messages from colleagues including MYO Concert Choir Director Dr. Doreen Fryling.  

“I thought today’s event was absolutely beautiful particularly the students were the highlight of it,” said Rodgers. “Not only to see the work that was done but the reflection from the students themselves.” 

Current and former students honored Knapp with special musical performances. Rocky Point Students Serena Carley and Olna Carley, MYO Treble Choir students Nate Drinkwater and Andrew Nagle. Former student now Deer Park Music Teacher Grace Donofrio sang Georges Bizet’s Carmen accompanied by pianist Sara Ruggerio. 

“Mr. Knapp is one of the most inspiring people and most deserving people of this kind of award,” said Donofrio. “He inspires me to be a music teacher, and I hope that I can be half of him one day as I learn and grow and continue in my career.” 

Former student Julia Brandow traveled in from out of town, driving for over five hours to honor Knapp. 

“Once he told me this was happening, I had to come… it was like no question, Brandow said. “He has done so much for us. The least I could do was be here today for him. Music is the biggest thing in my life and he 100% is the foundation for that.”

Music Teacher Desiree DeMelfi (herself a 2019 LIMEHOF Scholarship recipient) also spoke. She had nominated Craig and was mentored by him when she started her music teaching career. 

“Craig has always wanted me to be the best music teacher and course director I could be,” said DeMelfi. “The impact of a true educator and mentor is evident from my story alone. Craig saw an opportunity to guide a young student from the same town he grew up in. He acted as a leader and decided to give me the best student teaching experience possible.” 

 With an impressive career that spans 27 years on Long Island, Craig Knapp is the 18th music teacher to be recognized by LIMEHOF since the ‘Educator of Note’ Award was established in 2007. This award recognizes exceptional teachers who demonstrate a commitment to music education, play an active role in the community, and have a significant influence on the lives of music students of all backgrounds and abilities. 

Craig Knapp is the director of the Nassau and Suffolk Treble Choirs of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, Elementary Classroom Music Specialist and Choral Director in the Rocky Point Public School District, former Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University, former Director of the Early Childhood Community Music Program at Stony Brook University, music educator, guest conductor, clinician, folk dance leader and author. He says of all his accomplishments, the most significant honor to him is the lasting influence he has had on his students. 

“I have the luckiest job in the world as I get to wake up every Monday morning and make music with incredible children,” Knapp said. “Of all that I have achieved—more important than any accolades I could receive, books I could publish, guest conducting opportunities I could receive, invitations to present at professional development conferences, or performances I direct—my greatest accomplishment, and what I’m most proud of, is that students still come to visit me decades later to tell me that I was their favorite teacher and to thank me for the positive impact I had on their life. What could be better than that?”

For more information about the LIMEHOF ‘Educator of Note’ Award, visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/educator-of-note/

Craig Knapp Photo courtesy of LIMEHOF
Presentation event on Feb. 1 to honor music teacher Craig Knapp

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEOHF) recently announced Rocky Point Elementary Music Teacher and Department Chairperson Craig Knapp as its 2024 ‘Educator of Note’ winner. 

“The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame is thrilled to honor Craig Knapp with the ‘Educator of Note’ Award and to recognize his extraordinary dedication, innovation, and profound impact on countless students and on music education in our community,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham, who manages LIMEHOF’s education programs.

With an impressive career that spans 27 years on Long Island, Knapp is the 18th music teacher to be recognized by LIMEHOF since the ‘Educator of Note’ Award was established in 2007. This award recognizes exceptional teachers who demonstrate a commitment to music education, play an active role in the community, and have a significant influence on the lives of music students of all backgrounds and abilities.

“I am absolutely honored to be inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame as the 2024 recipient of their ‘Educator of Note,’” said Knapp. “To be included on the list of past honorees—many of whom I have worked with collaboratively in a variety of music education organizations, committees, conferences, and initiatives—is both gratifying and humbling. I am very proud that I carved out a successful career in a rather unconventional and unique way.”

Knapp is the director of the Nassau and Suffolk Treble Choirs of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, Elementary Classroom Music Specialist and Choral Director in the Rocky Point Public School District, former Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University, former Director of the Early Childhood Community Music Program at Stony Brook University, music educator, guest conductor, clinician, folk dance leader and author. He says of all his accomplishments, the most significant honor to him is the lasting influence he has had on his students.

“I have the luckiest job in the world as I get to wake up every Monday morning and make music with incredible children,” Knapp said. “Of all that I have achieved—more important than any accolades I could receive, books I could publish, guest conducting opportunities I could receive, invitations to present at professional development conferences, or performances I direct—my greatest accomplishment, and what I’m most proud of, is that students still come to visit me decades later to tell me that I was their favorite teacher and to thank me for the positive impact I had on their life. What could be better than that?”

Knapp will accept the award at a special presentation ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 1st at the LIMEHOF, 97 Main St., Stony Brook at 2 p.m. The event will feature a performance and visual presentation. The public is invited to attend. Tickets are $29.50 per person at www.limusichalloffame.org and at the door. 

For more information, please call 631-689-5888.

Ernie Canadeo, Chairman, LIMEHOF. Photo by Barbara Anne Kirshner

By Steven Zaitz

If you have not been to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook Village, you might not know just how many musical giants are from around here. 

Billy Joel, Mariah Carey, Eddie Money, Twisted Sister and the Stray Cats are just a few of the household names who grew up on Long Island, and made it big in the industry. They are now inductees in the hallowed halls of the LIMEHOF, which just this month celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Another musical giant, who is not on this list and will probably never sell out Madison Square Garden or make a platinum record, is Ernie Canadeo. Canadeo has been the Chairman of LIMEHOF for 10 years, and was the driving force behind transforming it from a rolling exhibit in a Winnebago, to the state-of-the-art 8,800-square-foot facility it is today.

Canadeo, who grew up in Westbury and now lives in Glen Cove, is the founder and Chairman of EGC Group, one of the largest advertising and digital marketing firms on Long Island. Last month, Canadeo was inducted into the Long Island Business Hall of Fame for not only his work at EGC, but also his membership on the board of directors for many Long Island non-profit organizations. Additionally, he is on the Executive Committee of the Long Island Association, which is the foremost business and commerce organization on the Island. 

Canadeo has also spearheaded and supported many philanthropic endeavors, such as TeachRock, which promotes music in the classroom, and the National Stuttering Association.

Despite these achievements in the hyper-competitive digital marketing industry, Ernie is renowned for maintaining a sweet touch and sense of family with everyone in his orbit — business associates and loved ones alike. 

“Ernie is huge on family,” said his wife Catherine Canadeo, who is the CEO of her own Corporate Wellness Advisory firm. “Everything he does focuses on that zest, that love of life, of food and friends and family, and of course, music.”

His experience in the music industry began in the 1970s when he worked as an advertising exec and promoter at RCA, A&M and Arista Records. Ernie promoted acts such as Hall & Oates, The Police, Diana Ross, The Kinks and R.E.M during the punk, glam and early disco eras of the ‘70s and ‘80s, until he founded the EGC Group in 1985. After landing some big accounts like Blockbuster Video and Häagen-Dazs ice cream, EGC established itself as a major national player in the advertising world, despite not having an office overlooking Madison Avenue.

“LIMEHOF was founded primarily by musicians and educators,” said Canadeo, who is a Stony Brook and Fordham University alum. “But in 2006, they asked me to be on the board because there wasn’t really a business person on it. I was happy to lend my expertise, and a few years later, I was named chairman.”

Fellow board member and LIMEHOF founding father Jim Faith recalled the early days of Ernie’s tenure. “Money was always a problem for us in the beginning, and with Ernie’s vision, we have been able to take a huge leap,” said Faith. “He’s a great businessman who also happens to be a great lover of music. Getting that deal for the Stony Brook building was so important to us and has enabled us to do so many other things.”

One of Canadeo’s first orders of business as chairman was to establish a permanent home for LIMEHOF. “We tried over the years to have a real hall of fame, and a great mobile museum, but what we really wanted was a home,” Canadeo said. “In 2022, I got a call from Gloria Rocchio, a real estate broker in Stony Brook, who asked me if we were still looking. So I went up there and fell in love with the place, but told her we could never afford this. She said, ‘Yes, you can,’” he continued.

For 85 years, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization has preserved historic properties donated by Ward Melville, to support non-profits that promote culture and education through history, art and music. And this just so happens to be LIMEHOF’s exact mission.

Canadeo ends the story with this wonderful fact: “We signed a 25-year lease for a grand total of one dollar a year and moved in a few months later.”

Since taking over the facility on the northeast corner of Stony Brook Village, LIMEHOF has showcased a fascinating collection of artifacts, from concert-used instruments and outfits to memorabilia spanning decades — from Broadway legend George M. Cohan to doo-wop icons like Little Anthony and the Imperials, and even rap megastars Run-D.M.C. The space was conceptualized by famed artist and designer Kevin O’Callaghan, and there is a steady stream of homegrown music emanating from the concert area every weekend of the year. This past Thanksgiving weekend, the organization celebrated its anniversary with two days filled with live performances from over a dozen bands — all with Long Island ties.

Across the hall, an entire wing of the museum houses the “Billy Joel – My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey” exhibit, which is filled with over 50 years’ worth of memorabilia — much of which came from the Piano Man’s personal collection. The exhibit opened to the public in November of 2023 and has been seen by more than 10,000 people.

LIMEHOF founder and board member Norm Presslin, a Stony Brook University professor of media, who has also been in radio for close to half a century, first got to know Ernie decades ago when the ad man guest spoke in the professor’s classroom, discussing the topics of music marketing and business. Presslin was impressed with Ernie’s ability to communicate, with warmth, the vagaries of challenging industries. 

“I’ve observed many people in the advertising and marketing world, and many of them never adjusted to the rapid changes,” said Presslin. “Ernie’s ability to adapt has served him well and has served LIMEHOF well. Essentially, what he has done is create a home for Long Island musicians and people who love music that they never had before.”

While Ernie holds the title of chairman at his namesake EGC agency, his current CEO, Nicole Penn, handles much of the day-to-day operations. She has worked with Ernie for 20 years and has ridden shotgun with him as the industry transformed from traditional newspaper and television ad campaigns to the current digital-heavy, social media-driven model it is today. 

“In the 21st century, no other industry has changed as much as ours,” Penn said. “Ernie has always been a great sounding board and mentor. He’s caring, but also astute and has a great lens at looking at a problem from different angles. If it’s a client challenge we are trying to solve, he always seems to have relevant experience and the right instincts. What he has done at LIMEHOF  is a by-product of this and it is so great because music has always been his passion,” she added.

Music and passion. For someone who loves to cook Italian food as much as Ernie does, these two ingredients are like the white wine and garlic in his famous Chicken Scarpariello. So much so that when it came to professing his love for Catherine on their wedding day five years ago, Ernie sang an original composition called ‘10,000 Kisses,’ just for the occasion. He performed it in front of 100 guests at their home. On keyboards was pianist Christopher Clark of the band Brand X, and on sax was Lords of 52nd Street saxophonist Richie Cannata, who played with Billy Joel for decades.

“To see him with that microphone, I was completely blown away,” Catherine said. “We have parties here at our house, and sometimes we have musicians come over, but I had no idea that Ernie was actually going to sing. When he did that, my heart was so full, so overwhelmed with admiration and fondness for his sweetness.”

“To do that in front of all of our friends, singing just to me — he was singing to my heart, and that showed his love on so many different levels,” she continued.

Ernie and Richie have been friends for many years, and it was Cannata’s then-girlfriend who introduced them. “Ernie and Cathy are a match made in music heaven, and I couldn’t be happier for both of them,” said Cannata, who was inducted into the LIMEHOF in 2014. “I’ve known Cathy for a long time, and it’s a beautiful thing for all of us — way bigger than words.”

That night, as a party favor, Ernie handed out a CD OF ‘10,000 Kisses’ to all of his guests — a fitting metaphor for all Ernie has given to Long Island, the local music community and everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him.

Ernie and the Band perform on Dec. 1 at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) held a jam-packed, two-day 20th Anniversary Holiday Celebration Party, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, at its museum in the back section of Stony Brook Village.  

The event featured continuous Long Island-connected entertainment giants, including Mark Newman and his band, Kerry Kearney, DMC, with Johnny Juice, Stanton Anderson, Ernie & the Band and American Idol contestant Christian Padavan. During the two-day event,  music videos of LIMEHOF inductees played on the wall-sized screens throughout the museum, as visits from Santa Claus took place. The gala also did its part in community support by organizing a Christmas Toy Drive in partnership with Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church’s Gerald J. Ryan Outreach Center, supporting 1,500 children in need on Long Island during this season of giving. 

From left to right: LIMEHOF board of director members Norm Prusslin, Jim Faith, Tom Needham, Jeffrey James and Ernie Canadeo discuss the evolution of Long Island music scene with the crowd. Photo by Steven Zaitz

On the first day, LIMEHOF board of director members, including Chairman of the Board Ernie Canadeo, Norm Prusslin, Tom Needham, Jeffrey James and Jim Faith waxed nostalgic about the origins of the organization, its trials and tribulations throughout the years, how it established its current home in Stony Brook and its association with Long Island music legends like Billy Joel, Twisted Sister, Mariah Carey and Blue Öyster Cult. 

“Long Island, the people in the area, and the artists of the area were so happy that we have established this organization and this place,” said Faith. “In the 1970’s and 1980’s musicians were told to say that they were from New York City, because the perception was that Long Island wasn’t “cool.” No musician has to say that anymore. They can say they are from Long Island because we helped change the perspective of music on the Island.” 

In attendance on Saturday was Larry “Duck” Dunn. Dunn was a disk jockey at WLIR, a station which introduced “New Wave” bands like Long Island’s Stray Cats, INXS, The B52’s and Depeche Mode, to area listeners in the 1980’s. He sat and listened as the LIMEHOF board of directors spoke of the past, present and future of the music scene on Long Island.

Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage being an important resource, which should be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Brooklyn, 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.

Photo by Steven Zaitz

Since 2004, the not-for-profit organization will now be able to be recognized in a permanent home. The space — covering 8,800 square feet — features a large exhibition area, theater, gift shop and an official “Hall of Fame Museum.”

“We always wanted a permanent home, but for a long time the organization never had enough money,” said LIMEHOF Canadeo. “We were using a 1998 Winnebago as a mobile museum for many years and now we are lucky enough to have this beautiful facility.”

Aside from original concert posters and promotional material that adorn the walls on both levels of the building — much of which is related to Hicksville-raised Billy Joel — the museum features artifacts, such as musical instruments, famous awards, apparel and other memorabilia from many of Long Island’s favorite artists. The wide variety of talent represented by the 120 inductees includes names like Joel, KISS, LL Cool J, Debbie Gibson, Louis Armstrong, Vanilla Fudge, Tony Bennett, Neil Diamond and Run-DMC, among many others.

LIMEHOF is also proud to partner with Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock.

Launched by Van Zandt, who is not only Bruce Springsteen’s longtime guitarist, but also starred in the HBO hit series the Sopranos, created TeachRock, along with Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese and Springsteen, to provide free, standards-aligned resources, which use music to help K-12 students succeed in science, math, social studies and language arts. 

TeachRock improves students’ lives by filling every classroom with the sound, stories and science of music.

It aspires to keep the arts in the DNA of school systems, empower teachers with a methodology to engage a generation with the internet in their pocket, create inclusive spaces through the arts by providing teachers well researched, abundance-framed classroom resources, which feature positive representations of all Americans. This is done in the hopes of increasing graduation rates.

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) will induct legendary hip-hop artists Davy DMX (Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow, The Fat Boys), DJ Hurricane (The Beastie Boys) and DJ Jazzy Jay (Def Jam) on August 24 at 7:30 pm at their Stony Brook museum location, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook. The event is free but registration is required.

The three are planning to perform and will be joined by LIMEHOF inductee DJ Johnny Juice (Public Enemy) who will also be performing. Hip Hop Legend and LIMEHOF inductee Kurtis Blow will also be making a special appearance to induct Davy DMX.

“The induction of DJ Hurricane, Davy DMX, and DJ Jazzy Jay into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame highlights the importance of DJs in hip hop’s early days,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham. “These pioneers transformed the art of DJing, making it a central element of the genre and influencing countless artists. Their legacy is a vital part of hip hop’s story, and we are proud to honor them.”

LIMEHOF recognizes artists from geographic Long Island which includes Queens and Brooklyn, in addition to Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This induction ceremony and performance will celebrate the monumental contributions of these legendary artists to the genre of hip hop. They will join an impressive line-up of hip-hop performers already inducted including LL COOL J, Public Enemy, EPMD, Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow, Eric B. & Rakim, The Fat Boys, Salt-n-Pepa and Whodini.

To register,  please visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/

Photo courtesy of LIMEHOF

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook awarded $1000 scholarships to ten graduating students from across Long Island at an awards ceremony on June 30. Also, for the second year in a row a Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship was awarded in memory of LIMEHOF inductee Pat DeRosa. 

The following students received scholarships: Cooper Arbisi, Massapequa High School, Massapequa; Stephen Buff, Center Moriches High School, Center Moriches; Cody Chelune, Island Trees High School, Levittown; Jocelyn Chiu, Herricks High School, Albertson; Giuliana Gallone, Kings Park High School, Kings Park; Dara Gordon Commack High School, Dix Hills; Emily Helbock, Sayville High School, Sayville; Ryan Loughlin, Farmingdale High School, Farmingdale; Aidan Passaro, Mt. Sinai High School, Mt. Sinai; Julian Zuzzolo, North Shore High School, Sea Cliff; and Peter Hoss (Pat DeRosa scholarship winner)Harborfields High School, Greenlawn. 

“We are thrilled to award these scholarships to such talented and dedicated young musicians,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director. “Supporting the next generation of music students as they embark on their college journeys is at the heart of our mission. These scholarships not only recognize their hard work and passion but also reinforce our commitment to nurturing musical talent and education within our community. We can’t wait to see what these young people will accomplish in their musical careers.”

Stock photo

Responding to the critical National need for both blood donors and firefighter volunteers, The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF), and the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO), will be hosting a blood drive, a Shed the Meds event, and  a volunteer firefighter recruitment information table at the LIMEHOF, 197 Main St., Stony Brook Village on Saturday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Joined by State Senator Palumbo, Assemblyman Ed Flood, LIMEHOF and WMHO:

– The New York Blood Center mobile blood collection van will be collecting donations. (Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome. Call 1-800-933-2566 to make your reservation.) The first 10 student donors will receive a ticket to The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of
Fame (LIMEHOF), courtesy of Stony Brook University.

– Firefighters from the Stony Brook, Centereach, Terryville, and, Stony Brook University Campus will be hosting an information table.

-The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Deputies will be collecting pharmaceuticals.

-Stony Brook University students will be conducting a mental health research survey.

-The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) will be hosting a raffle!

Questions? Call 631-751-2244.

Stephen Schwartz, center, poses with the Broadway talent and LIMEHOF board of directors. Photo by Steve Leung

Broadway came to Long Island recently as a range of vocalists from the “Great White Way” and musicians gathered to honor and induct award-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) into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook on March 23.

The award presentation was preceded by an hour-and-a-half concert emceed by musician Paul Shaffer, which featured performances from Schwartz’ musicals.

Musician Paul Shaffer officially inducts and hands off the award trophy to Steven Schwartz. Photo by Steve Leung

Although well-known on Broadway and Manhattan, Schwartz has solid Long Island roots, having grown up in Williston Park and graduated from Mineola High School. With a career that includes winning four Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards, and numerous other accolades, Schwartz says that being recognized on Long Island is an extra-special honor for him.

Schwartz joins other legendary Broadway lyricists and musicians inducted into LIMEHOF with ties to Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, including George Gershwin (2006) and George M. Cohan (2006). LIMEHOF currently includes over 120 inductees.

Broadway performers and singers who performed at this event included Teal Wicks and Carrie St. Louis (“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 featured Music from “Wicked,” “Godspell,” “Pippin,” “Working,” “The Magic Show.” and “Pocahontas.” 

In addition to the music performances, Schwartz’s friend Stephen Reinhardt, who was a keyboard player and musical director for “Godspell” and “The Magic Show,” took the stage and gave a heartfelt speech. Sprinkled throughout the concert were various recorded video messages from Schwartz’ friends and colleagues who couldn’t be there but wanted to celebrate his induction, including Idina Menzel, Alan Menken, and Kristin Chenoweth, who had worked with Schwartz before in “Wicked,” and is working with him now on “The Queen of Versailles.”

After being inducted, Stephen closed out the evening by performing a song from his upcoming musical, “The Queen of Versailles,” which is set to debut later this year. 

After the event, Schwartz called it “a lovely evening” and said it was like a big reunion. “All those videos were surprises… from my son and my friends … and it was really a moving evening for me,” Schwartz said. “I didn’t really expect this, so it was very meaningful to me.”

Stephen Schwartz Photo from Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame

Broadway comes to Long Island as  award-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.