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.
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.”
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, anda 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!
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 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.
From left, Hip Hop Legends Half-pint (Son of Bazerk) and DJ Johnny Juice (Public Enemy) will participate in the next TeachRock training workshop for local teachers at LI Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Photo courtesy of LIMEHOF
As part of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHoF) partnership with rock and roll legend Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock organization announced earlier this year, LIMEHOF will host the second in a series of free TeachRock workshops for teachers sponsored by Harmony Insurance at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook location, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, on Sunday, October 15 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
These workshops are free (registration required) for teachers in the Long Island and New York City area. This workshop has a 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop theme and Hip-Hop artists Half-Pint from Son of Bazerk and DJ Johnny Juice from Public Enemy have recently announced they will participate. Both artists also have backgrounds in education.
“TeachRock champions the integration of arts in public education through a groundbreaking, transformative methodology, promising a paradigm shift for generations to come,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHoF’s Educational Programs Director. “This approach can propel high school graduation rates and foster lasting change.”
These are free workshop events, sponsored by Harmony Insurance, open to local area teachers with registration. Teachers can register on TeachRock’s workshop registration page https://teachrock.org/LIMEHOF/.
The workshops will be taught by TeachRock Star Teacher Stephanie Arnell who is a veteran Freeport Public Schools educator who has helped her district embrace arts integration and had fun doing it! She’s excited to share her tips and the free TeachRock lesson plans she uses with local educators. All attendees are granted free access to the museum following the event and are eligible for NY CTLE credits through TeachRock.
“We are so excited to have two of Long Islands Hip-Hop icons join us in discussing the dynamic growth of rap music, culture and sampling since the early days of the art. These legends share their stories and experiences from the 80s to present,” said Arnell. “Looking at curriculum through a musical lens keeps students engaged while they don’t even realize they are learning. For example, learning the history of MLK Day through Stevie Wonder’s song “Happy Birthday” or using data from Beyonce’s Instagram account to practice calculating ratios. I’ve seen in my classroom the way students’ gravitate towards TeachRock lessons and I’m excited to spread that enthusiasm to teachers and students on Long Island.”
Launched in 2002 by Van Zandt and the Founders Board of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen, TeachRock.org provides free, standards-aligned resources that use music to help K-12 students succeed in science, math, social studies, and language arts, among other subjects. TeachRock improves students’ lives by filling every classroom with the sound, stories, and science of music. Nearly 60,000 educators—representing all 50 states—are registered at Teachrock.org.
“TeachRock teachers don’t tell kids to take out their earbuds, they ask them what they’re listening to and then make connections between their favorite music and the core curricula they need to master to succeed in life,” said TeachRock founder Steven Van Zandt. “This partnership will help my TeachRock team create more of those educators whose cool class keeps kids coming to school.”
The workshops are made possible by Harmony Insurance. “Harmony Insurance is proud to sponsor TeachRock’s Long Island Music Workshops for teachers, aiming to inspire and educate through music,” Harmony Insurance said in a statement.
“We’ve seen for years how the shared interest in music helps forge connections between teachers and students, and every year we witness how arts-integrated math, science, and social studies classes pull students from the margins and inspire them to participate,” said Bill Carbone, TeachRock Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to partner with LIMEHOF to help as many LI teachers as possible get excited about inspiring their students through the arts.”
Steve Matteo discusses his new book ‘Act Naturally, The Beatles on Film’
Smithtown author Steve Matteo will participate in a Q&A discussion (moderated byTony Traguardo, Fab4Free4All podcast) and book signing event featuring his new book “Act Naturally: The Beatles on Film” at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF), 97 Main Street, Stony Brook on Saturday, September 30 at 2 p.m. The event is free with admission and open to the public.
Author Steve Matteo
“I grew up on Long Island and have written for many Long Island music and entertainment publications,” Matteo said. “I’m thrilled to be interviewed at LIMEHOF about my new book on the Beatles. The hall is all about honoring and celebrating the legacy of great music. When I write my books, chronicling musical history that give music fans a deeper understanding of artists and their times is very important to me. Long Island has a rich history of popular music and music fans on Long Island are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate in the world.”
This unique event bridges the mediums of books, music and film and is likely to appeal to audiences of all genres, not to mention Beatles fans. Copies of the book will be available for purchase to be signed at the event. LIMEHOF plans to do more author themed events in the future.
“We are excited to have Steve come speak at The Hall of Fame about his book “Act Naturally” and share his insights on The Beatles on Film,” said Kelly Leung, LIMEHOF Board Member and Director of Community Outreach who organized the event. “Having Tony Traguedo from the Fab4Free4All podcast moderate and speak is also an added bonus to what is sure to be a fun event. We continue to welcome opportunities to introduce Long Islanders to local authors and podcasters on a regular basis at the museum.”
The Beatles produced five films during their time together: A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, and Let It Be. Some were cinematic successes, and some were not, but—along with subsequent reissues, bonus material, and Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back, a documentary companion to Let It Be—they comprise an endlessly fascinating document of key phases in the group’s career.
In this comprehensive deep-dive into the band’s movies, author and longtime music journalist Steve Matteo follows the origins, filming, and often frenzied fan reception of projects from the 1964 premiere of A Hard Day’s Night through 1970’s Let It Be to the release of Get Back in 2022. Matteo explores the production process, original theatrical film releases, subsequent VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases, and bonus materials, along with the US and UK soundtracks. In addition to copious anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details, he also places these films in their larger context, a period of unprecedented artistic and commercial innovation in British and world cinema. Filled with stories and insights that will satisfy collectors, buffs, and casual fans alike, this is the definitive account of an underappreciated part of the Beatles’ creative output.
About Steve Matteo
Steve Matteo is the author of Let It Be (33 1/3-Bloomsbury) and Dylan (Union Square & Company-Barnes & Noble). He recently contributed to The Beatles in Context, which was published by Cambridge University Press.
He is Contributing Editor with The Vinyl District and has written for such publications as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York magazine, Time Out New York, Rolling Stone, Spin, Rock’s Backpages, Relix, Goldmine, Interview, Elle, Citizen Truth, Literary Hub and Salon.
He has worked for Pete Townshend of the Who in various capacities for Left Field Services, Towser Tunes and Trinifold. His radio career includes working at WLIR-FM, WNYT and FM Odyssey and he often appears on radio, including on the Sirius XM Volume Channel, Q104, Joe Johnson’s Beatle Brunch, Talk More Talk: A Solo Beatles Videocast, 21st Century Radio, WAAM, WFUV, WUSB, WPPB and WHPC and television in his capacity as a music journalist and an author. He has lectured on Bob Dylan at the New School for Social Research in New York and journalism at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He holds a B.F.A. in Communication Arts from the New York Institute of Technology.
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 also offers education programs and scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators. ###
Freeport teacher Stephanie Arnell is excited to teach the workshops this fall. Photo from LIMEHOF
As part of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHoF) partnership with rock and roll legend Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock organization announced earlier this year, LIMEHOF will host the first ever series of free TeachRock workshops for teachers sponsored by Harmony Insurance at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook location, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, on Sunday, September 17 and another on Sunday, October 15 both from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
TeachRock founder Steven Van Zandt at a TeachRock event. Photo from LIMEHOF
“We are so excited to give teachers this opportunity to learn more about Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock curriculum and to give them some time to explore our museum,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHoF’s Educational Programs Director. “My hope is that this leads to many music themed lessons in the classroom and field trips to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame moving forward.”
These are free workshop events, sponsored by Harmony Insurance, open to local area teachers with registration. Teachers can register on TeachRock’s workshop registration page https://teachrock.org/LIMEHOF/. The first workshop Intro to TeachRock followed by a 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop themed workshop.
The workshops will be taught by TeachRock Star Teacher Stephanie Arnell who is a veteran Freeport Public Schools educator who has helped her district embrace arts integration and had fun doing it! She’s excited to share her tips and the free TeachRock lesson plans she uses with local educators. All attendees are granted free access to the museum following the event and are eligible for NY CTLE credits through TeachRock.
“Looking at curriculum through a musical lens keeps students engaged while they don’t even realize they are learning,” said Arnell. “For example, learning the history of MLK Day through Stevie Wonder’s song “Happy Birthday” or using data from Beyonce’s Instagram account to practice calculating ratios. I’ve seen in my classroom the way students’ gravitate towards TeachRock lessons and I’m excited to spread that enthusiasm to teachers and students on Long Island.”
Launched in 2002 by Van Zandt and the Founders Board of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen,TeachRock.org provides free, standards-aligned resources that use music to help K-12 students succeed in science, math, social studies, and language arts, among other subjects. TeachRock improves students’ lives by filling every classroom with the sound, stories, and science of music. Nearly 60,000 educators—representing all 50 states—are registered at Teachrock.org.
“TeachRock teachers don’t tell kids to take out their earbuds, they ask them what they’re listening to and then make connections between their favorite music and the core curricula they need to master to succeed in life,” said TeachRock founder Steven Van Zandt. “This partnership will help my TeachRock team create more of those educators whose cool class keeps kids coming to school.”
The workshops are made possible by Harmony Insurance. “Harmony Insurance is proud to sponsor TeachRock’s Long Island Music Workshops for teachers, aiming to inspire and educate through music,” Harmony Insurance said in a statement.
“We’ve seen for years how the shared interest in music helps forge connections between teachers and students, and every year we witness how arts-integrated math, science, and social studies classes pull students from the margins and inspire them to participate,” said Bill Carbone, TeachRock Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to partner with LIMEHOF to help as many LI teachers as possible get excited about inspiring their students through the arts.”
Robin Wilson induction ceremony. Photo from LIMEHOF
Robin Wilson induction ceremony. Photo from LIMEHOF
Robin Wilson induction ceremony. Photo from LIMEHOF
Robin Wilson induction ceremony. Photo from LIMEHOF
Robin Wilson induction ceremony. Photo from LIMEHOF
Valley Stream resident and Gin Blossoms’ lead singer and guitarist Robin Wilson was recently inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) at their new Stony Brook museum location.
“There are so many great musicians that are a part of this Hall of Fame and I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” Wilson said. “People like Joan Jett, Blue Oyster Cult, Billy Joel and the Stray Cats and Zebra and Twisted Sister so to be part of the same Hall of Fame as all of these great artists just means the world to me, I’m really proud to be inducted.”
Robin Wilson is the singer/songwriter/guitarist for the multi-platinum album selling and Grammy nominated band Gin Blossoms and guest lead singer for The Smithereens. Wilson is the voice powering FM radio staples ‘Til I Hear It from You’, ‘Until I Fall Away’, ‘Hey Jealousy’, ‘Follow You Down’, ‘As Long As It Matters’, Allison Road’ and many more.
A longtime resident of Valley Stream, Robin is very involved in community activities and events. He has done several benefit concerts for the Valley Stream School District PTA and has hosted – on his front lawn- neighborhood live streamed concerts featuring a mix of local young musicians along with established performers such as Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, Graham Maby of the Joe Jackson Band and Willie Nile.
When the late Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens passed away in 2017, Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros invited Robin and Marshall Crenshaw to perform with the band moving forward as alternating guest lead singers.
“Robin Wilson’s vocals and many of his songs have powered Gin Blossoms to remain being one of the most important and iconic American bands to come out of the creative diverse and influential 1990’s music scene,” said Norm Prusslin, LIMEHOF Co-founder when introducing Robin on stage during the induction. “Gin Blossoms are only one of a handful of successful bands from that period that have remained relevant 20 plus years on.”
Jim Babjak, Guitarist for the Smithereens spoke to officially induct Robin. On stage, Babjak recounted a story how they first met Robin in 1988 when the Smithereens were touring in Arizona and met him when he was 21 years old working at a local record store.
Gray Wilson, Robin’s son also spoke crediting his father with his own interest in music saying he wants to be a musician like Robin, but he’ll be able to play all the instruments.
After the induction ceremony, Wilson was joined on stage first by his son Gray and percussionist Ryan Wall to rock out an acoustic set of several Gin Blossoms classics. After that Jim Babjak (Guitarist, The Smithereens), Dennis Diken (Drums, The Smithereens), Graham Maby (Bass, The Joe Jackson Band) took the stage along with Robin to perform several Smithereen hits.
There was a large turn-out of local music fans and LIMEHOF inductee Albert Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult) was also in attendance to show his support.
“I am so honored to be in this organization,” Bouchard said. “People say it’s such a sin that Blue Oyster Cult isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don’t give a damn about that! This is the real deal right here. I mean an organization with John Coltrain, Lewis Armstrong, Run DMC, Billy Joel… all these great people not just rock but everything and that’s what I’m into, not just Rock I like all kinds of music…classical, jazz, even country and rap… I like it all.”
To date LIMEHOF has inducted over 120 musicians from a range of music genres from across Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn and Queens (which LIMEHOF considers geographic Long Island). This latest induction marks the fourth in the new LIMEHOF museum location since it opened last fall. The new building offers LIMEHOF more flexibility in scheduling to induct new artists throughout the year. Wayne Robins, Roger Earl and The Fat Boys were all officially inducted at that location since it opened. LIMEHOF plans to induct and honor new artists including in the entertainment field including actors, comedians and more.
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