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 JOHNNY MAESTRO AND THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE - Born Johnny Mastrangelo in Brooklyn on May 7, 1939, Johnny Maestro began his career singing with a group from Manhattan called The Crests. Their breakout single was 'Sixteen Candles', which hit #2 on the national charts.
They followed this up with a string of hits, including 'Trouble in Paradise', 'Step by Step', 'The Angels Listened In' and 'Six Nights a Week. After leaving The Crests, Maestro went on the score two Top 40 solo hits in 1961, 'Model Girl' and 'What a Surprise.
In the early '60s, Maestro began working with a New York vocal group known as The Del-Satins. While working the local club circuit, they ran into a seven-piece band called Rhythm Method. The two bands were so impressed with each other that they decided to merge together into what became The Brooklyn Bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge soon gained national exposure, thanks in part to their recording of Jim Webb's 'The Worst That Could Happen', which led to a chart-topping Gold Record and a string of television appearances on shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Della Reese. The band followed this up with such hits as 'Welcome Me Love', 'Blessed Is the Rain', 'Your Husband, My Wife' and 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. By 1972, The Brooklyn Bridge had sold over 10 million records, and Johnny Maestro had established himself as one of the top vocal performers of his era. During the '70s, The Brooklyn Bridge went through a series of musical and personnel changes. They continued playing in various renditions. In 1989, they released a successful Christmas EP. To this date, Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge continue to sell out shows at various venues around the country.
Performances on YouTube Here and Here.
www.j-maestro-bklyn-bridge.com
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 STEVE MARTIN started in the music business at the age of 17, booking bands in Eastern Long Island, in venues such as Hot Dog Beach, The Barge, Artful Dodger, and the legendary OBI. Continuing on this path during college in the late 1970’s, he headed the concert committee at the State University of New York in New Paltz. To the delight of his classmates, while there Steve successfully booked on-campus performances by major artists including Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Jerry Garcia Band, and Hot Tuna.
His professional career in New York City began in 1979 as a concert promoter producing shows in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC for famed artists such as Muddy Waters, Tom Waits, Dire Straits, Weather Report and Miles Davis.
In 1982, he became an agent at Magna Artists, but shortly thereafter left Magna to launch his own company, the Music Business Agency (MBA). Among Steve’s clients at MBA were Billy Bragg, Jimmy Cliff, Fela, Yellowman, Robert Hunter, Jorma Kaukonen, and Hot Tuna. In 1989, he sold MBA to the William Morris Agency (WMA) and became one of WMA’s principal booking agents, signing major acts including The Band, Ziggy Marley, Crash Test Dummies, and Barenaked Ladies to his roster.
In 1994, Neil Warnock asked Steve to join The Agency Group as one of the first agents in the company’s newly opened New York City office. Steve was instrumental in growing the company from 4 agents in the New York office to over 50 agents among the New York, Los Angeles and Toronto offices, thereby substantially contributing to The Agency Group’s status as the top independent music talent agency in the world.
Steve Martin is currently President of The Agency Group, North America. The agency employs over 60 agents who guide the careers of over 1,500 artists worldwide. His personal roster consists of over 60 artists including legendary performers such as Dolly Parton, David Gilmour, New York Dolls, Ray Davies, Squeeze, King Crimson, and Dream Theater.
Steve was awarded “Agent of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine in 2008.
In addition to his significant professional achievements, Steve is a proud father of two wonderful children, Nicole and Alexander.
www.theagencygroup.com/agency_overview_bio_martin.html
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 For a man who has declared that he may at any moment cease making music
to concentrate fully on his passion for ministering, DONNIE McCLURKIN can never stay away long from recording profoundly uplifting music for
the soul. His latest collection We All Are One (Live in Detroit) is his
first music recording in five years. Other best selling discs include
his nearly double platinum-selling Live In London And More… and gold
selling, Again, and Psalms Hymns & Spiritual Songs. These are a mixture
of contemporary, traditional hymns & praise and worship Gospel music
exhibiting his unique ability to simultaneously entertain, heal and teach.
McClurkin's smash release of Live In London and More (spurred on by the
hit single, "We Fall Down" ) and his other recordings have brought home
a trophy case full of awards and honors, including a 2007 Trumpet Award
and a 2007 NARAS Recording Academy Honoree-NY Chapter, a performance at
the star-studded Dream Concert held at Radio City Music Hall (a
fundraiser for Dr. King's monument in Washington, DC); two Grammy
Awards, Best Traditional Gospel Album- Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs
(2006), Best Soul Contemporary Gospel Album- Again (2004); NAACP Image
Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist (2004), a BET Award (2001), a (2002)
Soul Train Music Award and a number of Dove and Stellar Awards.
McClurkin was also nominated for a 2006 Image Award.
His television appearances have included performances on shows like Good
Morning America, CBS Saturday Early Show, The View, Essence Awards, BET
Awards, Trumpet Awards, UNCF: Evening of the Stars, Extra! TV Guide
Channel, and cameos on sitcoms such as UPN's Girlfriends, The Parkers
and Paramount Studio's award winning film The Fighting Temptations
starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. He has been featured in
USA Today, New York Times, Essence Magazine, Ebony & Jet Magazine,
Billboard, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter and many others.
Born in 1959 in Amityville, New York, McClurkin served as an assistant
to Pastor Marvin Winans at Detroit's Perfecting Church for over a decade
before he was ordained and sent out by Winans in 2001 to establish
Perfecting Faith Church, in Freeport, New York. After overcoming an
abusive childhood McClurkin was compelled to share his story with others
in his book, Eternal Victim/Eternal Victor! As a teen he was drawn to
street evangelism and prisons; his evangelistic approach and passion to
minister to people are evident whenever he's before an audience. Whether
it is on Sunday mornings or in a large arena, his mission is to reach
people with the good news of the gospel. "As much as I love music and
singing, more now than ever before, I feel my greatest strengths and
calling lie in pastoral ministry. It's my very existence and my greatest
joy," said McClurkin.
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 If all DENIS McNAMARA ever did was to switch WLIR 92.7FM’s format from album oriented rock to New Wave in 1982, his fame would have been assured. That bit of magic single handedly created an entire new genre in radio and took the station to the pinnacle of industry prominence as a taste maker and trend setter. Denis truly did “Dare To Be Different", and as a result he has spent his professional life making gold from dross. He began at NYU where he was the General Manager for WNYU and was a newswriter at WNEW in its early progressive rock days. He came to the nascent WLIR in 1975, and helped build the largest ratings machine LI radio ever produced. ‘LIR was famous for its yearly Party in the Park and Tuesday Night Concert Series, and these were frequently presided over by the “Voice.” Denis took free form progressive radio into modern rock, on into New wave, finally setting the stage for alternative.
WLIR became WDRE in 1987 and Denis continued to refine and devlop his innovative new music format. When WLIR finally folded in 1991, Denis moved over to the music industry side where he was the Sr. VP for the Universal Music Group and international A&R director for Polygram and Polydor, later to become Sony. His final work there was in the Broadway soundtrack genre. Once again, McNamara dove into the future by becoming the music director for Vtuner.com, an internet based broadcast format carried over wi-fi LANs. Denis is currently the executive producer at NYM and is back on the air at WRCN 103.9 FM in Medford , NY . He was selected for a position on the B.O.D. of the L.I. Music Hall of Fame shortly after its inception, was honored with its LISA award, and is now being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
www.wrcn.com/Denis-McNamara/7534890
 Wikipedia: WLIR
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 MARIAN MCPARTLAND - When considering the long and storied career of Marian McPartland it soon becomes apparent that the remarkable breadth and manner of her accomplishments are, in all likelihood, unmatched in the history of jazz. A pianist and composer gifted with a vast, encyclopedic memory and an intuitive sense of harmony, McPartland has been performing professionally for 65 years now, delighting audiences with her engaging artistry in clubs and concert halls around the globe and on scores of recordings. To millions of radio listeners, she is also the genial host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, the popular Peabody Award-winning National Public Radio program which is celebrating its 25th year on the airwaves. Additionally, McPartland has mentored countless musicians, spearheaded efforts in jazz education and served as one of the best ambassadors of jazz the world has known. From 1952 to 1960 Marian McPartland led a trio at the Hickory House, a nightclub on Manhattan's 52nd Street. On any given night those in attendance might include Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Steve Allen, Oscar Peterson or Artie Shaw, along with musicians like Bucky Pizzarelli and Paul Bley hoping to sit in with the band.
In 1978, Ms. McPartland began hosting Piano Jazz, and was commuting from her home in Port Washington to New York City. Thirty years on, she continues to make the weekly trip to host the longest-running cultural program on NPR, which reaches listeners on 200 public radio stations in 45 states and 24 foreign countries. Winner of the prestigious Peabody Award and the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award, Piano Jazz has also received honors from the New York Festival and the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television. In 2000, McPartland was named one of the American Jazz Masters by the National Endowment for the Arts. In her 25-year long tenure at the label, McPartland has released over 60 albums on Concord Records. Marian was awarded her first Grammy in 2004, a Trustees Lifetime Achievement Award celebrating her work as an educator, writer and radio host. She also celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Piano Jazz with a live taping in front of an audience at Kennedy Center, Washington DC on June 4, 2004 with special guest Peter Cincotti. At age 88, she continues to perform for audiences around the world, and, needless to say, talk of retirement confounds the seemingly indefatigable pianist, entertainer and legend who has guests booked for Piano Jazz two years from now.
www.npr.org/programs/pianojazz
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 EDDIE MONEY- Arriving in the late '70s at the height of album rock's popularity his debut album showed a knack for good, old-fashioned rock & roll delivered with a polished, radio-friendly finesse. During the early MTV era he held onto his audience by filming a series of funny narrative videos for the new medium, something his AOR peers were reluctant to do.
Initially, Eddie Mahoney was going to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Brooklyn cop. He attended the New York Police Academy during the early '70s, but at night, he sang in rock bands under the name Eddie Money.
Born in Brooklyn, Eddie lived in Plainedge as a teenager, and he considers that time to be the most formative of his life. "Long Island was the breeding ground; it made me who I am,'' Money says. "Most of what I learned about my craft I learned in high school with (my band) The Grapes of Wrath.''
Eddie decided to pursue his music as a full-time career, so he quit the academy and moved to California. He became a regular at Bay Area clubs, where he eventually caught the attention of legendary promoter Bill Graham. Graham signed on as Eddie's manager, and secured him a contract with Columbia Records. Money released his eponymous debut in 1977. The album yielded the crossover Top 40 hits "Two Tickets to Paradise and "Baby Hold On". The hit single "Maybe I'm a Fool" soon followed. In the early '80s, Money's videos were in regular rotation on MTV, and those clips helped make "Shakin'" and "Think I'm in Love" into major chart hits.
In 1986 Eddie hit the charts again with 'Can't Hold Back'. Featuring the hit duet with Ronnie Spector, "Take Me Home Tonight," and the Top 20 "I Wanna Go Back," the album became a Top Ten smash. Money followed in 1988 with 'Nothing to Lose', which featured the Top Ten "Walk on Water." Two years later, "Peace in Our Time," taken from the 1989 Greatest Hits: Sound of Money, reached number 11.
Eddie Money continues to tour the country rocking audiences with his winning combination of a powerful voice, catchy lyrics, and hook-laden straight-ahead rock and roll. He has even appeared on television shows such as The King of Queens (as himself) and The Drew Carey Show.
Eddie pays homage to 1960's rock on his new album 'Wanna Go Back'. It's the music that 15-year-old Eddie Mahoney and his band, The Grapes of Wrath, played in their live set 'back in the day' here on Long Island.
Eddie Money - http://www.eddiemoney.com/
Eddie Money Performances on Video Here.
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=19972&fr=yfp-t-501 and
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/169674.
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 GEORGE "SHADOW" MORTON - Shadow Morton has left an indelible mark in the history of popular American music. He is often credited with popularizing a style of mid 1960's music known as "The Long Island Sound."
Raised in Brooklyn and Hicksville, young Morton was exposed to roving street gangs and motorcycle gangs. Years later, Morton would translate these memories into elaborate musical productions that would capture a universal imagination. Morton entered the music scene of the early 1960's.
Contacting his childhood friend, Brill Building songwriter Ellie Greenwich, Morton talked his way into a demo session. Pulling together a young girl group from Astoria, some local musicians (including a young Billy Joel) and a basement studio in Bethpage, Morton created "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and presented it to Greenwich's employers Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, who loved the track and send Morton into the studio to record the song, and the Shangri-Las were born. Soon after, Morton returned to the studio with the Shangri-Las and recorded, "Leader of The Pack." Morton added sound effects to create an evocative ambiance: "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" with its sounds of waves and seagulls became the romantic summer theme on Long Island beaches, and "Leader of the Pack" with its revving motorcycles and anti-hero protagonist became a classic road song.
Morton is credited with discovering a young folk singer named Janis Ian and producing her controversial hit, "Society's Child." He shopped that song to 22 labels and was turned down by each. It wasn't until he played the song for his friend, Leonard Bernstein, who featured it on a television show, that the song took off and a new artist was born.
Another friend cajoled Morton to drive out to The Action House in Island Park to hear a band known as The Pidgeons. The next day, he recorded the band under the new moniker "Vanilla Fudge" and a new genre was born, "The Long Island Sound". With a blend of heavy organ keyboards and gut-wrenching soul, "You Keep Me Hanging On" topped the charts. Later, Morton added his signature style to The New York Dolls with Too Much Too Soon and punk-glam was born.
Many artists and many classic albums received the Shadow Morton treatment, but more often than not the mercurial Morton removed his name from the project. Still, Morton was known for his ears and his ability to create a new sound as well as a hit record. Here are a few of the artists that received the Morton touch as they rose to stardom: The Rascals (getting them signed to Atlantic Records), Jimi Hendrix (Are You Experienced), The Who (The Kids Are Alright), The Blues Project, The New York Rock and Roll Ensemble (Michael Kamen), Mott The Hoople and Iron Butterfly (In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida).
Performances on YouTube .
http://www.limusichalloffame.org/lirock/shadow01.html
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 The address 19 Bryant Avenue in the village of Old Roslyn resonates with musical legend and history.
MY FATHER'S PLACE was a dilapidated Country/Western bar owned by Jay Lenihan when partners Michael ‘Eppy’ Epstein and his cousin Richie Hersch bought and took control of it in 1971. The duo set the scene for the greatness that was to come to that site when, on Memorial Day 1971, fellow L.I. Music Hall of Famer Richie Havens performed in Old Roslyn at the height of his Woodstock-induced fame . After teaming up with local WLIR-FM, Eppy and the club quickly became the epicenter for amazing concerts and concert broadcasts, creating a phenomenal synergy. The club was the setting for many musical "firsts", as well as a number of not-so-secret major shows. "My Father's Place" presented Billy Joel’s first show after the release of his debut solo LP “Cold Spring Harbor", Bruce Springsteen’s first show out of NJ along with seminal radio concerts (including a classic by Lowell George and Little Feat in 1974). "MFP", as it was lovingly nicknamed, was also a virtual clubhouse for the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, Ron Wood and Keith Richards, as they hung out with the cream of the Reggae world, who were welcomed, and strongly supported, by the enlightened booking policy of the club.
The real MFP story is in the music. The venue kept live performance vital when the rest of LI was discoing the night away, or jumping on the clone bandwagon. Besides Reggae, Punk music found a place to grow, and some of the acts that hit the Roslyn stage right after a CBGB debut included the Talking Heads and the Ramones. Comedy was also a staple, and now-famous purveyors of laughs including Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Cheech and Chong and George Carlin graced the MFP stage. Despite the creativity, and perhaps as a result of the widespread fame of the venue, the club had the usual issues with the local municipality and the changing music world, eventually forcing the club to close its doors. But even then, it was done in style, with Blue Oyster Cult presiding over the event. And now, so says the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, "Long live My Father’s Place!"
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 A long-time Queens resident, EDDIE PALMIERI has a musical career that spans over 50 years as a bandleader of both Salsa and Latin Jazz orchestras. Born in Spanish Harlem in 1936, Eddie began piano studies at an early age, as did his celebrated older brother, the late Salsa legend and pianist, Charlie Palmieri. For Latin New Yorkers of Eddie’s generation, music was a vehicle out of El Barrio. At age 11, he auditioned at Weil Recital Hall, next door to Carnegie Hall, a venue as far from the Bronx as he could imagine. Possessed by a desire to play the drums, Palmieri joined his Uncle’s orchestra at age 13, where he played timbales. Says Palmieri, “By 15, it was good-bye timbales and back to the piano until this day. I’m a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano.”
Eddie Palmieri has a discography that includes 36 titles and has been awarded nine Grammy Awards. The first Grammy Award he received was in 1975 for the recording entitled “The Sun of Latin Music,” a historic moment, as it was the first time the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) recognized Latin Music. He would win again the following year for “Unfinished Masterpiece,” “Palo Pa ‘ Rumba” in 1984, “Solito” in 1985 and “La Verdad” in 1987. He received both a Latin Grammy and a traditional Grammy for the 2000 release with Tito Puente entitled “Obra Maestra/Masterpiece,” “Listen Here!” would win in 2006 and “Simpatico” in 2007, a collaborative effort with trumpet master Brian Lynch. That same year, “Simpatico” was recognized by the Jazz Journalist Association as Best Latin Jazz Album. In 1993, Mr. Palmieri was appointed to the Board of Governors of the New York chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and in 1995 he was instrumental in creating the new category for Latin Jazz. His album “Palmas” was among the nominees in this newly created category, and in 1996 he was nominated once again for his album “Arete.”
Eddie began his professional career as a pianist in the early ’50s with Eddie Forrester’s Orchestra. In 1955 he joined Johnny Segui’s band. He also spent a year with the Tito Rodriguez Orchestra before forming his own band, the legendary “La Perfecta” in 1961. La Perfecta was unique in that it featured a trombone section in place of trumpets (led by the late Barry Rogers), something that had been rarely done in latin music, demonstrating the early stages of Palmieri’s unorthodox means of orchestration. They were known as “the band with the crazy roaring elephants” because of the configuration of two trombones, flute, percussion, bass and a vocalist. With its one of a kind sound, La Perfecta soon joined the ranks of Machito, Tito Rodriguez and other major Latin orchestras of the day. Palmieri’s influences include not only his older brother Charlie but also Jesus Lopez, Lili Martinez and other Cuban players of the 1930s and 1940s; jazz luminaries such as Art Tatum, Bobby Timmons, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner. Says Palmieri, “In Cuba, there was a development and crystallization of rhythmical patterns that have excited people for years. Cuban music provides the fundamental from which I never move. Whatever has to be built must be built from there. It’s a cross-cultural effect that makes magnificent music.”
His unconventional style would once again surprise critics and fans with the 1970 release entitled “Harlem River Drive.” This recording was the first to merge black and latin styles resulting in a free-form sound that encompassed elements of salsa, funk, soul and jazz. This new fusion moved effortlessly from mood, groove, texture and excitement with its multi-dimensional guitar, funky piano riffs, notable brass and unforgettable rhythm section. Led by Eddie, the group also included his brother Charlie, as well as excellent players from both communities such as Victor Venegas, Andy Gonzales, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and Ronnie Cuber. Further to this proclivity for creating and performing in funk latin style, Little Louie Vega invited Eddie to record “Nuyorican Soul,” in 1997, a release which became a huge hit with dancers and dj’s in the house and underground music scene.
In 1988, the Smithsonian Institute recorded two of Mr. Palmieri’s performances for the catalog of the National Museum of American History in Washington , D.C. , a rare public honor. In 1990, he was invited by Paul Simon to serve as a consultant on his release Rhythm of the Saints. Mr. Palmieri was awarded the Eubie Blake Award by Dr. Billy Taylor in 1991, and is among the very few Latin musicians recognized by both the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico and New York State. In 2002, Yale University awarded Mr. Palmieri the Chubb Fellowship Award, an award usually reserved for international heads of state, but given to him in recognition of his work in building communities through music. In 2005 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Urban Latino Magazine and acted as Godfather of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City, as well as received the EL Award from El Diario Newspaper. Mr. Palmieri’s composition “Azucar Pa’ Ti” was inducted into the 2009 National Recording Registry of the United States Library of Congress as a significant and compelling sound recording of 1965. All inductees were selected for showcasing “…the diverse beauty, humanity and artistry found in the American soundscape.”
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 PUBLIC ENEMY - Chuck D (born Carlton Ridenhour, 1960) formed Public Enemy in 1982 as he was studying graphic design at Long Island's Adelphi University. Def Jam Records co-founder and producer Rick Rubin heard a tape of Chuck D rapping over a song called 'Public Enemy Number One', and began courting him for the label.
Ridenhour began conceived of a project that mixed sonically extreme production with revolutionary politics. He put together a crew consisting of DJ Terminator X (born Norman Rogers, 1966), fellow Nation of Islam member Professor Griff (born Richard Griffin, 1960) and fellow rapper Flavor Flav (born William J. Drayton Jr., 1959). As the group developed, Flavor Flav functioned as a court jester to Chuck D's booming voice and somber rhymes. Chuck D's friend from his Adelphi student radio days, Hank Shockley, was put in charge of PE's production team, The Bomb Squad.
Public Enemy's debut album "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" was recorded in Hempstead and released on Def Jam records in 1987. A decade later, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2003, it was ranked number 497 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The group's second album, "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" put Public Enemy on the map. With the album's mix of avant garde and funk sounds, Chuck D's inspired political rhetoric, and Flavor Flav's comedic raps, hip-hop had now also become a force for social change.
Public Enemy often found itself embroiled in controversy. Critics were uncomfortable when the lyrics for their song 'Bring the Noise' were praised by controversial Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan, and some were outraged when lyrics for 'Fight the Power' (theme song for the Spike Lee film "Do the Right Thing") disparaged such icons as Elvis Presley and John Wayne. Amidst these difficulties "Fear of a Black Planet" was released in 1990 to both positive critical reception and public acclaim that took the album into the pop Top Ten. Their next album, 1991's "Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Fights Back" included a re-recording of 'Bring the Noise' with the thrash-metal band Anthrax, which raised their profile among rock audiences.
The band released a remix collection "Greatest Misses" in 1992, and "Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age" in 1994. Chuck D retired Public Enemy from touring in 1995 and formed his own label. The group released the soundtrack to Spike Lee's "He's Got Game" in 1998, "There's a Poison Goin' On" in 1999, and "Revolverlution" in 2002. The member roster has changed over time, but Public Enemy remains a vital force in rap music.
Public Enemy - www.publicenemy.com
Public Enemy Performances on Video Here.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1372497575242532600
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1372497575242532600
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1114042170&fr=yfp-t-471
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 THE RAMONES - The members of the Ramones joined forces in Forest Hills, Queens in January 1974. They all adopted Ramone as their surname, though they were not actually brothers. The name stemmed from a piece of Beatles trivia; Paul McCartney called himself Paul Ramone in an early incarnation of the group.
Johnny (Cummings) was lead guitarist for the group's entire career. Joey (Jeffrey Hyman) handled vocal chores for the legendary punk outfit. DeeDee (Douglas Colvin) played bass in the original quartet. Original drummer Tommy (Erdelyi), a band member for just over three years, would later become a producer for the group. In 1978 the band asked Marky Ramone (Marc Bell) to fill the drum chair. This put the longest running lineup (Joey, Johnny, DeeDee, Marky) of the band in place, and Marky would perform 1700 shows with the band. Towards the end of the group's twenty-three year run, other "Ramones" (Richie and CJ) would fill out the bass and drummer positions.
Along with acts as diverse as the New York Dolls, Television, Blondie, Patti Smith Group, and the Talking Heads, the Ramones were a focal point of the collective 'punk scene' at the club CBGBs in New York. The group was signed by Sire Records in 1975, and released their eponymous debut (at a cost of about $6000) on April 23rd of 1976, a date many mark as the official beginning of the punk movement. The album would have a profound effect on the future of the music industry. The Ramones subsequent appearance at The Roundhouse in England galvanized the UK punk scene, and inspired members of The Clash (Joe Strummer), The Damned and the Sex Pistols (Johnny Rotten), who all managed to get backstage and meet the band.
Johnny, Joey, DeeDee and Marky starred in the 1979 Roger Corman film "Rock 'n' Roll High School". This lineup also worked with legendary producer Phil Spector on their 1980 album "End of the Century", a collaboration that resulted in the Ramones biggest selling album. In total, the group released 14 studio albums between 1975 and June of 1995.
After a spot in the 1996 Lollapalooza festival reaffirmed the group's relevance after 20 years, The Ramones disbanded. Sadly, Joey Ramone died of lymphoma on April 15, 2001. DeeDee died of a heroin overdose in June of 2002, and Johnny succumbed to prostate cancer in September of 2004. A few months later, the Ramones documentary film "End of the Century" was released to critical acclaim. The Ramones DVD "Raw", produced by Marky, is the first Ramones DVD to go gold. Johnny, Joey, Marky, and CJ appeared as cartoon caricatures of themselves in the popular animated television series "The Simpsons"
Today, Marky and Tommy Ramone are both dedicated to keeping the Ramones legacy alive.
The Ramones - http://www.ramones.com/
Ramones Performances on Video Here
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/148260 and
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/94487 and
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=219091&fr=yfp-t-501 and
http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/27635
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 LOU REED is arguably the architect or midwife for some of the later 20th century’s most powerful musical movements. The songwriter, composer and guitarist was born Lewis Allen Reed. After living through a middle class Freeport childhood, Reed went to the pinnacles and the nadirs of life, and lived to tell the tale through his storied music, poetry and ventures in the visual arts. Reed began his music career as a staff writer for Pickwick Records where he first met John Cale. The two formed the Velvet Underground with Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison, Thus began one of rock’s most influential ensembles; a maelstrom whose ripple effect on music would be felt thereafter. Lou left the group in 1970 to puruse the solo career that has spanned 4 decades of creative ferment, controversy, starts and stops and never looking back.
Lou Reed was educated on the streets, and he has consistently populated his work with the denizens of the underbelly of urban society. Marginalization, contempt for mainstream, and emotional impact are always a part of Reed’s oeuvre - although that doesn’t always preclude success, as the status achieved by classic songs like “Sweet Jane”, “Rock and Roll” and “Walk On the Wild Side” make clear.
Close mentor Delmore Schwartz helped to instill a poetic aspect into much of Lou’s work. And aside from injecting that poetic nature into his contributions to rock music, Reeds ventures into prose, spoken word, experimental composition, theatrical scoring, tai-chi instruction, and photography are indicative of the seemingly boundless creativity found in one of music’s most enigmatic figures. Though sometimes accused of creating work deemed too ‘beyond’ most listeners, Reed has always been able to remain true to his own visions. And those visions are now accompanied by long-time artistic, and life, partner and wife Laurie Anderson. Lou Reed’s visions and creations are still unfolding, expanding, wandering and exploring. He is our own – Brooklyn born and Freeport bred. And we recognize him as a man who will always be himself; for there is no other artist like him. The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is honored to be able to bestow upon Lou Reed entrance into our pantheon.
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 JEAN RITCHIE - was born and raised in Viper, Kentucky in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, youngest in a family of fourteen children. Walled in by the rugged Cumberland ridges, the Ritchies and their neighbors farmed their hillsides using primitive methods and entertained themselves with games and ballads handed down through the generations from their Scottish, English and Irish ancestors.
She became the first person to enroll and obtain a degree in social work from the University of Kentucky. In 1947 she moved to New York and worked in the famous Henry Street Settlement as a social worker whose main virtues proved to be her voice and her deeply felt desire to help make a better world.
By 1950, Jean Ritchie was an important figure on the New York folk scene, her influence probably best shown by the fact that dulcimers, almost unknown instruments in New York, were suddenly in demand. She is credited with almost single-handedly reviving interest in the mountain dulcimer and with helping to establish its prominence as more than a regional folk instrument.
As Jean's reputation grew, Oxford Press published Singing Family of the Cumberlands, a book about her family and its music, in 1955 (and still in print today). Nine more books, including the prize winning Celebration of Life, were to follow.
The early 50s continued to be eventful for Jean. She married New York photographer George Pickow and met Jac Holzman, who with a friend, had just started a small record company called Elektra. He asked if she'd consider launching their folk music division. The first record for Elektra and for Jean, was the 10-inch LP "Jean Ritchie, Singing Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family". Since then, she has recorded more than 30 albums for different labels, including her own Greenhays label, which she and George set up in 1979.
In 1996, the Ritchie-Pickow Archive was established at University College, Galway, Ireland. In 1998 the Life Achievement Award was given to Jean by the Folk Alliance. KET, The Kentucky Network honored her with a special about her life and music, "Mountain Born: the Jean Ritchie Story" which aired widely over the PBS network.
The Ritchies have lived in Port Washington since 1956, and have a log house in Viper, Kentucky. Interest in traditional music keeps Jean active performing in more summer music festivals and college dates than ever before. She also finds herself in demand to guest teach at such places as the University of California, Santa Cruz or to serve as artist-in-residence, and has performed extensively for television.
"I believe that old songs have things to say to the modern generation, and that's why they've stayed around. That's also why I am still singing. I'm not afraid to be myself. Agents say you have to change and grow, but I believe you can sing the same songs and sing them better and grow new songs out of the old. I guess if I had to categorize myself or pin down a description of what I do, I'd have to say I'm a carrier of tradition." – Jean Ritchie
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|  RUN-DMC - All three members of Run-D.M.C. were natives of Hollis, Queens. Run (Joseph Simmons) was born on November 14, 1964. D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels) was born on May 31, 1964. Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) was born on January 21, 1965.
In the early '80s, Run's brother Russell Simmons formed the hip-hop management company, Rush Productions. By the mid-80's, Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin formed Def Jam Records. Russell encouraged his brother Joey and his friend Darryl to form a rap duo, which they did, taking the names 'Run' and 'D.M.C.' respectively. After they graduated from high school in 1982, they enlisted their friend Jason to scratch turntables. In 1983, Run-D.M.C. released their first single, 'It's Like That'/'Sucker M.C.'s'. Propelled by an unusual and aggressive sound and powerful, literate vocals, 'It's Like That' became a Top 20 R&B hit, as did their second single 'Hard Times'/'Jam Master Jay'. They released their first full-length album Run-D.M.C. in 1984. By the time of their second album, 1985's King of Rock, Run-D.M.C. had become one of the most popular and influential rap bands in America. Their 1986 album Raising Hell album broke down barriers between rap and rock, particularly due to their cover of Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way', recorded with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. They followed this up with 1987's Tougher Than Leather album, and with a film of the same name. Their 1989 album Back From Hell was their first album not to go platinum. Legal and personal problems caused a 4-year delay until Run-D.M.C.'s next release. In the interim, both Run and D.M.C. had become born-again Christians, which they touted on their new release, Down With the King. The title track became a Top Ten R&B hit, and the album went gold.
After a long break, Run-D.M.C. returned in 2000 with a new album, Crown Royal. In 2002, they released two greatest hits albums, and went on a successful tour with Aerosmith. Sadly, only weeks after the end of the tour, Jam Master Jay was murdered in a Queens studio. Run-D.M.C. was clearly one of the most important acts in hip-hop history. They were the rap band to star on MTV, the first to have both a platinum and a multi-platinum album, the first to receive a Grammy nomination, and the first to become a household name.
Performances on YouTube Here, Here and Here.
www.rundmcmusic.com
www.revrun.com
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