The Long Island Music Hall of Fame has announced its inaugural 2006 Inductees, who will be honored on October 15, 2006 at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, 71 East Main Street in Patchogue. This class will include 28 of the "First 50"individual musicians, groups and organizations the Hall of Fame has selected for induction. They will be joined in 2007 by 22 others and by succeeding induction classes in coming years. The complete "First 50" list for 2006 and 2007 can be seen in the enclosed attachment.

Inductees were selected by The Long Island Music Hall of Fame Board of Directors from an evolving and growing list of people, artists, groups or entities that were born, raised, founded, or have resided on Long Island for a significant portion of their career or existence. Entry into the Hall is based on historical importance and the significance of their contribution to Long Island's rich musical heritage. The organization defines Long Island by its geographic boundaries, which includes Queens, Kings, Nassau, and Suffolk counties.

Hall of Fame Chairman Richard L'Hommedieu has said, "This first group of 50 inductees, which we will be honoring over the course of the next two years, represents Long Island's long and diverse contributions to the world's musical landscape. The Long Island Music Hall of Fame has taken great care to celebrate within that "First 50" the Long Islanders who represent some of the extraordinary contributions Long Island has made to history of music, not only in America but throughout the world. It is our hope that these "First 50" will demonstrate that Long Island has been, and will continue to be, a consistent and never-ending wellspring of world class musical talent."

He added, "In order to properly represent Long Island's extensive contributions to the history of American music, the first group of inductees in The Long Island Music Hall of Fame must not only represent over 100 years of music history, but they also must properly illustrate the diversity of this home we call Long Island. Drawn from a growing list of over 500 potential inductees, it's clear that our first induction class is only a sample of the great talent that has called Long Island their home."

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is a 501 (c)(3) membership organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island's musical heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. LIMHOF was created as a place to inspire in each person the desire to explore and celebrate music in all its forms and to be a place where the music community will find the support, resources and leadership necessary to aid them in that exploration. The Hall of Fame sponsors the Long Island Sound Award, traveling educational exhibits and is working to create a permanent home for the story of Long Island's musical heritage.

For more information about the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, please visit their website at http://limusichalloffame.org/ or contact Jeffrey James Arts Consulting at 516-586-3433 or jamesarts@worldnet.att.net.