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The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame (RIMHOF) held a press conference on Friday, February 23, announcing its 2018 inductees. The press conference took place in the RIMHOF Museum located at Hope Artiste Village, 999 Main St., Pawtucket. Members of the RIMHOF Board of Directors, several past inductees, and fans and family were on hand for the naming of the eight new inductees who will enter into the Hall of Fame this spring.
The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame’s 2018 inductees are: David Blue, John Chan, Tom Ghent, Lloyd Kaplan, James Montgomery, Paul Murphy, Andrew Polin, Bob Morrisseyand LeRoy Bennett in the Technical/Lighting category, and Mike Renzi.
2018 inductees in attendance at the press conference were John Chan, Tom Ghent, James Montgomery, and Andrew Polin. Susan Murphy accepted for her brother Paul Murphy, Tom Shaker accepted for Lloyd Kaplan, and Al DeAndrade, from the Providence Federation of Musicians, accepted for Mike Renzi.
It was also announced that this year’s induction ceremonies and concert events will take place on three days – April 26, April 27, and April 29 – and will take place at three locations as RIMHOF celebrates its seventh year of operation.
“During the last six years, the Music Hall of Fame initiative,” says Rick Bellaire, vice chair of RIMHOF, “has provided our state with a great opportunity to not only acknowledge Rhode Island’s musical greats and celebrate their achievements, but has now established an organization whose primary goal is to promote and preserve Rhode Island’s rich musical heritage in all its forms.”
This year’s RIMHOF Jazz inductions will take place on Thursday, April 26, 7:00 p.m., at Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining, 267 Main St., Woonsocket. Being honored on April 26 will be Mike Renzi and John Chan. Tickets for the April 26 event are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door and will include a performance by Mike Renzi. Tickets for the Jazz inductions can be purchased at www.chanseggrollsandjazz.com
On Friday, April 27, at 7:00 p.m., the 2017 RIMHOF Folk and Songwriter inductions will honor Tom Ghent and David Blue and will feature a performance by Tom Ghent and a tribute to David Blue by Hall of Fame Inductees Mark Cutler (Class of 2015) and Bill Harley (Class of 2016.) The event takes place at POP! Emporium of Popular Culture, 219 Park Street, Providence. Tickets for the Folk/Songwriter induction at POP! are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door and can be purchased at www.emporiumofpopularculture.com
Sunday’s April 29 event will include the unveiling of the eight new inductee exhibits followed by the 2018 RIMHOF Blues, Educator, and Sideman Induction Concert honoring James Montgomery, Lloyd Kaplan and Paul Murphy as well as LeRoy Bennett, Bob Morrissey and Andrew Polin in the Technical/Lighting category.
The Unveiling Ceremony for all 2018 RIMHOF Inductee exhibits takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the Hall of Fame itself, located within the Hope Artiste Village complex, 999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI. The Induction concert tales place at The Met at 3:00 p.m. The James Montgomery Band will be performing followed by a Paul Murphy Tribute jam session featuring many past RIMHOF inductees as well as collaborators of Paul over the years.
The 2:00 p.m. unveiling of the inductee exhibits is free and open to the public; a ticket will be required for entrance to the 3 p.m. concert in The Met. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door and can be purchased at www.rhodeislandmusichalloffame.com . Tickets will go on sale starting February 27.
Robert Billington, Chair of RIMHOF noted, “The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and concerts have become the place to be and be seen at as we continue to showcase the fascinating history of Rhode Island’s musical heroes. The events are a virtual ‘who’s who’ of Rhode Island music history.
