Long Island’s First Hall of Fame – All About Music and Entertainment!

Back in the early days of video technology, Harry Hepcat wrote and produced a one-hour documentary on teen life in the late 1950s and early ’60s.  Entitled “Teen Beat,” the video concentrated on
the teen cultural scene in Port Washington and Long Island in general.  The project included vintage photographs, period school yearbooks, tapes of local disc jockeys, newspaper articles, records made by local rock & roll groups, 1950’s advertisements, and 8 mm film footage of the era.

Harry Hepcat grew up in the era and has performed rock music from 1958 through seven decades.  With three degrees, including a Master’s degree from New York University, Hepcat has written many historical pieces for the Cow Neck Historical Society, Long Island magazine, Good Times, Port Washington News, The Islander and Newsday.  He and his band have performed vintager rock and lectured on the subject in various schools in the tri-state area.  Harry Hepcat was a D.J. in the 80s and 90s on WNYG 1440 AM in Babylon and created many music specials for WBAB FM and WPKN in Bridgeport.

Ron Pace -guitar
Gary Passavia -guitar
Mike Sharp -guitar
Frank Cannon -drums
Henry Diaz -bass

PROJECT 20 is a “well seasoned” five piece rock band with 3 guitars, bass & drums playing an eclectic mix of “Classic” 20th Century Mainstream Rock, Off-Stream Rock and Original music. Ron Pace -guitar/vocals Ron Pace has been a music educator, vocalist, and guitarist i n the metropolitan area for more than forty years. He was a full-time choir director and guitar i nstructor i n the Brentwood public schools for thirty-seven years and currently directs an after-school guitar program for Brentwood High School. He i s well versed i n classical, rock, blues and j azz styles of playing, and has performed professionally in those styles. Over the years Ron has maintained an active performing career. In the past few years, some of his playing has been featured on several television shows. Ron now performs regularly with the PDP Jazz trio and Project 20. Gary Passavia -guitar/vocals Gary i s a self taught rock guitarist, singer and songwriter drawn i n by the Beatles and the British Music Invasion of the 60’s. He first studied music and l earned the foundations of classical guitar i n college which expanded i nterest i n other music forms. Gary was a founding member of the popular Long Island progressive rock group called Harlequin, which evolved i n the 70’s from a series of club bands and original music projects. The band was heavily i nfluenced by the musical creativity of Genesis and the dramatic flair of the frontman, Peter Gabriel. At that time Harlequin was at the top of the club scene i n the 70’s and 80’s on Long Island along with Zebra, Twisted Sister, Rat Race Choir, Essence and a host of others. At i ts peak, the band recorded four original songs and performed an all-original concept album called the ‘ LFO’ complete with a cast of five superhero characters and story comic book. Harlequin was also known for their highly theatrical renditions of Jethro Tull, Zappa, Gentle Giant, Genesis and performed nearly half of Pink Floyd’s double album ‘ The Wall’. At one point, Pink Floyd‘s management contacted the band manager and requested that they stop performing their l ive rendition of ‘ The Wall’. Managers went head to head but eventually Harlequin continued with Pink Floyd’s blessing. After a long hiatus from musical performance to build his business & grow his family, Gary j umped back i nto the fray, playing club dates with a series of cover pop and blues bands i ncluding The Dog House Blues Band. He currently performs with the PDP Jazz Trio, and (Rock) Project 20.

Debra Lynne is a singer/songwriter/musician presently living in Long Island, originally from NYC. She migrated from the piano to the guitar when she decided that carrying a piano to campfire singalongs wasn’t as easy as carrying a guitar.

Debra started out with a love of folk music which gradually grew to include country music. A poet since the age of five, Debra started putting her poems to music in college. Mostly singing as a soloist up until recently, Debra now enjoys playing in duos and trios, everywhere from coffee houses to large venues. Her love of family, gardening, and sharing her music with an audience is what makes her happy. Debra writes songs of lost love, found love, the search for love, and what she humorously calls “the flip side”. She looks forward to sharing her original music with you on November 17th.

In 1991, several years after he studied under the great Steve Adelson, Fred launched The Fred Hintze Experience- an infusion of retro- folk, jazz, and punk rock. It’s something different for a hip audience. Fred serves up an eclectic mix of originals and covers primarily written by folks that he’s connected with over the years- Tom Paxton, Elliot Murphy, and Tom Russell just to name a few. The act was featured in the New York Times in 2015. Fred’s mission has always been to challenge himself and the audience by creating songs that create an engaging vibe – an experience that’s a bit “out of the box” but one they will never forget.

Deck The Halls With LIMEHOF

11AM – 6PM at Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame! Live Concerts, Comedy Shows, Surprise Appearances By Our Inductees, Rare Film And Video Screenings, Kids Entertainment Including An Appearance By Santa, And Special Surprise Guests! Adults $38.50, Senior/Vets $36.00.  All-In Pricing includes $3.50 processing fee. Tickets are non-refundable.

Deck The Halls With LIMEHOF

11AM – 6PM at Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame! Live Concerts, Comedy Shows, Surprise Appearances By Our Inductees, Rare Film And Video Screenings, Kids Entertainment Including An Appearance By Santa, And Special Surprise Guests! Adults $38.50, Senior/Vets $36.00. All-In Pricing includes $3.50 processing fee. Tickets are non-refundable.

Calliope Wren is a Long Island born and raised singer/songwriter, recording and performing artist, advocate for mental health & the LGBTQ+ Community, ranging in all genres from alternative/pop, rNb, soul, rock, and pop. (mainly alternative/pop). Calliope Wren has over a decade of musical theater, performance and stage experience across long island & NYC. She attended Five Towns College for 2 years majoring in musical theatre and studying under David Krasner. She has performed at various popular venues and festivals around and outside New York; such as Patchogue Theater, 89north, Heckscher Park on the Chapin Rainbow Stage, The Bitter End Amityville Music Hall, The Spotlight at The Paramount, The Bowery Electric, Friars Club, Stereo Garden and Montauk Music Festival.

SPECIAL EVENT SATURDAY DEC. 14, 2PM. Free with Hall of Fame admission.
Author Bill German presents his book “Under Their Thumb…How A Nice Boy From Brooklyn Got Mixed Up With the Rolling Stones”.
“Under Their Thumb”, chronicles his unlikely friendship with the Stones (forged when he was just a teenager in Brooklyn) and reveals how he became the band’s official historian for two decades. He traveled the world with them, stayed at their homes, and witnessed their private jam sessions, decadent parties, and vicious feuds.
He’ll share his humorous and behind-the-scenes anecdotes at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame, on Saturday, December 14th, at 2:00 PM.
“Under Their Thumb” is available in our gift shop and Bill will be happy to sign your copy!

“The happiest discovery for me this summer was the arrival of the Mountain Maidens cd “We’ll Walk The Road Together.” Their vocal clarity along with creative and striking arrangements gives a new freshness to a wide variety of older songs.  They are my new favorite women’s trio — a great group.”  –Bob Sherman WFUV/WQXR radio host of Woody’s Children September 2018

Three dynamic voices blended in splendid ancient and modern harmonies that will lift your spirit, excite your senses and warm your heart.   They sing ballads, folk songs, Medieval, Irish Traditional music, love songs, country and gospel songs including themes of social justice to the accompaniment of guitars, banjo, dulcimer, bouzouki, dumbec, spoon, castanets and lots of percussion instruments including washboard.  They met at Swing The Teapot Irish Pub in Floral Park where they were singing Irish music for St. Patrick’s day they knew right then and there they would be a trio. There was instant magic,  harmony and camaraderie. Marie plays just about every string and percussion instrument there is (guitar, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, Irish Bouzouki, dumbec, bones and spoons) and sings British and American folksongs and Jewish music. Candice (Candy) Baranello is a member of the Long Island group Wild Ginger. She plays dulcimer, washboard, and bodhran and sings traditional, Old Timey, classical and gospel. Lorraine is a member of the Huntington Choral Society, plays guitar and flamenco castanets, dance board and sings in a beautiful alto. They are accompanied at special concerts by Harpist, guitarist and vocalist, Jean Farnworth and Irish Fiddler Madelaine Dillon and other talented musicians when called upon. CD release April 2018 double CD, Mountain Maidens.

John McCarthy born in Queens, NY and Lorraine Lisa (AKA Rain)  North Bergin, NJ.

Both moved the suburbs of Long Island, in their early childhood years.

In the late 90’s Rain put together a hard rock band called D’Vine Ryte.  John auditioned as a guitarist for the band. They developed their style of singing and harmonizing and writing together in this project. D’Vine Ryte had one self-titled, LP released in 1994.

John’s guitar technique has created and developed their unique sound. They are influenced by many rock and folk-rock bands, and their songs receive regular exposure.

John and Rain McCarthy are noted for “Fit to Be Tied” under the group Somehow Sorry. The full-length album was recorded at Modern Voices Records. The first release under the artist’s name Somehow Sorry. Johnny & Rain’s music is distributed on all digital platforms.

Festival appearances at Woman’s Rights to Rock, Lilith Fair, Woodstock Revival and the CCAR Recovery Fest. Established their reputation as a respected rock act, as well as supporting many national artists.

After wowing us at our “Sirens of Song” event this past October, we knew we had to bring back Lydia von Hof to do her own performance at the LIMEHoF! Lydia is a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based on Long Island. She has performed as a soloist at Madison Square Garden at a New York Knicks halftime show, The Bitter End in NYC, Rockwood Music Hall, and more. Aside from singing folk, rock, jazz, and her originals, she is a classically trained pianist and opera singer and has performed piano solos at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and has performed with the New York Opera Exchange.