Billy Joel, Chuck D Announced as Presenters for the Long Island Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

Today, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF) has announced some of the very special presenters who will help induct the 2018 class during a red-carpet gala and ceremony taking place November 8, 2018 at The Space at Westbury (250 Post Avenue, Westbury, New York). Presenters this year include six-time Grammy Award winner Billy Joel, VP of Columbia Records and the man who signed Michael Jackson - Ron Alexenburg, Senior Director of Music Programming at SIRIUSXM - Lou Simon, The Cowsills, Chuck D & DJ Chuck Chillout, Jackie (Jokeman) Martling, and Live Nation Promoter Christian McKnight, with more to be confirmed.

Announced via press conference at The Space at Westbury, this years' class of inductees includes alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday, legendary hip hop group EPMD, Michael Lang, the co-creator of 1969's Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, Co-founder of Sire Records and the man who signed Madonna - Seymour Stein, American songwriter, composer, and singer Jimmy Webb, American singer-songwriter Melanie known for her hits "Brand New Key" and "Lay Down", Sha Na Na band member and game show host Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, American rock singer-songwriter, novelist, producer and journalist Elliot Murphy, American radio performer Bruce "Cousin Brucie" Morrow, American musician, record producer, music executive and music promoter for 1969's Woodstock Festival, Artie Kornfeld and Rich Branciforte, founder of Good Times Magazine, America's oldest regional entertainment newspaper. The paper became the Long Island musician's 'bible' in the 1970s and 1980s, publishing interviews with Bruce Springsteen and Duane Allman among others.

The LI Music Hall of Fame has added a "Long Island - Hired Guns Award", for exceptional sidemen who have made a career of working with, contributing to, and recording with major touring artists. The 2017 Award will go to Glenn Drewes (Buddy Rich, Michael Jackson, Madonna & more), and 2018 to Tommy Byrnes (Billy Joel's longtime Musical Director and guitarist, Stay Cats, Joan Jett & more)

All of the inductees were selected from LIMHoF's evolving and growing list of involved people, artists, groups and entities that were born, raised, were founded, or have resided on Long Island for a significant portion of their career or existence.

In addition to tributes, performances and introductions by the class of inductees, the Induction Ceremony will host a variety of celebrity appearances, musical performances and visits from former inductees.

Tickets for the ceremony are available now at: www.limusichalloffame.org

Past inductees and attendees include: Simon & Garfunkel, Louis Armstrong, Billy Joel, Lou Reed, Carole King, Donnie McClurkin, George M. Cohan, Steve Vai, LL Cool J, Suffocation, Eddie Money, Salt N Pepa, Carter Burwell, Joan Jett, Twisted Sister, Mariah Carey, The Ramones, Barbra Streisand, John Coltrane, members of KISS, Run DMC, Vanilla Fudge, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, Jones Beach Theatre, Public Enemy, Taylor Dayne, Clive Davis, Lovin' Spoonful's Joe Butler and Steve Boone, Gary U.S. Bonds, Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult), Tony Bennett, Aaron Copland, Sam "Bluzman" Taylor, Jean Ritchie, and many more. Full list upon request, or please check the website.

Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHOF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island's musical heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The 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 guide them in that exploration. For more information about the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, visit www.limusichalloffame.org

Proceeds from the 2018 Induction Ceremony & Red Carpet Fundraising Gala will support a variety of Long Island centric music education initiatives designed and administered by LIMHoF. This will include the support of its newest project, The Long Island Music Hall of Fame's "Tour Bus", a mobile music education museum, which will travel to school districts and private schools across Long Island with full-immersive and interactive exhibits. Proceeds will also assist with an annual scholarship program, awarded to graduating High School seniors who have shown an interest in pursuing a career in music.

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