FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2014

Duke Robillard (right), will be one of nine inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame on May 4. The group Tavares, (left, below) in a photo from the 80s, will be featured in concert at Lupo's on May 3.

Nine more to be inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame - Annual event expands to two days

PAWTUCKET – In response to large crowds the past two years, The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame (RIMHOF) has expanded its 3rd annual Hall of Fame Ceremony and Concerts to two days this year – Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 – at two different locations. Formed in 2011,  RIMHOF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving the legacy of Rhode Island musicians, educators and industry professionals who have made significant contributions to both the national and Rhode Island music scene.

The R.I. Music Hall of Fame's nine 2014 inductees are: Tavares, Duke Robillard, Cheryl Wheeler, Paul Gonsalves, The Castaleers, The Mark II (Winston Cogswell & Ray Peterson) , Freddie Scott, Francis Madeira, and Randy Hien.

The May 3, 7 p.m. concert featuring Tavares as well as a tribute to Freddie Scott led by Mac Odom and The Travis Colby Band will take place at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St., Providence.  Tickets for May 3 are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door, $25.00 for balcony seating, and $35.00 for Gold Circle seating near the stage.

The 2014 RIMHOF Induction Ceremony and Concert is set for Sunday, May 4, at The MET and Hall of Fame space itself, both located within the Hope Artiste Village complex , 999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI.

Sunday's afternoon event will include the unveiling of all nine 2014 inductee exhibits as well as performances by Cheryl Wheeler, Duke Robillard, the Mark II and a tribute to Paul Gonsalves led by world-renowned saxophonist Dan Moretti.

The 2 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 for the May 4 concert are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door and can be purchased at www.RhodeIslandMusicHallofFame.com/event.htm

"I am both honored and astonished to have even been considered for induction into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.. AND to be in such company!" says singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler. Pawtucket resident and blues/jazz guitar legend Duke Robillard adds, "I am more than proud to be inducted into the RI Music Hall of Fame. Everywhere I travel in the world I talk about Rhode Island's vast amount of talent even though we are the smallest state. When I was in the big Texas band The Fabulous Thunderbirds, we had three Rhode Islanders out of five musicians. Need I say more?"

The Hall of Fame's inaugural inductees in 2012 were John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band, Roomful of Blues, Dave McKenna, Eileen Farrell, Oliver Shaw, Ken Lyon, Anders & Poncia, and Gerry Granahan. 2013 inductees were The Cowsills, Steve Smith & The Nakeds, Paul Geremia, Eddie Zack & The Hayloft Jamboree, Bobby Hackett, Jimmie Crane, Bill Flanagan, Sissieretta Jones, and George M. Cohan.

At last year's induction/concert event, the public saw nine displays unveiled honoring the inductees in the museum space located in the hallways of Hope Artiste Village. This year's induction ceremony on Sunday, May 4, will see nine more displays unveiled celebrating the 2014 inductees and bringing the total to 26 inductee exhibits in just three years. Eventually, the museum will hold more than 100 displays as well as assorted Rhode Island music history memorabilia and interactive components for visitors to enjoy.

All proceeds from RIMHOF's annual induction events go toward creating the museum displays, acquiring recordings and memorabilia, and digitizing that collection for permanent online access for future generations. All organizational work has been donated by members of the Board Of Directors and a staff of volunteers.

In addition to the annual induction ceremony and the creation of museum displays, the group's third major initiative is an online historical music archive featuring information and audio/video recordings by those involved in Rhode Island's past and present music scene. The online archive will include not only the work of the inductees, but will be an ongoing project documenting and preserving the entire Rhode Island music scene with contributions from all genres and eras. The archive can be found at www.ripopmusic.org

The Music Hall of Fame initiative," says Rick Bellaire, vice chair of RIMHOF, "provides a great opportunity to not only acknowledge Rhode Island's musical greats and celebrate their achievements, but to finally have an organization whose primary goal is to promote and preserve Rhode Island's rich musical heritage in all its forms. With actual exhibit space, coupled with our detailed online archive, we have in place the tools to curate and showcase the best of Rhode Island's musical artistry."

The outside world seems to be taking notice. In March, The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame was named the state's "Top Museum Worth Traveling For," according to flipkey.com, a vacation-rental website that's part of the travel site TripAdvisor. And the Hall of Fame was one of just two R.I. sites, along with Newport's Fort Adams, featured in the 2013 Rock Atlas USA, a travel guide to more than 600 music destinations in the United States.

"As the organization grows," chairman Robert Billington says, "the Hall of Fame will be committed to developing programs and services aimed at promoting and strengthening Rhode Island's current and future music scene and ensuring that music continues to play an important role in the lives of all Rhode Islanders."

Board member Russell Gusetti adds, "Two great examples of this are the Hall of Fame's Tune In & Tune Up musician health awareness initiative and its Unity Concerts event, as well as a new program called 'Playing for the PawSox' where local bands and artists get to perform outside of McCoy Stadium before PawSox home games. Both ideas have really seemed to grab the attention of Rhode Island's music community."

For press release questions or bio info contact Russell Gusetti at rgusetti@gmail.com

For inductee interviews with Tavares and Duke Robillard or questions about the online music archive, contact Rick Bellaire at 751-5351 or at mederick1@verizon.net

For general information regarding the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, contact Dr. Robert Billington at 401-724-2200 or at bvri@aol.com.

THE CASTALEERS
The Castaleers formed in the mid-1950s when members of various groups settled into a permanent lineup: Richard Jones (lead, baritone/tenor), George Smith (baritone), Dell Padgett (bass), Ron Henries (tenor) and Benny Barros (tenor). In partnership with songwriters/producers Myron and Ray Muffs, the owners of Muffet’s Music Store in downtown Providence, they scored a record deal with Felsted Records in Los Angeles. Released in 1957, “Come Back” charted in Providence, Philadelphia, Detroit and Montreal, but the group, all of whom had good jobs or were still in school, declined to tour outside of the Northeast until something bigger was on the horizon. Two more releases also fared well, but the group’s unwillingness to tour nationally led to them being dropped. Henries left and was replaced by singer/songwriter Joe Hill. The Muffs produced another session and placed the master with L.A. label Donna/Del-Fi. Once again, there was action, but it never reached the top and in 1961, the group called it a day. Still, the Castaleers are recognized as trailblazers for Rhode Island artists who paved the way for national releases by Freddie Scott, The Del Rios (Tavares) and Dipsy & The Doodles. Their 45s are considered some of the greatest group records of the pre-Soul R&B era.

PAUL GONSALVES (1920-1974)
While a Pawtucket high school student in the 1930s, Paul Gonsalves studied with two of Rhode Island’s finest musicians, guitarist Joseph Petteruti and saxophonist Joseph Piacitelli, but it was his tenor sax which opened doors for him with the big bands including Count Basie’s. As a master of many styles, he became a pivotal figure in the evolution of post-war jazz from swing into the modern era in the late ’40s. He joined Duke Ellington in 1950 and provided a crucial ingredient in the modernization of Duke’s sound. He also released a series of solo albums which are considered some of the finest small-group, modern jazz recordings of the ‘50s and ’60s. His place in the history books was guaranteed by his famous 27 chorus improvisation on “Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue” at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival which single-handedly reversed the waning fortunes of the Ellington band and turned the festival’s tone from a staid, concert setting into the joyous celebration for which it has become known the world over. Paul was universally regarded as one of the warmest, kindest and generous musicians in jazz. He passed away at 53 in 1974.

RANDY HIEN (1949-2006)
Randall C. Hien of Woonsocket entered the music business in 1971 when he took a job with his great-uncle B.A. Dario reopening the old Loew’s State Theatre as The Palace in downtown Providence to present Rock ’n’ Roll concerts. When the Palace closed 1975, Randy purchased the original Living Room on Westminster Street by trading the keys to his Jaguar XKE for the keys to the club and the liquor license. He kickstarted Rhode Island’s original music scene by instituting a policy which welcomed bands who performed their own music. By 1980 the club had become the center of a blossoming scene with a dedicated clientele. For the next 25 years at two more locations, Randy continued to promote R.I. music and offered financial and moral support, business and philosophical advice, and promotional and showcase opportunities for dozens of Rhode Island artists. In 2006, the Rhode Island music scene lost its greatest supporter and one of its most beloved figures with Randy’s untimely passing. During his entire entertainment career, Randy also focused on his other passion – baseball. He was a coach for the Lincoln Little League for 28 years.

FRANCIS MADEIRA
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra founder and conductor emeritus Francis Madeira came to Providence to teach music at Brown University in 1943 after completing his studies in orchestral conducting at the Juilliard School, New York. Finding no professional symphonic orchestra then active in the state he became the driving force in the creation of a 30-member ensemble that would bring the music of the European masters to various parts of Rhode Island through concerts in high school auditoriums and similar community venues. After generating interest and financial support from leading citizens and music lovers from Rhode Island's business community, Madeira conducted the orchestra's first concert in November, 1944 in Westerly, which was successful enough for a continuing season of six concerts in February, 1945. From that point on the Rhode Island Philharmonic has delivered high-quality musicianship year in and year out, and today it is regarded as one of the great regional orchestras in the United States with a roster of more than 70 musicians and a fully staffed music school that provides weekly lessons and ensemble experiences to more than 1,500 students. He retired to Portland, Maine in 1978. Maestro Francis Madeira, 97, will be in attendance as he is inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame on May 10, 2014 during a performance by the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Providence.

THE MARK II
Winston Cogswell & Ray Peterson
Winston Cogswell, of Warwick, was literally present at the birth of Rock ’n’ Roll after moving to Memphis, Tennessee in 1954. Working at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records as a “jack of all trades” – guitarist, pianist, songwriter, arranger, producer and recording artist under the name Wayne Powers – he collaborated with some of the most important figures in music history including Ray Harris, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. He moved on to RCA Victor in Nashville as a songwriter penning hits for Chet Atkins and Skeeter Davis. Deciding he could pursue his writing career without being on the scene, he returned to Warwick in 1960 and began collaborating with pianist/composer Ray Peterson. The duo formed Wye Records with a third partner, engineer Ken Dutton, and their 1960 debut release as The Mark II, “Night Theme,” became a national hit. The song was covered dozens of times around the world including versions by Al Hirt, The Chantays, and Lawrence Welk. Wye became the launching pad for some of Rhode Island’s finest musicians and remains the only Rhode Island label to score a Hot 100 hit. More than 50 years later, Cogswell and Peterson are still collaborating at the time of their induction into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

DUKE ROBILLARD
By the end of the 1960s, Michael Robillard, of Woonsocket, had already earned a reputation as one of the finest blues guitarists in Rhode Island after stints with the short-lived original lineup of Roomful of Blues, Ken Lyon’s Tombstone Blues Band, and The Black Cat Blues Band – during whose run he acquired his world-renowned nickname of “Duke.” In 1970, he was introduced to the horn-driven energy of the “jump blues” via Buddy Johnson’s classic LP “Rock ’n Roll” and he reformed Roomful with a three-piece horn section. Under his leadership, the band practically single-handedly revived the genre recording two albums for Island Records. In the early 1980s, Duke left the band to pursue a solo career with his stellar Rhode Island rhythm section, The Pleasure Kings – Thom Enright and Tommy DeQuattro. During this period, the jazzier side of his far-flung influences began emerging more strongly and he released his first jazz project, “Swing,” in 1987 to critical acclaim. Leading up to his induction into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2014, he has not only maintained his status as one of the world’s finest blues guitarists, he has become known worldwide as one of our greatest jazz players as well. Along the way, he has recorded and/or toured as a collaborator or sideman with some of the greatest artists in music including Herb Ellis, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Dr. John and Ruth Brown.

FREDDIE SCOTT (1933-2007)
Freddie was born in Providence in 1933. He found early success touring the Northeast and England with his grandmother’s gospel group, Sally Jones & The Gospel Keyes. He settled in New York City in 1956 and began his career as a recording artist and as a songwriter for Don Kirshner’s Aldon Music working alongside to Carole King, Neil Sedaka and Paul Simon. His songs from this period were recorded by Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka, Tony Orlando and Clyde McPhatter. His biggest hit as a writer was “The Door Is Open,” a Hot 100 entry for Tommy Hunt in 1962. Freddie entered the charts as a singer himself the following year with “Hey Girl” written by his friends Carole King and Gerry Goffin. It hit Billboard’s Top 10 and is considered a classic today with covers by the Temptations, Bobby Vee, Billy Joel, George Benson and Michael McDonald. In 1966, he signed with Shout Records and scored a #1 R&B song with “Are You Lonely For Me.” Although Freddie’s hit making days came to an end in the late ’60s, he stayed in the business and continued recording singles, albums and jingles and even tried his hand at acting. His last album was “Brand New Man” in 2001. Freddie passed away in June, 2007 leaving behind a legacy as one of the best soul singers and songwriters of the ‘60s. His success remains a great source of pride for the Rhode Island music community.

TAVARES
From their earliest days in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence, it was clear the seven Tavares brothers were born to make music. At first, they were guided by their dad, Feliciano “Flash” Tavares, but in the 1950s, the oldest son, John, began introducing the boys to the new R&B sounds springing up all over the country. Early incarnations of the group, The Del Rios, Chubby & The Realities and The Turnpikes rose to the top of the local scene in the early 1960s. By 1973, the act grew to include all six of the other brothers: Ralph, Arthur “Pooch,” Antone “Chubby,” Feliciano “Butch” Jr., Perry “Tiny” and Victor. After one final name change to simply Tavares, they signed with Capitol Records and scored their first big hit, “Check It Out.” Victor dropped out at that time leaving the five remaining brothers to embark on a decade-long run at the top unparalleled in Rhode Island music history. With massive hits such as “She’s Gone,” “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel,” and “Whodunit,” the group were recognized as pioneers in the evolution of R&B from the Soul era into the Funk and Disco movements of the ’70s and ’80s and won a Grammy for “More Than A Woman,” their contribution to Saturday Night Fever, one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2014, Tavares remains a top international touring attraction with Chubby, Pooch, Butch and Tiny carrying on the tradition.

CHERYL WHEELER
In 1976, Cheryl Wheeler moved to Rhode Island to pursue a career in music on the Newport folk scene. She took that scene by storm and was quickly recognized as one of the finest songwriters and singers to surface in a decade or more. Over the next few years, she became an in-demand performer at acoustic venues throughout the Northeast and established artists began covering her songs. When North Star Records of Providence began searching for an artist to launch their label, they zeroed in on Cheryl. In 1986, her self-titled first album, produced by Jonathan Edwards, brought her national attention and a cover version of one of its tracks, “Addicted,” was taken all the way to #1 on Billboard’s Top 40 Country chart by superstar Dan Seals in 1988. The follow-up, “Half A Book,” solidified her standing and she was picked up by the Nashville division of Capitol Records for her third album, “Circles & Arrows.” In 1993, she settled into the more familiar surroundings of the folk, blues and roots label Philo/Rounder in Cambridge, Massachusetts and released a series of recordings of her comic and emotionally intense songs which are considered singer/songwriter classics around the world. Her songs have been covered by a wide range of artists including Kenny Loggins, Garth Brooks, Bette Midler and Peter, Paul & Mary.

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