RIMHOF PHOTO BY KEITH FAYAN
At a Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame press conference held Friday, February 17, ten 2017 Inductees were announced at the R.I. Music Hall of Fame museum space located in Pawtucket’s Hope Artiste Village. It was also announced that this year’s induction ceremony and concerts will take place on three days – April 23, April 29 and April 30. 2017 inductees in attendance included Artie Cabral, Dan Moretti, Neutral Nation, and members of Plan 9, Rizzz, and The Wild Turkey Band. Billy Osborne Skyped in from L.A.

Motif  | Providence Journal | Pawtucket Times

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2017

Ten to be inducted into Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in the Class of 2017

PAWTUCKET – The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame (RIMHOF) held a press conference on Friday, February 17, announcing its 2017 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, many past inductees, and fans and family were on hand to welcome the ten new inductees into the Hall of Fame.

The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame’s 2017 inductees are: Artie Cabral, Phil Greene, Dan Moretti, Neutral Nation, Billy Osborne, Plan 9, Frank Potenza, Rizzz, Throwing Muses, and The Wild Turkey Band / Hometown Rockers.

2017 inductees in attendance at the press conference were Artie Cabral, Dan Moretti, Neutral Nation, members of Plan 9, members of Rizzz, and members of The Wild Turkey Band / Hometown Rockers. Frank Potenza was represented by his brother Joe and Billy Osborne was unable to attend but Skyped in from Los Angeles and was represented by family members. You can see his statement here: https://youtu.be/9mdB0uXE7fw

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.”

It was also announced that this year’s induction ceremonies and concert events will take place on three days – April 23, April 29 and April 30 – and will take place at two locations as RIMHOF celebrates its sixth year of operation.

This year’s Jazz and R&B inductions will take place on Sunday, April 23, 2:00 p.m., at The Greenwich Odeum, 59 Main Street, East Greenwich. Being honored on April 23 will be Artie Cabral, Dan Moretti, Billy Osborne and Frank Potenza. Tickets for the April 23 event at the Odeum are $20.00 and will include a performance by all of the inductees backed by an all-star trio consisting of pianist Tim Ray and 2015 Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame inductees Marty Richards on drums and Marty Ballou on bass. Tickets for the Jazz and R&B Inductions can be purchased at www.greenwichodeum.com .

There will also be two rock induction concerts held at The Met on the following weekend. On Saturday, April 29, at 8:00 p.m., the 2017 RIMHOF Rock Induction Concert – Part I will feature Kristin Hersh and David Narcizo of Throwing Muses, Neutral Nation, and Plan 9.  Sunday’s April 30 event will include the unveiling of the ten new inductee exhibits followed by the 2017 RIMHOF Rock Induction Concert – Part 2 featuring Rizzz, Phil Greene, and The Wild Turkey Band / Hometown Rockers beginning at 3:00 p.m. The Unveiling Ceremony for all 2017 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.

Tickets for both the April 29 and April 30 events at The Met are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door. 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 April 29 and April 30 concerts at The Met can be purchased at www.rhodeislandmusichalloffame.com. All tickets will go on sale starting February 28.

The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, formed in 2011, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating, 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. At last year’s sold out induction/concert event, the public saw 8 displays unveiled honoring the inductees in the museum space located in the hallways of Hope Artiste Village. This year’s induction ceremony on April 30 will see ten more displays unveiled celebrating the 2017 inductees and bringing the total to 53 inductee exhibits produced in just six 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.

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 online digital archive, we will have in place the tools to curate and showcase the best of Rhode Island’s musical artistry.”

Motif  | Providence Journal | Pawtucket Times