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THE SCHEMERS/RAINDOGS/MARK CUTLER Led by Mark Cutler, The Schemers were at the top of the R.I. original music scene for nearly a decade, but a record deal eluded them. His next project, Raindogs, found major label success with two albums for Atco. Since 1995, Mark has released a series of nationally acclaimed solo albums.
BRENDA BENNETT Brenda was a featured vocalist and songwriter with both of Prince’s girl group projects, striking Gold with Vanity 6 and Platinum with Apollonia 6, and appearing in the hit movie “Purple Rain.” After a two-decade layoff, she returned to the scene with her first solo album in 2011.
GEORGE MASSO During his seven-decade career, George has excelled in every area of the music business - trombonist, pianist, composer, arranger, educator - and has recorded dozens of albums as a leader and sideman
DUKE BELAIRE Duke started off during the Big Band era and has never strayed far from his roots. After touring with name bands and drumming with the house band at The Celebrity Club, he formed his own orchestra in 1967 and is credited with keeping the big band sound alive.
GEORGE WEIN George began presenting the Newport Jazz Festival in 1954 and followed with the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. They became annual traditions and he is credited with putting Rhode Island on the map as an entertainment and cultural destination for international travelers.
THE OTHERS From 1964 to 1968, this group of college students became one of the top bands in the Northeast, released three records for two major labels, and still managed to stay in school.
GEORGIE PORGY & THE CRYBABIES The band George Leonard formed with his sisters became a fixture on the thriving 1960s discotheque scene in Manhattan which led to two national releases for Jubilee Records.
BOB PETTERUTI Bob is the “dean” of bass players in Rhode Island. A fraction of the list of musicians he backed as part of the house bands at The Celebrity Club and The Kings & Queens includes Roy Eldridge, Bobby Hackett and Ben Webster with whom he recorded two albums.
MARTY BALLOU Marty is best-described as Southern New England’s “first-call” bassist. Highly regarded nationally for his work in the jazz and blues fields, he is equally at home in other genres including folk, rock, pop and Americana.
THE ASCOTS While students at Barrington High School in the mid-1960s, the band scored a major hit with “Midnight Hour” which sold thousands throughout New England. Three members went on to record an album for Buddah Records as Deviled Ham which is considered a psychedelic classic.
MARTY RICHARDS Marty is nationally known as a “go-to” player for any setting. His innate sense of swing and unerring sense of time have graced dozens of recordings and thousands of stages behind a list of performers which reads like a “who’s who” of American popular music.
PACO ZIMMER Paco has reached the highest levels of the entertainment business providing career and financial guidance for superstars including The Who, Kiss and the Allman Brothers. Always a staunch supporter of local music, he created Center State, the showcase club in East Providence.

FRANCIS MADEIRA He built the Rhode Island Philharmonic from the ground up into a world-class symphony orchestra
MARK II They wrote and recorded “Night Theme,” the only international hit by a Rhode Island record company
FREDDIE SCOTT This legendary soul giant began his career singing with his grandmother’s Providence-based gospel group
TAVARES They rose from the street corners of Providence to become world-renowned R&B; superstars
CHERYL WHEELER With roots in the Newport folk scene, she became one of the country’s most successful singers and songwriters
RANDY HIEN He jump-started Rhode Island’s original music scene by encouraging bands to perform their own material
PAUL GONSALVES The Pawtucket saxophonist was Duke Ellington’s right-hand man and was a pivotal figure in the development of modern jazz
DUKE ROBILLARD After founding Roomful of Blues, he launched a solo career and became recognized as one of the all-time great blues guitarists
CASTALEERS Rhode Island’s pioneering R&B; Vocal Group of the 1950s

EDDY ZACK Introduced country music to New England, became a national act recording for Decca and Columbia, and were the stars of a nationally broadcast NBC radio show.
STEVE SMITH & THE NAKEDS Originally known as Naked Truth, Steve Smith and his rockin' and rollin' 10 piece R&B; horn band have been plying their trade for 40 years and are currently enjoying national attention with their Sony releases
SISSIERETTA JONES One of the world's greatest sopranos in the late 19th century and the first African-American to perform at Carnegie Hall
PAUL GEREMIA Over the course of nearly five decades and a dozen albums, this Rhode Island native has managed to become one of the acknowledged masters of the folk/blues tradition even while putting a distinctively personal & contemporary spin on the form.
GEORGE M. COHAN The Fox Point native threw off the reins of his highly successful family act during the waning days of minstrelsy & became one of the greatest composers, producers & performers of the vaudeville era.
JIMMIE CRANE One of the most successful composers in the history of R.I. popular music with dozens of hits recorded by major stars such as Eddie Fisher, Doris Day, Timi Yuro and Elvis Presley.
COWSILLS This Newport family band put Rhode Island back on the map after the British Invasion of the early 1960s and are revered around the world as early proponents of the Sunshine Pop school of rock 'n' roll.
BOBBY HACKETT By shifting focus from his successful career as a string player (ukulele, guitar, violin) in the vaudeville tradition to the blossoming jazz scene in the early 20th century, he became one of the most celebrated cornetists/trumpeters in the history of the music.
BILL FLANAGAN Music critic and historian is one of the biggest supporters of Rhode Island artists and has proven himself an innovator in music broadcasting with VH1 "Storytellers" and CMT "Crossroads."

OLIVER SHAW In the early 19th century, Oliver Shaw, a Providence composer, music teacher, publisher and retailer, was a nationally known powerhouse at the birth of the U.S. music industry and became the first American-born hit songwriter,
JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND Known far and wide as one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands of their era, big time success eluded them until a chance encounter lead to their highly acclaimed score to the movie "Eddie & The Cruisers" & multi-platinum sales & worldwide fame.
ROOMFUL OF BLUES One of the longest-running & most successful rhythm & blues horn bands in history, Roomful became the launching pad for many successful solo artists including Duke Robillard and Al Copley but has always managed to maintain their distinctive sound and international popularity.
KEN LYON & TOMBSTONE Equally at home with acoustic & electric blues, the Newport native achieved international success with a series of recordings as a solo artist & leader of the many lineups of his Tombstone Blues Band.
GERRY GRANAHAN Singer-songwriter Gerry Granahan earned 3 Gold Records in the late 1950s before moving behind the desk to become one of the most successful record producers of the 1960s,
EILEEN FARRELL Eileen Farrell was one of the finest American sopranos of the 20th century performing with every major opera company and symphony orchestra in the U.S. and is one of the best-selling classical artists of all time.
DAVE MCKENNA Noted for his incredible technique, the Pawtucket pianist also became known as one of the finest improvisers and all-around players of the post-War jazz era, equally at home as a sideman, accompanist or soloist.
PETER ANDERS & VINI PONCIA In between their successful runs with the Videls and the Tradewinds, Anders & Poncia became two of the most successful composers & producers of the '60s and '70s & participated in some of the landmark recordings of the rock 'n' roll era while working with Phil Spector during his creation of "The Wall Of Sound."

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