The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast Tom Needham

Send us a Text Message.Listen to a special Q&A featuring host Tom Needham, director Ellen Goldfarb and iconic WLIR DJs Denis McNamara and Larry "The Duck" Dunn. This event took place during a screening of the acclaimed documentary "New Wave: Dare to Be Different" at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. The documentary, directed by Goldfarb, delves into the revolutionary role of Garden City-based radio station WLIR in transforming the 1980s music scene. The Q&A se...

Send us a Text Message.Ron Alexenburg has over 60 years of experience in the music industry. In 1965, he joined CBS Records and soon moved onto Columbia Records, where he became the youngest head of promotion in the company’s history, working with the label’s top talent. He rose through the ranks at Columbia, eventually becoming senior vice president and general manager of Epic Records, a division of CBS Records Group. Over the years, Alexenburg has worked directly with many recording artists...

Send us a Text Message.Kurtis Blow was inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2014.Kurtis Walker—known to the world as Kurtis Blow—kicked off his career in the 1970s as Kool DJ Kurt, spinning records and making waves. He became the first rapper to achieve commercial success and land a major record deal with Mercury. His 1980 debut album featured “The Breaks,” the first rap song to go certified gold. He is known for his songs "Basketball," "Christmas Rappi...

Send us a Text Message.Jay Jay French will be joining Tom Needham for an extended conversation about his documentary We Are Twisted F***ING Sister. The film focuses on the ten grueling years leading up to Twisted Sister's commercial breakthrough as they cross-dressed their way all over Long Island bars and clubs to super-stardom.Twisted Sister was a dangerous combination of the New York Dolls’ glam, KISS’ theatrics, and the shock-rock styling of Alice Cooper. In 1972, Jay Jay French for...

Send us a Text Message.Blue Öyster Cult was inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2008. Albert Bouchard will be performing with some past and current members of the band at LIMEHOF's 20th Anniversary Concert Honoring Billy Joel on June 7th at the Tilles Center.Albert Bouchard, a globally recognized Grammy® Nominated songwriter and rock drummer, has sold over 24 million albums worldwide. As a co-founder of the renowned band 'Blue Öyster Cult,' his innovative d...

Send us a Text Message.Born in Brooklyn, Richie Cannata later moved with his parents to Garden City South, where he blossomed as a tenor sax musician. He played in school bands and with fellow local musicians, perfecting his trade on the local music scene as a live performer and studio musician. One day in 1975 when Cannata was in the studio, engineer Al Stegmeyer suggested that Cannata call his brother Doug, who had recently gotten a gig as Billy Joel’s bass player. The band was looking for ...