Delaware Rock and Roll Society presents our third Induction Ceremony on Sunday.
Seventeen longtime members of the Delaware music community will join 98 previous inductees in the Delaware Rock and Roll Society Hall of Fame.
At 2 p.m., they will each perform on the baby grand stage of the Grand Opera House in Wilmington before an audience of 300.
Most of the new inductees are still playing, still doing gigs. They all have at least 35 years of experience.
Some tickets are still available at the door or online at thegrandwilmington.org/productions/7402-delaware-rock-&-roll-society/.
More:Open Call: New Hagley exhibition tells diverse stories of American innovation
Delaware Rock and Roll Society finds musical performers from the past, and reintroduces them to the public, honoring them at an Induction Ceremony.
Nothing is better than hearing them burst into song. They often tell us they had no expectation of performing again.
What we do gives us a lot of emotional satisfaction. Our first set of Inductees included Lou Casapulla (Lue Cazz on recordings) and Teddy and the Continentals (from Conrad and Wilmington high schools) and The Tradewinds, all of whom had national recording hits.
We also induct the people and places that welcomed local music and performers, as well as radio personalities.
Some of those have included Mitch Thomas, radio DJ and host of an “American Bandstand”-style TV show; The Buggy Tavern; the Stone Balloon, and rock ‘n’ roll photographer Charlie Gibb.
High school dances introduced us to Larry Tucker, Johnny Neel and the Sin City Band.
For a while, we tried to guess which band — The Tradewinds or Al Santoro and the Hi-liters — played at the most weddings.
More:Open Call: Delaware Theatre Company is bringing the joy this season
The music of our past is so connected to happy times. Who comes to mind from your teenage years?
Some people have asked us who we would have left to induct after the first few years in this small state of Delaware.
After Sunday, 117 Delaware Hall of Fame members will exist. And we are just beginning!
Inductees for 2022 are putting on one great show.
Garry Cogdell from Claymont is a cornerstone of blues in Delaware. Dee Coridorri writes and performs his own music and song. Goldrush, composed of Gene Quacieri, Bill Davis and Ed Robichaud, the proprietors of the Drum Shop in Wilmington, are coming out with a new CD after 35 years. Rick Griffin has cool renditions of Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly.
Just try to keep from dancing when Mike Hines and the Look perform. Sol Knopf, one of several singer-songwriters sounds like Neil Diamond. Crabmeat Thompson’s wife will be honoring his music and humor. And Mark C. Rogers the DJ and Hometown Awards inventor also will be honored. What a lineup!
Delaware Rock and Roll Society is powered by Executive Director Paula Wolkind, President George Wolkind, Historian and author Steven Leech, jazz saxophonist Larry Williams, jazz singer and voice teacher Kitty Mayo, bass player and singer Tim Cleary, and videographer Chuck Old. Each of us has an emotional connection to music.
This group represents Delaware in a big way. We sing, play, arrange, write and record music. And dance!
We are thankful to have some loyal volunteers.
We have encountered many stories and surprises in our work and have been touched by the stories we hear. Lou Casapulla and the crew at Casapulla’s Sub Shop in Elsmere listen religiously to Even Steven Leech’s “Bop Time Radio Show” every Saturday morning on WVUD.
One of the sons of Teddy and the Continentals did not know his father was a rock ‘n’ roll star. Dad invited him to our first meeting with The Continentals, where they sang and told some stories. His son was in tears by the end of that hour.
More:Open Call: Arts & cultural groups, we want to hear from you
Vic Holveck of Vic and the Versatiles was sick and did not attend the first induction. We found him soon after in hospice. We were warned that he was very ill and barely responsive. Everyone was shocked when Vic talked nonstop for 45 minutes about the band, and the performances and that he actually grew long hair in the ’70s.
When we attended his viewing, his Delaware Rock and Roll medallion was displayed for all. His son told us it was what Vic had requested. We cried.
Being honored matters to Delaware music people.
Delaware Rock and Roll Society is a 501c3 nonprofit. We welcome volunteers and recommendations for inductees. Contact us on Facebook or at Delawarerockandrollsociety.org.
Paula Wolkind is executive director of the Delaware Rock and Roll Society.
