The 2010 Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Inductees

The vote tabulation has been completed for the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame inductees for 2010! The Advisory board members voted for the top ten individuals and one venue for this honor, and once the nominee acceptance phase is completed, an induction ceremony will be held.

What is the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame?

The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (AMEHOF) is a non-profit organization that was created to honor and recognize the talented people and successful venues that have touched Arizona in all areas of entertainment, including media, music, and fine arts. The AMEHOF consists of a Board of Directors and a group of ten committees that work together to further the organization's goals, all on a volunteer basis.

The Hall of Fame inductees are nominated by the Board of Directors and Advisory Board. According to the AMEHOF website, each nominee is evaluated by their "impact on the evolution and development of the musical and entertainment culture in the state of Arizona."

The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame's website contains an impressive list of Arizona's past inductees. Wayne Newton and Alice Cooper were the first two inductees in 2002, and the list has grown since that initial induction to include other local and big name greats, such as: Stevie Nicks, Alice Cooper, Lew King, The Herndon Family and Handlebar J's, Steven Spielberg, Buck Owens, Glen Campbell, Wallace and Ladmo, and so many more. See the AMEHOF website for the complete list.

The 2010 Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Inductees

With so many talented individuals and great venues in the Valley, this year's decision was undoubtedly another difficult one! But with the votes counted, the following nominees are slated for induction in 2010, pending their approval:

Musicians and Entertainers:
-Dick Van Dyke - This actor, comedian, writer and director moved to the Arizona Valley in the early seventies.
-Erma Bombeck - Resident of Paradise Valley, Champion of the Arizona Kidney Foundation
-Billy Williams - Artist and Producer, he played in the Phoenix 1960's band, The Cornerstone, and was on stage the night Mr. Lucky's opened its doors. He received a grammy for Lyle Lovett's The Road to Ensada.
-Al McCoy - The voice of the Phoenix Suns! Shazam!
-Dolan Ellis - Arizona's Official Balladeer since 1966. He has devoted most of his life to telling Arizona's story through his songs, photos, music and poetry.
-Hugh Downs - Began in radio in 1939, added TV in 1949, and moved to Carefree, Arizona in 1969.
-Goose Creek Symphony - This band was formed in 1968 in Phoenix, as an outlet for the music of Charlie Gearheart, aka Ritchie Hart.and, according to Wikipedia, "is considered by many to be one of the most original bands of their time."
-Tanya Tucker - Spent her early singing years in Wilcox, Arizona before moving to Phoenix, where she sang onstage at Mr. Lucky's and at the Arizona Fairgrounds, all before she was 13!
-The Reed Family - The family (Margo, Francine, Laverne, Bucko and Mike), moved to the Phoenix area in the Seventies. Margo and Francine performed in legendary nightclubs in the Phoenix area over many years and were also both previously inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame.
-Marshall Trimble - Arizonan's Official State Historian. Being an Arizona native, he writes, sings, and tells Wild West stories about his birthplace.

Venue:
JD's - Was built and owned by John Musil, and was one of the Valley's two nightclubs that offered two dance floors in the 1960's and 70's. Upstairs, they fired up the fiddles for near capacity levels of country fans, and downstairs they blasted rock. Waylon Jennings and the Waylors played their grand opening in 1964. Mel Tillis, Johnny Rivers, George Jones, and Tammy Wynette were other performers upstairs over the years, while the Mike Condello Band, Southern California Psychedelic Light Company and Stan Devereaux rocked the house downstairs. JD's will always be remembered by Arizona baby boomers as the "club in the river bottom"!

(Read the Phoenix New Times February 21, 2002 article by Ted Simons "Requiem for an Outlaw" for interesting details on Jennings' connection to JD's. He helped design the stage and sound system and got the honky tonkers on their feet!)

The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The Inductee Relations and Events committees are now busy planning for the Induction Ceremony for 2010, which is typically a red-carpet event, complete with entertainment. The first fully-produced induction ceremony was in 2005 at the Dodge Theatre with the 2007 event held there in the same grandiose style.

The Future of the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame

The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame's ultimate goal is to acquire a permanent location to archive and display Arizona's entertainment history. This would provide schools, tourists, and fans a place to visit and learn about Arizona's contribution to the music and entertainment business.

For information on becoming a supporter or sponsor of AMEHOF, visit the website's supporter page, where you can make a donation or contact one of the board members or committee chairpersons.

The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame is an organization that provides an invaluable service to the citizens of Arizona by documenting its historical contribution to the music and entertainment business. It also widens the path that will encourage and perpetuate continued interest and future success in these artistic fields for the state. Rock on Arizona!

Resources:
Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame

Related Reading about the Arizona Arts & Entertainment Scene:
Arizona Songwriters Association 2010 Annual Event
The Drowsy Chaperone: A Musical Within a Comedy!