The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast

Send us Fan MailIn the next episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, listeners are treated to a rare, previously recorded interview with filmmaker Dori Berinstein, director of the PBS documentary Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did for Love. The film offers an affectionate and comprehensive look at the life and career of Marvin Hamlisch—an official inductee of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. This classic interview captures Berinstein reflecting on her creative process, the challenges of documenting such an iconic figure, and the remarkable legacy Hamlisch left behind. As a retrospective conversation, it also serves as a poignant reminder of Hamlisch’s enduring influence following his passing in 2012.Marvin Hamlisch was one of the most accomplished and versatile composers of the 20th century, achieving the rare distinction of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award (EGOT). A child prodigy who entered the Juilliard School at just six years old, Hamlisch went on to compose some of the most recognizable music in film, television, and theater. He won three Academy Awards in one night for The Way We Were (including Best Original Song for the title track) and The Sting (Best Original Score). On Broadway, he achieved monumental success with A Chorus Line, one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history and a defining work of American musical theater. Hamlisch also collaborated with legendary artists including Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli, and served as principal pops conductor for major orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. His career bridged classical, pop, and theatrical traditions, leaving a catalog of work that remains deeply influential.The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast highlights the voices and stories of artists, industry leaders, and cultural figures connected to Long Island’s rich creative history. Hosted by Tom Needham, the series has featured a wide range of notable guests, including acclaimed musicians, filmmakers, and entertainment professionals whose work has shaped popular culture. Through a mix of new interviews and archival conversations, the podcast provides listeners with unique insights into the creative process and celebrates the legacy of Long Island’s most influential artists.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailThis episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast features audio from a talk by AJ Rok Woodson, founding member of the pioneering Hip-Hop group JVC Force. The program was recorded during a special event held on February 28, 2026 at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook, New York.During the discussion, Woodson reflects on the early days of Hip-Hop and the development of JVC Force during the genre’s formative years. He also talks about recording and performing in the 1980s, the group’s connection to the New York Hip-Hop scene, and his continued involvement in music and culture. The conversation also touches on his book We Got Our Own Thang: A Look at Hip-Hop From the 914, the importance of documenting Hip-Hop history, and the experiences that shaped the group’s music and career.The event at the Hall of Fame brought together fans, artists, and members of the local music community for an afternoon of storytelling, audience questions, and a book signing. The program highlighted Long Island’s role in the development of Hip-Hop and featured appearances by members of the regional music community.The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast features conversations, live recordings, and archival audio highlighting artists, industry figures, and cultural contributors connected to Long Island’s music and entertainment history. Episodes include interviews, panel discussions, and special events recorded at the Hall of Fame and throughout the Long Island music community.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, Tom Needham sits down with musician, songwriter, and educator Jack Licitra, the creative force behind Jack’s Waterfall. Jack joins us to talk about The Blue Light Club, a new album that unfolds like a late-night gathering place where stories, friendships, and music intertwine. Rooted in jazz, blues, and timeless songcraft, the record creates a vivid emotional atmosphere centered on connection, community, and the shared experience of live music.Jack also shares insight into the collaborative spirit behind the project, highlighting the diverse group of vocalists and instrumentalists who helped shape its rich, textured sound. From expressive horn arrangements to soulful rhythm sections and layered instrumental colors, the album blends intimate performances with expansive musical moments. Beyond the recording, Jack discusses his work as an educator and bandleader, continuing to inspire the next generation of Long Island musicians while creating music that feels both classic and immediate.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailIn this special episode recorded live at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, director Robert Coppola Schwartzman joins Tom Needham just after the closing-night screening of his award-winning documentary, Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary, and moments before being honored with the Best Director Award at the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival. Schwartzman shares insights into the decades-spanning story behind the film, his thoughtful approach to capturing the band’s creative bond and resilience, and why their music continues to find new audiences. This conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at a documentary that celebrates artistry, history, and the enduring emotional power of song.The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival returns September 25–27, 2026, in Stony Brook, New York. Recognized as America’s first and only music documentary film festival, it features screenings, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and live performances, celebrating music’s history while inspiring future storytellers. Film submissions for the 2026 festival are now open at https://www.limusichalloffame.org/long-island-music-and-entertainment-hall-of-fame-music-documentary-film-festival/Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailIn this special Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast episode, LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham welcomes Rolling Stone senior writer and acclaimed author David Browne for an engaging conversation about Browne’s book Talkin’ Greenwich Village: The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America’s Bohemian Music Capital. Drawing on years of original research and more than a hundred first-hand interviews, Browne recounts the rise of Greenwich Village as a creative epicenter where folk music, politics, culture, and reinvention converged to shape an era.The discussion explores the Village’s powerful connections to Long Island and the greater New York region, highlighting stories of influential artists—many of them LIMEHOF inductees—whose roots and careers intersected with the folk music movement. Browne and Needham examine how musicians from Long Island and neighboring boroughs helped fuel the Village’s creative energy while contributing to a scene that would influence American music far beyond Manhattan.Blending historical insight with personal reflection, Browne shares behind-the-scenes perspectives from his extensive interviews with legendary performers and cultural figures, offering a vivid portrait of a community that welcomed outsiders, nurtured innovation, and ultimately faced dramatic change by the early 1990s. This conversation captures the enduring legacy of Greenwich Village’s folk scene and its lasting ties to the artists celebrated by the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailOn this episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, host Tom Needham sits down with Brooklyn Bridge inductees Jimmy Rosica and Joe Ruvio for a rare, song-by-song look back at the group’s landmark debut album. Together, they revisit the creation of classics like “Blessed Is the Rain,” “Welcome Me Love,” “Which Way to Nowhere,” “The Worst That Could Happen,” “Piece of My Heart,” and more.Rosica and Ruvio share vivid memories of working alongside music greats Johnny Maestro and Jimmy Webb, reflecting on the group’s signature blend of harmony vocals and full horn arrangements that brought them national acclaim.Recorded during a packed live event at the Hall of Fame, the episode captures the energy of a room full of fans who later stayed to meet the band members and take photos. It’s an intimate celebration of a breakthrough album that helped define an era of New York soul-pop.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailThe Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame presents a special podcast episode hosted by Tom Needham and featuring Emmy-winning producer and talent manager Rory Rosegarten, an Executive Producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and Ray Romano’s manager. Rosegarten has represented many performers including Robert Klein and Tom Green; produced the Broadway musical Late Night Comic at age 25; co-executive produced the TNT drama Men of a Certain Age; and won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series for Everybody Loves Raymond. He is also an executive producer of the upcoming Netflix biopic I Slept With Joey Ramone.This episode also highlights LIMEHOF’s new exhibition, Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years, opening November 28th in Stony Brook. The immersive exhibit features the original 70-foot-wide set created for the show’s 30th anniversary CBS special—on public display for the first time—along with elements from the Paley Museum’s earlier Raymond exhibition. Designed by Kevin O’Callaghan, the experience brings visitors inside the Barone family home with recreated rooms, iconic props such as the fork and spoon and the Christmas toaster, and multimedia clips including rare behind-the-scenes material. The exhibit reflects Rory Rosegarten’s efforts to bring the sitcom’s history to Long Island, where the fictional Barone family lived and where Ray Romano has deep New York roots.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailThis episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast features a conversation with Tom Needham and Johnny Farina of the legendary duo Santo & Johnny, inductees of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Born in Brooklyn, the Farina brothers began performing as teens at local dances and clubs from Brooklyn to Long Island after being inspired by the steel guitar their father heard while stationed in Oklahoma during World War II.In 1959, their debut single “Sleep Walk” became the last #1 instrumental of the decade, earning a Gold Record and national fame with appearances on American Bandstand and The Perry Como Show. The brothers went on to achieve international success with hits like “Maria Elena” and The Godfather theme, which topped the charts in Italy for 26 weeks.Today, Johnny continues to perform across the country, keeping the Santo & Johnny legacy alive. With more than 40 albums released worldwide and inductions into both the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, their signature sound remains one of the most enduring and beloved in popular music history.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailThe Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast welcomes Jason Chapin, son of Hall of Fame inductee Harry Chapin, to talk about the acclaimed new documentary Harry Chapin - Cats in the Cradle: The Song That Changed Our Lives. The film recently won Best Film at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival, honoring its moving look at the creation and lasting impact of Harry’s legendary song.Harry Chapin - Cats in the Cradle: The Song That Changed Our Lives explores how one deeply personal composition grew into an anthem that continues to inspire generations. The film features intimate interviews and reflections from family, friends, and fellow Hall of Fame inductees Billy Joel, Pat Benatar, Dee Snider, DMC, and Bob Buchmann, all sharing how Harry’s artistry and activism shaped Long Island’s music legacy and beyond.Two special screenings have been announced: the New York City premiere with Tribeca Film on October 30 (tickets available for Tribeca members; press please inquire about comps) and a hometown screening on November 1 at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, Long Island.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, host Tom Needham sits down with DJ Johnny “Juice” Rosado — the legendary turntablist for Public Enemy, award-winning producer, filmmaker, and Hall of Fame Board Member. A defining figure in hip-hop’s evolution, Johnny Juice has spent decades advancing the art of turntablism while preserving the culture’s authentic roots.Tom and Johnny discuss his newly expanded role as Public Enemy’s official DJ, tracing his long history with the group and how his creative vision continues to shape their sound. They also dive into his acclaimed documentary, Bronx Boys: The Evolution of B-Boy Culture, which recently won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame’s inaugural Music Documentary Film Festival. Through the film, Johnny explores the origins of hip-hop’s dance element and celebrates the pioneers who helped build a global movement.This engaging conversation offers a rare look at hip-hop’s past, present, and future — from the Bronx streets to international concert stages — through the eyes of one of its most passionate historians and innovators.Buy tickets to visit LIMEHOF at:https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located at:97 Main StreetStony Brook, NY 11790Email: info@limusichalloffame.orgPhone: 631-689-5888