NEW
JERSEY (NJMHOF) - New Jersey's rich musical heritage was on display at
the world-famous Stone Pony club in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Musicians
and dignitaries gathered for a ceremony to announce the launch of the
New Jersey
Music Hall of Fame (NJMHOF).
The New Jersey Music
Hall of Fame will include a museum that encompasses artists from
throughout the state in every musical genre, musical inventions, and
details of significant events in music history that took place here.
The museum is scheduled to officially open in the summer of 2006.
"From
the invention of
Thomas Edison's phonograph to Count Basie; Frank
Sinatra; the Four Seasons; Bruce Springsteen; Bon Jovi; and up to
current emerging stars like Fountains of Wayne, New Jersey has been at
the forefront of musical innovation unparalleled by any geographic
location in the United States and probably the world," said John Scher,
President, Metropolitan Talent/Hybrid Recordings.
The New Jersey
Music Hall of Fame was created to preserve and promote the rich musical
heritage of music in New Jersey, foster the growth of the next
generation of musicians, and provide educational programs for students
to experience music.
Asbury Park has been selected for the home
of the New Jersey
Music Hall of Fame because its central geographic
location provides easy access to locations throughout the state as well
as to Philadelphia, New York City and Washington DC. In addition,
Asbury Park has a long and illustrious history as one of the state's
leading music scenes.
"Asbury Park is the heart and soul of New
Jersey's music scene," said Mayor
Kevin G. Sanders, City of Asbury
Park. "Music has been the thread that has kept this city together
through the good and bad times. This is a memorable event at this point
in the City of Asbury Park's revitalization that the NJMHOF has decided
to make it their home."
The New Jersey
Music Hall of Fame is
confident that the state's musical history will draw music fans from
around the world to the museum. "Fans of
Bruce Springsteen have been
coming to Asbury Park for decades," said Gary Wien, President of
NJMHOF. "With the addition of artists like
Frank Sinatra and Count
Basie and inventions like the phonograph and electric guitar, the
drawing power and prestige of this museum is enhanced dramatically."
"There
is always a latent demand in terms of music tourism (examples:
Liverpool and Memphis) and I am so happy to see these dreams
materialize in Asbury Park," added
Simon Osborne, Property Manager,
Speke Hall,
National Trust, United Kingdom.
"Everyone is more
than aware of the impact that rock and roll has had on New Jersey, but
the NJMHOF will build awareness that there exists a very broad cross
section of music from opera to Bruce. Asbury Park is the perfect city
for the NJMHOF and I am very excited to be a part of it!" said Tim
McLoone, Restauranteur, Musician, and Founder of Holiday Express.
