STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Long Island is about to get a Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame museum to honor and preserve Long Island’s music heritage.
It opens Nov. 25, and CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff got a sneak peek as work is underway.
Twenty years in the making, the music lovers who created the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame as a traveling exhibit are moving into a permanent home on Main Street in Stony Brook.
It’s a place to immerse in the achievements of artists from geographic Long Island — Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn — spanning a century.
“I dare people to find a place not only in the country, in the world, that has produced so much musical talent,” LIME Hall of Fame chairman Ernie Canadeo said.
Rocker Joan Jett donated her first car — a vintage Jaguar.
Other donations have been pouring in from 120 inductees: Billy Joel’s motorcycle, Harry Chapin’s Congressional Medal, Blue Öyster Cult’s cowbell, a Good Rats guitar, Perry Como’s Emmy, DMC’s signature attire and Debbie Gibson’s sequin dress.
“It’s memorabilia that reflect the vibrant and really pioneering music scene here on Long Island,” LIME Hall of Fame co-founder Norm Prusslin said.
There’s a tapestry of music history from Carole King to Taylor Dayne to Twisted Sister.
“These are the actual drawings of Dee Snider’s costumes,” LIME Hall of Fame designer Kevin O’Callaghan said.
Even the bone he posed with for the “Stay Hungry” album cover.
“This could very well be the holy grail of that genre,” O’Callaghan said.
The first exhibit will transport you the Long Island club scene from the ’60s to the ’80s where so many artists got their start.
“Hammerheads, Rum Bottoms, the OBI, My Father’s Place,” O’Callaghan said.
Next, they’ll induct entertainers — Long Island’s comedians, screen and stage stars.
“Almost every stand-up comic that comes to mind came from Long Island,” O’Callaghan said.
Exhibits will rotate to give fans reasons to come back.
Doors open on Black Friday. The Hall of Fame museum will be open year-round, Wednesday through Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. For more information, visit limusichalloffame.org.
