March  3, 2008

The 2008 Kansas Music Hall of Fame Unplugged will be held on March 21, 2008 beginning at 7:00 pm. Scheduled performances will be from 7-9 and a general jam from 9 until ?. The location is scheduled for:
Paddy O'Quigleys Pub and Grill at the Holiday Inn
200 McDonald Drive
Lawrence , Kansas

HOW TO SIGN UP TO PLAY (this is the hard part):
Starting March 5, 2008, acoustic acts (an act is defined as an individual or a small 3 piece group) will be signed up on a first-come first severed-basis. Acts can email reservations directly to (dhiggins@unm.edu) starting at midnight, March 5, 2008. Only 8 acts will be accepted via the on-line sign up. Four acts will be added “in person” the day of the Kansas Music HoF Unplugged Event03/21/08. This allows those who do not have immediate access to technology a chance to perform as well. Those who want to sign up in person can meet Dennis Fox Higgins at 6:00 pm at Paddy O'Quigleys Pub at the Holiday Inn. Given the time frames, this promises to be a two-hour+ show before the informal jam begins.
The first 8 acts who have made an on-line contact to perform will be posted on this site in a HoF Newsletter. (Remember, if you are not among the first 8 acts, you can sign up in person as described above.)

ABSOLUTE RULES

• No Hard-Core Profanity (even though we are performing in a bar, this could be a family show you know)
• Sorry, no drum kits
• 15 minute limit (including set-up)

BASIC RULES (I guess we need a few to really make this work):

• Although this is an “unplugged” event, acoustic and acoustic bass guitars are allowed to go direct into the provided PA but must be used with no effects. No backing tracks or drum machines will be allowed.
  (Basic set-up: Two columns - 500 watts per column, 8 channel mixer)
• You must provide your own direct box if needed.
• Three members per act maximum.
• 15 minute time frame (including setup) regardless of how many songs you want to perform.
• You must be aware of your space in line. While one act is performing, we will be staging the next act. If you are not ready, you may loose your chance to perform and the next act in line will take your place.
• You must promise to get along with the host (please, he’s a really nice guy). He is not very experienced at this type of event but knows the plans will work fine.

Bring your acoustics and have some fun. If you are not performing, we definitely want you to be part of the jam. Speaking from last year’s event, I can attest to the wonderfully positive attitude that was the norm of the evening. So many great Kansas musicians contributed to a never-ending evening of music. This year promises to be more of the same. The Kansas Music HoF Unplugged promises to be a very strong component of the Induction Ceremony each year so let’s make this year’s event yet another stellar memory!

News
The PAT Bash is coming to Wichita's Orpheum Theatre, Saturday, March 15th at 7pm.
Musicians helping musicians will be the focus of the night as a stellar gathering of local bands and guest artists will take the stage at the historic Orpheum in a benefit for the Performers Assistance Trust (PAT) Fund which provides emergency financial assistance to local musicians (or their immediate survivors) that do not have health or life insurance.

The evening will bring together a diverse group of musicians in celebration of McJimsey’s legacy, in an effort to focus attention on the fund and its mission. Kicking off the night will be a reunion of several alumni from McJimsey’s rock, blues and jazz bands along with a number of special guests including Vinnie Mourning, Justin Murray, and Jenny Detra. The night continues with performances by Tom Page, Steve Barnes & the Country Money Band, and the Sluggos.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and are available at all Select-A-Seat outlets.
Over 20 local musicians and their families have been helped since the fund was established from memorial gifts following McJimsey’s sudden death from a heart attack on April 1, 2004. “Pat was frequently recruited to play benefits for fellow musicians in need,” explained Barb Pearce-McJimsey. “Unfortunately, it happens much too often in the musical community, especially when an illness interrupts their ability to play for pay,” she adds. “Pat understood those needs and saw when adversity affected a musician’s ability to keep gigging the struggle could quickly become a crisis.”

2005 Kansas Music Hall of Fame inductee Phil Ehart is returning to the classroom. The drummer, manager and founder of the band Kansas will be lecturing at Syracuse University on March 18. Follow this link for the details: Click here: Welcome to Syracuse University News.

2006 Hall of Fame inductee Melissa Etheridge kicks off her 2008 tour in Hawaii on Friday. For more, click on this link: Click here: GREAT AWAKENING | Weekend Cover Story | Midweek.com
2007 inductee Martina McBride continues to get good press on her current tour. Her stop in Atlantic City this past weekend prompted this article: Click here: NorthJersey.com: providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

Induction Show March 22, 2008
The lineup is set for this year's show! It looks like we'll have another great show, with most of the inductees performing. Following soundchecks in the afternoon, the doors to Liberty Hall will open to the public at 6:00, with inductions beginning at 6:30 and the music should start around 7:00. Each act will play for about 30 minutes, and the evening will wrap up with an all-star jam of "Shake, Rattle and Roll." The acts performing will be:

• Beth Scalet
• Friar Tuck & The Monks
• The Soul Express
• (intermission)
• Chet Nichols
• Garry Mac & The Mac Truque
• The Classmen

This year's other inductees are: Ann Brewer & The Flames (attending, but not performing), Big Al Downing (deceased, but family attending), The Fabulous Four (attending, but not performing), and Pat Metheny (will accept by pre-recorded video). Our Directors Award inductees are the late Lou and Betty Blasco, and the first Bob Hapgood Award inductee is Bill Post. A merchandise table at the back of the house will have Hall of Fame t-shirts and DVDs available & items from many of the past and new inductees.

Tickets to this year's show are now on sale! All tickets are general admission and cost $35. Tickets are available from Liberty Hall in Lawrence (785-749-1972) or Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com). Liberty Hall does not accept credit cards, and there is a service charge on tickets purchased through Ticketmaster. There will be no reserved seating except for the inductees and their guests.
40 rooms have been blocked at the Lawrence Holiday Inn/Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive, for those attending the 2008 Kansas Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts Street. Reservations can be made by calling 785-841-7077. Mention the Hall of Fame to get the special group rate of $59.00 per night. The free "unplugged" show will be held in the hotel's bar on Friday evening.

Click Here to view the induction ceremony photos.