Philly celebrates its own with Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Walk of Fame

Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Walk of Fame celebrates the best and brightest across the local music scene. And this year’s honorees certainly continued that tradition of excellence along the Avenue of the Arts.

“This year, the Walk of Fame honorees represent not only the spectacular talent that this city has birthed and nurtured, but the diversity—musical and human—that has always been part and parcel of the arts in Philadelphia,” said PMA Chairman Alan Rubens before the ceremony on Thursday, April 20.

Philadelphia Music Alliance — this city’s promoter for the vast contributions of local music makers, including performers, producers, writers and educators — throws an all-day party in two-parts. The first half comes when the PMA gives its highest accolade to those anointed few, a bronze plaque on the Walk of Fame along the Avenue of the Arts, followed by an evening’s gala celebration and concert.

The 2023 Walk of Fame inductees included John DiBella and Patty Jackson, for contributions to Philly radio; Bacon Brothers Kevin and Michael; Tony Award-winning vocalist and actor Leslie Odom, Jr.; soul harmonists The Tymes; and classical conductor James DePreist.

The Founders Award was gifted to former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and a Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, the Mighty 3 behind “The Sound of Philadelphia.” The PMA also honored one of its own, legendary concert company creator, booking magnate and theater producer Larry Magid, for having created the PMA.

“Six of the eight inductees work in different corners of the musical sphere. Four were, or are, directly involved in the performance of music, with two others having been conduits for the sounds beloved by generations of Philadelphians. The other two come from the public service world,” said Rubens. “And there is one thing all of our honorees share—a love of, and passion for, Philadelphia and its second-to-none musical legacy.”

With the daytime ceremony held on the steps of S. Broad Street’s University of the Arts building, the celebration moved to N. Broad Street’s Vie for an evening gala featuring live tributes from The Spinners—for the love of late composer and arranger Thom Bell— and Adam Weiner of Low Cut Connie celebrating the lives of late rock and roll legends Jerry Blavat, Charlie Gracie, Bobby Rydell and more.

“It’s an honor getting the opportunity to do this for these guys – they are the greats,” said Weiner before hitting Vie’s stage and performing Rydell’s ‘Wild One,’ ‘Wildwood Days’ and Gracie’s ‘Butterfly.’

Mark Schulz, Managing Director of Philadelphia Music Alliance, put it best: “The Walk of Fame is this city’s most impressive public monument to those who have made Philadelphia a great music city… And we are second to none when it comes to great music. More so than New York City, Nashville, Detroit… you name it, we have had great music makers in every genre imaginable — from opera and classical to jazz, R&B, hip hop and rock and roll — with consistent hitmakers in every sound, every era and for every generation.”