Caleb Chapman, Founder of Sound Support Foundation, and Adam Reader, Professor of Rock, have come together to induct Huey Lewis into the People’s Music Hall of Fame as one of our industry’s most influential musicians.
Taking place at the Eccles Theater in Downtown Salt Lake City on Feb. 7, This is the first year the People’s Music Hall of Fame will be hosting an induction ceremony.
“We really need something in this country to be able to recognize the music that the common man absolutely loves, the music that has become the soundtrack of our lives. The music that influences our culture,” Chapman said.
The Heart of Rock & Roll
Huey Lewis is the lead vocalist of Huey Lewis and the News. The band’s albums are some of the best-selling pop albums of all time. With several singles charting in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 hits on U.S. charts, Lewis and his band have made their mark and remain an influence in the music industry.
Chapman and Reader found each other through a mutual friend, Brandon Fugal, who shares their interest in the music industry. They’ve been creating and producing this event for several years now and were excited to finally see it come to fruition.
“We want the People’s Music Hall of Fame to be a living, breathing contributor to the culture of Utah,” Chapman said. “Give a nod to those greats that have gone before and are handing the torch to the next generation.”
The goal is to construct a hall of fame facility in Utah to house the memorabilia and also serve as a performance venue for the inductees. In the same sense as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this will be a place where people of all interests can come together to celebrate generations of great musicians. Local sculptor Ben Hammond will design and create the plaques and memorabilia for these musicians.
A New Event
Attendees can expect the event to be, “a really entertaining evening, a lot of talent on stage and a great chance for us to celebrate an amazing musician,” Chapman said.
Audiences will be immersed in Lewis’ music as performers of all backgrounds will perform his hits throughout the night. These performers include Tyler Glenn, lead vocalist of Neon Trees and Marc Russo of the Doobie Brothers. Chapman explained that the backbone of the performers will be young musicians.
These same young musicians are the main focus of the event, to show the impact the musicians of older generations have on younger generations.
“They’re great musicians and great creators of timeless music,” Chapman said. He said he hopes the People’s Music Hall of Fame will allow the legacy to continue and impact our communities.
During the event, a fundraiser will be held for music scholarships for students and young, aspiring musicians to attend the Sound Support Foundation. Every dollar raised will go directly towards those scholarships and will be met by a $250,000 grant made by anonymous donors.
