Rochester Music Hall of Fame announces eclectic class of 2024 

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The Rochester Music Hall of Fame, which enters its second decade of honoring prominent local musicians who have secured their legacies in both the regional and national scenes, announced its 2024 inductees on Monday.

The 2024 class is musically eclectic and influential:

• John Ellison of Soul Brothers Six
• Broadway star Jennifer Cody
• Producer Scott Mayo
• Salsa musician Johnny Vega
• Jars of Clay members Charlie Lowell and Matt Odmark
• Social media creator and producer Rick Beato

“We really feel that the Rochester Music Hall of Fame should be the big cheerleaders of music in our community," said Jack Whittier, president of the RMHF’s Board of directors. “Music is truly a community asset. And we believe that the music scene here in Rochester really differentiates us from many, many cities even bigger than ours. It's amazing, the great music that happens here in town, and the people that go on to national and international prominence.”

As the frontman of Rochester group Soul Brothers Six, John Ellison wrote the hit “Some Kind of Wonderful,” which was later recorded by such artists as Grand Funk Railroad, Rod Stewart, and Huey Lewis & The News, reaching as high as No. 3 on the Billboard charts. The enduring song has been performed more than 4 million times in its varied history.

Puerto Rican-born singer-songwriter (and now Rochester resident) Johnny Vega was influential in his use of brass instrumentation and vocal harmonies in salsa and worked with such Latin music stars as Celia Cruz and Frankie Ruiz.

Singer, dancer, and actor Jennifer Cody is a Greece native whose Broadway credits include productions of “Cats,” “Grease,” and “Seussical.”

Rochester native Scott Mayo has an impressive musical resume; the Grammy-nominated producer, composer, and arranger has collaborated with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Lizzo, and Bruce Springsteen.

Keyboardist Charlie Lowell and guitarist Matt Odmark grew up together in Rochester and graduated from McQuaid Jesuit High School.  As members of the Christian rock band Jars of Clay, they enjoyed crossover success  when the song “Flood” reached the Billboard Hot 100. The band won numerous Grammys, BMI awards, and GMA Dove awards over its career spanning more than three decades.

Perhaps the most intriguing inductee of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame’s 2024 class is Rick Beato, a Fairport native and Ithaca College graduate who went on to become successful producer and songwriter before his breakout turn as a YouTube sensation; His Everything Music channel boasts nearly four million subscribers.

Well-versed in classical music, rock, and jazz, Beato produces insightful analysis of pop music from the 1960s to the TikTok era and interviews living legends for an avid online audience.

All of the inductees will perform onstage as part of the induction ceremony. Danielle Ponder, who has yet to be nominated, will perform alongside 2024 inductee Scott Mayo.

“One of the neat things about our event every year, because we have such a wide array of music performed in one night," said Whittier, "is most people will go there and hear something that they've never listened to."
In addition to honoring the new inductees, the Rochester Music Hall of Fame is introducing a new award honoring music educators (in addition to the existing Douglas Lowry Award for accomplished high school seniors pursuing music careers).

The inaugural Ned Corman Educators Award will be given to two local music teachers: Bill Tiberio of Fairport High School, Eastman Community Music School and Ithaca College; and posthumously to the late Johnny Cummings, who led the Monroe County Parks Band and taught at numerous schools in the region.

Tickets for the event, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 5 in Eastman Theatre’s Kodak Hall, are on sale now. rochestermusic.org

Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer at CITY. He can be reached at [email protected].