@steve22: " Posted on Wed, Feb. 09, 2005
R&B to Philly: Hall of Fame is on its way
By EARNI YOUNG
<email_address>
Remember when the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame almost came to Philadelphia,
but took a last-minute turn to Cleveland?
It's our turn now. Philly will soon be able to boast of being the home of
rhythm and blues.
The Rhythm & Blues Foundation is relocating from New York to Philadelphia
this spring, according to Kenny Gamble, the Grammy-winning creator of the
Sound of Philadelphia in the '70s.
The 25-year-old foundation will bring its Pioneer Award gala, which attracts
A-list artists such as Usher, Paul McCartney and Destiny's Child.
And the foundation will raise money to build an R&B Hall of Fame here that
will eclipse Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll temple.
That's just a start for Gamble, a member of the foundation's board. He says
the foundation will become the nucleus of a marketing strategy to brand
Philly as the home of R&B, with a re-energized music scene and new
entertainment district.
The title brings cachet - and cash.
Atlanta has some 300 recording facilities serving R&B, hip-hop, country and
pop artists. The city estimates the total net annual economic impact to be
nearly $1 billion. Austin, the self-proclaimed "live music capital of the
world," says its music industry generates about 11,200 jobs.
Gov. Rendell and Mayor Street like the idea so much they've both pledged
financial support to help the foundation make the move to Philly. Exactly
where it will settle is still in the air, but Gamble says the new
headquarters will be in Center City, possibly near South Street.
CommerceDirector Stephanie Naidoff says the mayor has given orders to do
whatever it takes to "make it so."
Naidoff said the city hasn't yet committed to a specific amount to assist
the foundation's move. However, another source within the Street
administration says the city may match the $400,000 state grant.
Kendall Minter, chairman of the foundation's board, said the Philly office
will open with three people and grow as the foundation expands its programs.
"We're a lean and mean organization, but effective," Minter said. Minter is
confident the foundation can raise the cash to build an R&B Hall of Fame
within two to three years. He expects the contributions to come primarily
from record industry.
Despite its Lilliputian size, the R&B Foundation is a giant force in the
music industry. Its annual gala draws the same crowd, and then some, who
attend the Grammys - another high-profile event that Gamble hopes to bring
to Philly once the foundation settles in.
"The foundation will tune the eyes and the ears of the music industry to
Philadelphia," Gamble said.
Branding Philly as "the home of R&B" could explode the city's hip-hop scene,
he said.
And a black-themed entertainment district, along with other new and existing
clubs and venues, will provide a new focus for the tourism and hospitality
industry.
Gamble and the foundation also has plans for an annual two-to three-day R&B
festival that can become an international draw.
It all sounds good to Meryl Levitz, CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
"There hasn't been enough attention given to making Philadelphia more fun,"
said Levitz, who is behind the successful "Philly's more fun when you sleep
over" campaign. She notes that R&B music is hugely popular in Europe and
Japan, a primary source for international tourism.
Levitz is working with Gamble and others on how to grow the city's
entertainment sector.
The co-founder of Philly International Records, Gamble now spends most of
his time redeveloping the South Philadelphia neighborhood where he grew up.
He is founder and CEO of Universal Companies, which has built a mix of
affordable and market-rate housing, commercial businesses and a charter
school in the area just below South Street near Broad.
Gamble also owns the Royal Theater and several other properties on South
Street, between 15th and 18th, which he envisions as the nucleus of the
entertainment district.
But the co-founder of Philly International Records insists his efforts are
not driven purely by self-interest.
"This isn't a Kenny Gamble project," Gamble says. "This is something that
will benefit the entire city and region."
Gamble, an R&B legend in his own right, adds that he isn't just talking
black entertainers, but the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and the
Rolling Stones, who took their cue from R&B.
"Like the saying goes, R&B had a baby and its name was Rock 'n' Roll," he
said."
    @pkaytes: "<quote>
I thought all the hipsters met in Bedrock.....Twist, twist.
And Rock is gonna roll.
take care,
Paul
(child of the sixties.  But did you ever notice how Wilma always got
the last word and Fred always wound up apologizing....sort of like The
Honeymooners, on which The Flintstones were based, where Alice took
guff all show, but Ralph always wound up apologizing.  Ok, nostalgic
trip done)"
    @POINTLESSSSadietzNOSPAMS: "news:<email_address>
<quote>
The Flintstones was as much The Life of Riley (also a Jackie Gleason show,
pre-Honeymooners, for a while) as it was Honeymooners - Barney Rubble is
much closer to Gillis as a sidekick than to Ed Norton, Bedrock is much more
suburban/California (Life of Riley) than Brooklyn (Honeymooners), etc."
    @patrick1765: "(child of the sixties.  But did you ever notice how Wilma always got
the last word and Fred always wound up apologizing....sort of like The
Honeymooners, on which The Flintstones were based, where Alice took
guff all show, but Ralph always wound up apologizing.  Ok, nostalgic
trip done)
I always found it odd that when Fred or Barney were driving down the
street they kept passing the same tree and the same mountain over and
over. And I never realized that they invented TV before they invented
shoes."
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