The Dance Music Hall of Fame 2004 Nominee list!!!

[Nano]

Well, I think there's a reason they called it DANCE Hall of Fame. There are not so many disco artists to be honored. Wait, don't punch me yet! I mean that this obviously is made in the vein of the RNR Hall of Fame, which has been moving forward on time from year to year. Probably they are thinking of doing just the same: 3 or 4 years remembering disco's most known acts, then moving into the Eighties, then house, then techno... etc.
However, I'm glad someone is making these awards and giving focus at the songs writers & producers, for a change.

[JussiK]

Well, could be...but what I meant was like would one use when discussing -let alone honouring- The Trammps, Gloria Gaynor or Donna Summer the word "dance" instead of "disco"? Apparently that board does. Please give a warm welcome to The Trammps, a pioneering dance group! Ladies and gentlemen, the guest of honour tonight is none other than Tom Moulton the man who created the dance mix, and here we have Nicky Siano from Studio 54, the world famous dance club! - It's still true that much of America thinks disco is a four letter word and not five like dance. Thank god for the organisers of the Seattle disco exhibit, they stood up and Dared to be Disco, dammit! :D

[Jeff H]

I have to say (and apologies to Marky) that I agree with Jussi: Could this list be any more predictable??! It reads like something compiled by the guy who spins 45s for the mall girls at some suburban bar's weekly "disco night."

On the other hand, this is the first-ever list of nominees, so I guess the obvious choices were bound to be included. But I also agree with Nicky re: James Brown; I don't consider him a disco artist. (If all it takes to be considered a disco artist is releasing a record people can dance to, then why not Chubby Checker or even the Beach Boys, "Here Comes the Night" notwithstanding. :D ) Likewise the Bee Gees--to me they're a pop group who got lucky with a handful of records people could dance to.

Still, I'm glad someone is finally making the effort to honor disco... excuse me, dance music; after all, it looks like even Donna Summer will never get nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So maybe if this idea takes off, future lists will include names like Costandinos, Linda Clifford and Lime. (Just kidding about that last one. :lol: )

I'll get off my soapbox now to offer my choices:

Performer: Donna Summer (duh)
Producers: Moroder & Bellotte (I didn't get into disco music until about 1977, so I was unfamiliar with a lot of Gamble & Huff's work.)
Records: "I Feel Love" "Shame" "Don't Leave Me This Way"
Remixer: Tom Moulton, the obvious choice, in the best way

By the way, the press release announcing the awards said three performers, one producer, one remixer, five songs and three DJs would be inducted this year; I'm not sure if that was noted earlier in this thread.

[markydefad]

Well, I understand the testiness about the failure to use the word "DISCO"---but remember, at some point in the early 1980s--the word was retired and the term became "DANCE". At some point in the future, these awards will be bestowed to the likes of Madonna & Prince...and the term "DISCO" will not be appropriate.

As for the predictibility of the nominees--I was actually quite suprised to see Kraftwerk in there--not an obvious choice, I'd say. Let's face it, you start with the CLASSICS... AND they chose CLASSICS. When AFI started their Lifetime Achievement Awards--they started with the pioneers of the artform--thus the likes of Alfred Hitchcock & Orson Welles got recognition before Clint Eastwood & Jack Nicholson. Get the picture?

[DevP]

First of all thanks to Bernie for posting this wonderful information. I'm very excited about The Dance Music Hall Of Fame. I have always dream of something like this happening but I never thought it would. I think it's about time some of these legendary artist who don't get the recoginition they deserve will finally have a chance to be honored. And I think it's a great idea to call it the Dance Music Hall Of Fame and not just the Disco Music Hall Of Fame, since Disco evolved into many different forms of dance music.

As for my choices, it was just to hard to pick one from each because most, if not all, deserve there spot in the DMHF. So any of the following artist/songs/producers/DJ's are, IMHO, worthy of the honor.

Artist:

Barry White - The most memorable voice of the disco/soul era of the 70's.

Bee Gees - Help brought disco from underground to mainstream world.

Chic - Created a unique disco sound that even rock legends couldn't resist. Included the greatest guitarist, bassist and drummer in disco music history and among the best in the rock era.

Donna Summer - In addtions to all the obvious reasons (great singer/songwriter/producer/discoqueen/etc) but also because the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame has "shamefully" ignored this true legend.

Gloria Gaynor - As tired as some may feel about "I Will Survive" it is not only one of the greatest disco songs but one of the greatest period. Also Mrs. Gaynor was a pioneer in the disco movement.

KC & The Sunshine Band - Not only did they bring dance music to a certain level with their own sound, they did it with other artist as well. (George McCrae, Teri DeSario, Jimmy Bo Horne, Betty Wright, etc.)

The Trammps - Like with Mrs. Gaynor, they were pioneers. There music was mostly all about dancing.

Songs:

Don't Leave Me This Way/Thelma Houston - Although the lyrics weren't about dancing it always got people moving every time Mrs. Houston soulful voice with start humming at the beginning of the song.

Fly, Robin, Fly/Silver Convention - It was among the first disco songs to go all the way to #1 on the pop charts.

Got To Be Real/Cheryl Lynn - This song is as good today as it was when it was release in late 78'. Case in point: I was at a Keith Sweat/En Vogue/Isley Brothers/New Edition concert in Madison Square Garden last year and during an intermission this song came on and the entire Garden cheered and started singing to it. It gets everyone moving regardless of what there doing and that's what good dance music should do.

Honeybee/Never Can Say Goodbye/Reach Out, I'll Be There/Gloria Gaynor - It was the first meanstream song(s) to feature uninterrupted club play which became legendary in radio and club play.

Producers:

This is impossibly to choice. Kenneth Gable & Leon Huff/Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte/Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards produced some of the greatest music of all time. So I say all six of them should be honored on the first go round of the DMHF.

Remixers:

All are good choices but Tom Moulton is the greatest.

DJ's:

To hard to choice, all are legends.

DevP

[originalbigm]

Well since this is the first I would be getting back to pioneers of the field.

Artist-Barry White,A master of melody and orchestration.

Song-HoneyBee/Never Can Say Goodbye/Reach Out.Agree with Graham on this one.It was the Ferrari on the Autobahn of the disco movement.

Producers-Gamble/Huff, Unsurpassable in those years

Remixers-Tom Moulton .One of the most prolific and identifiable of the lot.

DJ's- David Mancuso because he was one of the very first profiled DJ's before the art of mixing had emerged.Just great music sense.

[NickNack]

As excited as I am that this organization has formed and is up and running, I'll stick to my guns and join Jussi in my disagreement with the choice of "DANCE". To me it doesn't make sense here. Every nominee and nomination on this list, except for soul-brother #1, JB :) , is from what most of us would agree is 'THE DISCO ERA'. The songs received extensive club play, the producers worked with disco artists, the remixers proudly had their work stamped '12" DiscoMix' and the DJs were all working discotheques, not radio. What else is this supposed to be about? Until we learn what boundaries or guidelines 'DMHOF' has established, I find the word 'Dance' too broad. How far back do we go? 70s / 80s only? 60s Motown? 40s Big Band? Roaring 20s? Is 'house' in and 'techno' out? What about Jazz and Swing and Rave or the great Latin influence? Yes? No? Maybe? Somebody better decide because it's all dance.

Our friend, Maarten, said it a long time ago: All these labels are going to ruin us. :roll:

[paul]

Excellent point Nicky. The fact that they would not say "Disco" confirms some negative stereotype by some, despite the fact that their list is as you stated a disco list. If it's "dance" where are the square dancing artist or the reggae artist, or polka...you get my drift.

[Bernie]

It's interesting to read everyone's choices from the nominee's list, but especially the comments about the organization's name.

After reading some of these I felt I needed to perhaps provide more information regarding this. The name, "Disco Hall of Fame" was already taken having been trademarked by Marty Angelo of Disco Step By Step for his future awards.

As was mentioned, the Dance Music Hall of Fame appears to be modeled after the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. This new organization wants to cover the whole genre and be relevant for years to come while still having the balls to acknowledge Disco music and its tremendous contributions to the ongoing world of music. What's funny is that they are getting flack from the House music spectrum for being too Disco! It's a balancing act for sure and I am happy that they are making a sincere effort to make this work for everyone.

I firmly believe that Disco never died or went away and simply changed with the times as Rock has done. At the same time I understand full well that the organizers of the Dance Music Hall of Fame have to make a viable organization that will survive. They could have taken the easy way out and just made one token category for "oldies, dance classics... aka Disco" and concentrate on what makes them the most money-today's House music. They didn't and instead every nominee is from the Disco era. Nothing is ever perfect, but this is a great start and one that is long overdue. Let's give these people some positive vibes and let them know that we appreciate their efforts to publicly acknowledge Disco's founders in a lasting tribute via these awards.

[Com King]

First here are my pics :

Artist : CHIC

Song : SOUL MAKOSSA

Producers : Nile RODGERS & Bernard EDWARDS

Remixer ; TOM MOULTON

DJ : Unfortunately I'm not able to choose one.


If it's a Dance Hall of Fame, Why is there not a single House Artist/Producer/Song/DJ ?

No Frankie knuckles, no Ron Hardy, No Mysteries of Love by mr Fingers, no Farley Jackmaster Funk ?

It's quite surprising.
This is definitely a Disco Hall of Fame, or an unfair Dance Hall of Fame (I've heard of a guy called Michael Jackson that is maybe the Number One Dance artist of all time, how could they forget him?)

Com King

NB: BTW I'm also surprised that EWF does not appear in the list of artists. They definitely deserve it.