Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame Induction Tomorrow at Hunter's Nightclub

"In spite of all the technological advances, the best way to listen to music is still vinyl. When you put the needle to that groove, there's a tactile sensation," Bo Crane tells New Times. You can forgive the DJ, record producer, and longtime owner of Pandisc Music Corp. for being biased. After all, last year he was inducted into the inaugural Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame class. Tomorrow, he'll share the room with plenty of people who agree with him at this year's Hall of Fame Induction at Hunter's Nightclub. "It's a celebration of the golden era of disco music when vinyl was king," says Crane. "It's a way to keep the music and lifestyle alive and to keep the record straight about that era of music." 

Luis Mario Orellana came up with the idea for a Legends of Vinyl organization back at the start of the new millennium. "After 30 years in the business as a DJ, I thought it was time to give back," he says. "I started contacting people in 2000 about getting all the original pioneer DJs who paved the way for dance music culture." It wasn't until 2015 that the Legends of Vinyl had their first events, starting in Philadelphia and followed by Miami. Orellana, a Broward County resident, says the enthusiastic reaction motivated him to organize encores. "They were a monumental success," Orellana elaborates. "A lot of the people — DJs, producers, promoters — hadn't seen each other for thirty or forty years. People's jaws were open about the whole event."

This year's free event begins at 4 p.m. with educational seminars featuring industry veterans including Ray Caviano, who promoted artists like Madonna and Luther Vandross, and Winter Music Conference founder Billy Kelly. It will be followed with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and then an after-party continues into the night featuring performances by Cynthia Manley, former singer of Boys Town Gang, and "The Queen of Freestyle," Shannon.

Crane says even though there will be a red carpet, it's not going to be a Studio 54 atmosphere of exclusivity. "This is not a stuffy affair," he points out. "You get a drink, sit down, leave, come back. If you remember the 1970s in South Florida, you're going to see the DJs you danced to when you went to the clubs. You'll hear their stories — but not all their stories. The disco era ran parallel with a crazy time in Miami. There was a lot of importing and exporting, if you know what I mean."  

Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame Induction. 4 p.m., Wednesday, August 17, at Hunter's Nightclub, 2232 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors; 954-295-5919; legendsofvinyl.com. Admission is free.