Most of my life I have considered myself a huge fan and follower of classic rock and roll music until I found myself in the company of a pretty good professional guitar man and the legendary rock journalist, Steven Rosen. I soon learned that I knew almost nothing about rock and roll except for, maybe, the name of the song and, maybe, some of the lyrics. I decided to ask around to see if others felt the same about their knowledge of the individuals who brought us the music of our lives. Although many felt they knew pretty much everything about rock and roll based on the fact that we all actually lived it, few were able to give me the names of members of the band except for the obvious players who were in the spotlight like Jagger, Page, Clapton, etc. This new found information prompted me to think that maybe we would all like to get to know these great music makers a little more intimately! Being a lifetime entrepreneur the thought occurred that we should actually bring these guys center stage and give them their fair due! Hence we bring you Rock Godz Hall of Fame!
Singer / Keyboard Rocker Francis Buster Akrey started his musical journey in Greece, New York. Classical recitals from age 5 soon turned into Rock and Roll stages and Buster’s unique style of live and recorded performances began. Honored with an MMA Rock Record of the Year Award in 2011 for his solo album “Red”. Buster is considered to be one of the great Singer, Songwriter, Hammond players in the music industry today.
“ There’s only one Buster. Precision, passion and amazing solo’s, love his work, always a first call. “
Rob Jacobs Grammy Award Winning Engineer and Producer
Buster’s long list of credits include: The Power Rangers, Steely Dan, Peggy Lee, Zacka Creek, Burt Bacharach, Danny Gans, Shaka Kahn, Loveland, The Wheels, Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp, Power Cuts, Stevie Wonder and Jimi Blyss just to
mention a few.
Freddie Salem has been a touring & recording artist, session musician and producer for over 30 years! Freddie started performing professionally at the age of 16 as he played with various bands from the Midwest before joining The Chambers Brothers Band as their lead guitar player.
In 1977, Freddie joined the popular southern rock-n-roll band, The Outlaws. For six years Freddie played lead guitar for 'The Florida Guitar Army' and wrote many songs on their albums which sold over 10 million copies worldwide, earning Freddie platinum and gold albums with Arista Records. The incredible guitar work and producer credits of Freddie Salem can also be heard on recordings with The Godz, The Zippers, Raging Slab, Snatches Of Pink, Michael Rank and more!
His latest album, Freddie Salem & Lonewolf; "Black Cloud Rising", will soon be released as Freddie continues to be one of today's strongest and hardest working guitarists!
Kevin “Dugie” Dugan has been in the guitar tech trenches with some of the best guitar players in the world. Beginning in late 1980 and early 1981, he made sure bassist Michael Anthony had everything he needed to perform his duties as one-half of the rhythm section in Van Halen. Within a year, he was promoted to band crew chief. He would later serve as Anthony’s bass tech in Chickenfoot. Along the way, Dugie has worked his magic with everyone from the Raspberries and the Romantics to Fleetwood Mac, Lita Ford and Poison. Dugie is a rare blend of mad technical skills and an innate ability to stay calm during a crisis and fix the problem. He wears many hats and over his four-decade plus career has acted not only as bass tech but as guitar tech, drum tech, stage manager, road manager and security. In 2015 Dugie was inducted into the RockGodz Hall of Fame and presently he remains as Michael Anthony’s guitar tech and travels with Sammy Hagar’s band Circle.
Sandy Rizzo is the founder and CEO of 18-Hour Management. She has substantial artist management experience throughout the music industry. Rizzo began her career in Boston. There, she accepted the opportunity to work with Aerosmith's management company. Holding a variety of different positions within that company, she learned all the ins and outs of the industry. A few years later, she relocated to the west coast and continued her artist management opportunities with famed rock manager Doc McGhee. Working in tandem with Doc and the best bands that era had to offer, (i.e. Scorpions, Bon Jovi, KISS, Skid Row, etc.) she was able to make a name for herself throughout the industry by honing her innate talents in artist management, promotion, touring and production.
Once Sandy stepped down from McGhee Entertainment, she founded her current venture. She works directly with artists, their managers, and their labels on all aspects of artist management (U.S. and international touring, live performances, marketing, CD recordings and promotion of both new and established artists).
In addition, Sandy and her company have been hired to consult with tours, labels and other management companies where she brings her knowledge and experience to such projects/artists as Dr. Dre (tour with Eminem), Guns n’ Roses, Interscope Records, Gary Hoey, Adema and many others.
With a proven track record of more than 20 years of hard-core, fast paced experience in artist management, Sandy uses her skills and experience to assist the clients of 18-Hour Management in obtaining the next level of their careers in the smartest and most productive way possible.
Included in her vast experiences, Sandy has been appointed the Director and Producer of a series of benefit events and live concerts called “Jump High Stay Strong Music Fest”, a non-profit organization to benefit the Dylan Rizzo Fund. The festival series include a variety of events to raise money for the fund. Some of the events include concerts with national, local and regional bands; Celebrity Rock n’ Roll Auctions that include hundred of items donated from artists all over the world; Raffles; Golf Tournaments, and other fundraising events.
With an unmistakable style that can best be described as innovative, Daniel has been a professional musician and touring artist for 25+ years. A long time drummer and producer, Daniel is also now expanding his attention to guitar and the growth of his newest venture, Sixx Gun Music, an online as well as brick and mortar retail site for his custom built guitars, amps, and all of the other world renowned brands. Credits include NBC/CBS studio sessions, and performances with artists such as Meatloaf and J. Geils. Daniel was also selected to perform as well as work as one of the music directors for president Clinton's second inaugural ball. Currently he divides his time between live and studio work, as well as the expansion of his custom instrument line at Sixx Gun Music.
Southern California based photographer Don Adkins has been photographing the world of music or over 3 decades. Don has extensive archives of more than 200,000 images to showcase some of his favorite & significant rock images. Self taught as a photographer, by first borrowing his father's 35mm camera, Don learned by trial and error . Always technically savvy (being an engineer by background), he was able to figure out the technical aspects of photography and marrying this with his great passion for music, photographing musically important events and having the inherent sense of timing of which moments to capture. Along the way a coupe of lucky breaks occurred, being at the right place and right time during the formation of local groups such as Berlin, Toni Childs & Motley Crue, but also seeing the rise of artists such as Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Queen and more. Don was able to build relationships with artists, managers and record companies which has turned into over 20 record covers, various publicity campaigns and assignments for publication as well as rock TV shows that have appeared on MTV networks, FUSE TV and Showtime. In addition to photography Don worked a day job in the world of aerospace, being a program manager and director for several spacecraft related activities. Don has since retired from aerospace and now focuses shooting major artists as well as working with emerging and independent artists and also shows fine art images regularly at galleries in Southern California.
