18th ANNUAL OREGON MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION AND CONCERT – October 11th at Aladdin Theater

18^th ANNUAL OREGON MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION AND CONCERT

Saturday, October 11 at 7PM

Aladdin Theater

3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR 97202

The 18th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) Induction and Concert will be held on Saturday, October 11 at 7pm at the Aladdin Theater. Tickets available at https://tinyurl.com/OMHOF-ticket-link

The event will feature a live auction with autographed guitars from Iggy Pop, Devo, Alison Krauss, and more. Proceeds from the evening will support OMHOF’s music in the schools programs, as well as its scholarship program. This year’s master of ceremonies is the fabulous Tony Starlight.

Tickets are available at aladdin-theater.com and the Aladdin Theater box office. General admission: $30 in advance / $35 at the door. VIP tickets: $100 in advance / $110 at the door, and include: prime seating, a collectible laminated pass, a Gary Houston limited-edition, hand-pulled, signed and numbered poster, and entry to the catered after-party with inductees, musicians, and other VIPs

The presenting sponsor for the event is Elliott, Baden, Baker & Powell Insurance, longtime supporters of OMHOF. Supporting sponsor is Teevin Bros.

OREGON MUSIC HALL OF FAME 2025 INDUCTEES

 

ARTIST INDUCTEES:

 

Portugal. The Man — Genre-Bending/Alt Pop Band

Portugal. The Man formed in Wasilla, Alaska, in 2004. Known for their blend of pop, psychedelic, indie rock, and experimental sounds, the band consists of members John Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O’Quin, Jason Sechrist, and Eric Howk. Their breakthrough came with the 2017 single “Feel It Still,” which earned them a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The song’s success propelled them into mainstream recognition, showcasing their knack for catchy hooks and inventive production. Portugal. The Man’s discography is characterized by a diverse range of influences, from classic rock to electronic elements, all infused with a unique artistic vision. Albums like Evil Friends and last year’s Chris Black Changed My Life further solidified their reputation as innovators in the modern rock scene. Beyond music, the band is known for their socially conscious lyrics and activism, advocating for causes like environmental conservation and human rights. With a dedicated fan base and a distinctive musical style, Portugal. The Man continues to evolve, touring the world and leaving a lasting impact on contemporary rock music.

YOB — Heavy Metal Doom Band

YOB is an American doom metal band from Eugene, Oregon, composed of singer/guitarist Michael Scheidt, bassist Aaron Rieseberg and drummer Dave French. Since 1996, led by Scheidt, the band formed, broke up then reformed several times while recording 8 albums for a variety of labels including Metal Blade and Profound Lore and touring America and Europe. The album Atma was released in 2011. In February 2014, YOB signed with Neurot Recordings. The album, Clearing the Path to Ascend was released in September 2014 and attracted widespread acclaim, including metal record of the year in Rolling Stone magazine. In early 2017, Scheidt suffered a serious health scare, which inspired the next YOB album, Our Raw Heart, released by Relapse Records. YOB cites musical influences from Cathedral, Tool, Solstice and Led Zeppelin. Scheidt follows Hindu and Buddhist teachings—especially those of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj—and reminds us that ‘slow is fast,’ a philosophy reflected in the band’s tempos and the long-haul success of this Oregon metal trio.

 

The Helio Sequence — Synth-Infused Indie Rock Band

The Helio Sequence is the Portland, OR based band/production duo of Brandon Summers (Guitar/vocals) and Benjamin Weikel (Drums/Keyboards). Summers and Weikel formed The Helio Sequence in 1996 in Beaverton, OR. They have been recording and performing professionally for over 25 years, self-releasing their debut EP Accelerated Slow-Motion Cinema, releasing two records with Portland label Cavity Search Records (Com Plex, Young Effectuals), and releasing four albums with legendary Seattle label Sub Pop (Love and Distance, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, Negotiations, The Helio Sequence). They have toured internationally as a headlining act, performed at festivals internationally, and supported bands including Modest Mouse, The Pixies, Blonde Redhead, and Keane. The Helio Sequence’s music has been featured in advertisements, movies and television (17 Again, Orange is the New Black, Grey’s Anatomy), and they have appeared on national television and radio (Jimmy Kimmel Live!, KEXP Seattle, MTV Subterranean, NPR World Café, KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic, KNRK FM, KINK FM). Summers and Weikel own and operate Helio Sound, a full-service studio working with both music industry and commercial clients.

 

Casey Neill — Singer/Songwriter/Band Leader

Casey Neill is a Portland-based singer-songwriter known for his eclectic blend of punk, folk, Celtic, and Americana. Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1971, Neill was raised on the East Coast but found his creative home in the Pacific Northwest after moving to Olympia, Washington in 1989 to attend The Evergreen State College. While studying ethnomusicology, he immersed himself in grassroots activism and protest culture – themes that would become central to his songwriting. His early cassette releases and the 1995 CD, Rifraff, contained anthems of 1990s environmental movements. Appleseed Recordings put Casey Neill on a Pete Seeger tribute album, and released his self-titled 1998 debut, which resulted in a fruitful collaboration with legendary Scottish fiddler Johnny Cunningham, who produced Neill’s next two records, Skree (1999) and Portland West (2001), highlighting his Celtic influences. He put together a backing band, The Norway Rats that includes occasional members from the Decembrists and various Northwest players including Jesse Emerson (Amelia), and guitarist/producer Jeff “Chet” Lyster, Peter Buck (R.E.M), Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker and Scott McCaughey (Minus 5) among others. The group’s latest release, Sending Up Flares (Fluff & Gravy Records), is their most cohesive and ambitious to date. Written with Lyster and recorded amidst social and personal upheaval. Its title track speaks to themes of mental health, resilience, and collective empathy – motifs that have long underscored Neill’s work.

 

Larry Norman — Singer-Songwriter, Musician, Record Producer

Larry Norman is widely recognized as the pioneer of Christian rock music. Blending elements of rock and roll with gospel-centered lyrics, he was a controversial yet influential figure who reshaped the landscape of contemporary Christian music (CCM) starting in the late 1960s. He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and spent most of his professional life Oregon and California. Norman began his musical journey with the band People!, which scored a hit with the song “I Love You” in 1968. He left the band to pursue a solo career that combined his Christian faith with rock music—an unusual and often criticized fusion at the time. His groundbreaking 1969 solo album, Upon This Rock, is considered by many to be the first full-length Christian rock album. He followed that with seminal works such as Only Visiting This Planet, So Long Ago the Garden and In Another Land—all of which tackled social issues, theology, and critiques of religious hypocrisy with bold lyricism and rock arrangements. Norman’s music often pushed boundaries, both lyrically and musically, and he was known for addressing controversial topics such as war, racism, poverty, and institutionalized religion. Despite limited support from both secular and Christian music industries, Norman developed a devoted following. He also launched Solid Rock Records, a label that helped promote other artists and performers. Larry Norman’s influence on Christian and secular musicians alike is profound. Norman struggled with health issues later in life but continued recording and performing until his death in 2008 in Salem. He left behind a complex legacy—celebrated as a visionary by some, and criticized by others—but remains an undeniable icon in the history of Christian music.

 

Gary Hobbs — Drummer, Educator

Gary Hobbs resides just outside Portland, OR, literally steps from the house he grew up in. His father and grandfather were both semi-pro drummers, but the drum bug didn’t bite Hobbs until his senior year in high school. He attended a Stan Kenton Jazz Camp where he studied with legendary jazz drummer and educator John Von Ohlen, who convinced him to pursue drumming professionally. After a stint in the army, Hobbs was invited to join the Kenton Band and toured with them almost non-stop for two and a half years. Since then, his hometown has been his home base from which he has commanded a successful career as a drummer and educator. In addition to playing all over the Pacific Northwest, Hobbs teaches at The University of Oregon. He has traveled the world as a sideman with jazz greats such as Randy Brecker, Anita O’Day, and Eddie Harris, and in his own right as an educator and clinician.

 

Mary-Sue Tobin — Saxophonist, composer and educator

Mary-Sue Tobin was born in 1974 and grew up in Eugene, where she studied piano, oboe and saxophone as a child. She started her own jazz group (whose first gig was at the legendary WOW Hall with then locals Andre St. James, Don Latarski, Carl Woideck, and writer Ken Kesey) and soon moved to Portland to join world beat group Dub Squad. She has played with a wide variety of bands and musicians including: Glen Moore, Darrell Grant, Esperanza Spalding, Thara Memory, Carlton Jackson Big Band, Snow Bud and the Flower People, the Oblivion Seekers, Wayne Horvitz, Third World, and many others. Tobin received her Masters of Music in Saxophone Performance (Classical) in 2005 and a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Studies) from Portland State University in 2003, where she served as the graduate teaching assistant for the jazz studies department. She led two groups, Loud Sistah and MST and the A-List, playing both saxophone and keyboards in addition to fronting the groups and writing much of the material. She is now concentrating primarily on jazz and saxophone and leads two of her own groups: the MS Tobin Quintet and Paxselin Quartet, in addition to a variety of side jobs. She has studied saxophone and jazz with some of Portland’s finest including Warren Rand, Rob Davis, Alan Jones, Glen Moore, Scott Hall and Rob Scheps. She recently helped research and write excerpts for Darrell Grant’s book, New Real Standards and does freelance work for The Leroy Vinegar Jazz Institute. She lives in SE Portland, where she plays and teaches music all the time.

 

Todd Jensen — Bassist/Vocalist

Todd Mark Jensen was born on October 27, 1957, and grew up in Beaverton, Oregon. He is a bassist and vocalist who has played for various national artists. Jensen began playing the bass guitar in his teenage years, honing his skills and performing with local bands. His early influences included legendary bassists like John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and John Entwistle of The Who. His recording career began here in Portland with pop/rock band Sequel in 1982 with an LP with the eponymous title Sequel. He left the band and moved to Los Angeles in 1992. Jensen joined the band Hardline, alongside Neil Schon, with whom he formed a close association. After that came a series of projects with various well-known artists, including Alice Cooper, Steve Perry, Ozzy Osbourne and reuniting with Sequel for special shows in Oregon.

He is now best known for being a member of the legendary multi-platinum rock band Journey (2021-present). As an independent touring bassist performing in over 30 countries, Jensen has also toured the world extensively with numerous artists including multiple world tours with Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers, Neal Schon, Sam Kinison and many others.

 

INDUSTRY:

 

Jim Brunberg — Artist, Musician, Activist, Podcaster, Venue Co-Founder

Jim Brunberg is an artist, a father, an activist, a small business owner and a continual agent of change. He is the co-founder of five music venues, including the nationally renowned Mississippi Studios and Revolution Hall. He’s half of Wonderly, the duo behind the themes for The New York Times’ The Daily and Cheryl Strayed’s Dear Sugar. He’s the dad behind the award-winning Roam Schooled podcast. Brunberg has released solo albums, scored films, and toured the world with his longtime band Box Set. Jim’s latest chapter, as a fierce advocate for live music, finds him serving as Vice President of the board of the National Independent Venue Association, NIVA, and frequently criss-crossing the country to fight for legislation and arts funding. Jim helped secure COVID relief funding for Portland’s venues and clubs, allowing many to stay in business.

 

Tucker Martine — Producer, Engineer, Musician

Tucker Martine is a Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and musician whose creative touch has helped shape some of the most beloved and sonically rich records of the past two decades. Martine is known for his immersive production style and his deep commitment to serving each artist’s vision with nuance and originality. Martine was born in Nashville and moved west to Colorado then Seattle and finally Portland. At his Flora Recording & Playback Studios, he has collaborated with a diverse roster of acclaimed musicians from My Morning Jacket to Bill Frisell, Mavis Staples, kd lang, M Ward, and many others. His work spans genres but is united by a sense of depth, detail, and musical empathy. Martine is also a drummer and percussionist, often contributing performances to the records he produces. He has released two albums under the name Mount Analog, exploring the experimental intersections of ambient sound, rhythm, and melody. He has also issued several collections of field recordings, which reflect his lifelong fascination with the sonic textures of the natural and human-made world. A vital figure in Oregon’s creative community, Martine has helped make Portland a hub for world-class recording and collaboration. His studio is a cornerstone of the city’s independent music scene and a destination for artists around the globe. In 2021, his old pal Neil Schon came calling with an offer to join Journey. Jensen accepted and began the gig with Journey’s 2021 Las Vegas Residency. He has received 2 RIAA Gold Records in 1991 and 1994.

 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Decemberists — Indie Rock Band

 Formed in Portland in 2000, The Decemberists quickly carved out a distinct place in indie rock with their literate songwriting, theatrical performances, and love of historical narratives. Led by Colin Meloy and joined by Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, and John Moen, the band drew on folk tradition and baroque pop to create albums like Castaways and Cutouts, Picaresque, and The Hazards of Love, The King Is Dead and their 2024 release As It Ever Was, So It Will Be, one of their best albums to date.

Deeply connected to Portland’s music and arts community, The Decemberists were honored with a city-wide “Decemberists Day” in 2015 and were inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2021.  Known for their immersive live shows and richly imaginative songs, the band has become a defining voice in Oregon music over the past two decades—elevating storytelling in rock and building a legacy rooted in creativity, collaboration, and place. This past year they toured across the US, Canada and played the All Points East Festival in East London’s Victoria Park

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Blind Pilot – In the Shadow of the Mountain

After an eight-year hiatus, Blind Pilot returned with In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain, an eleven-track collection of lush indie pop and folk-rock. Led by Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski, Blind Pilot crafted the record after a prolonged creative block that nearly ended their run. Challenging himself to write an entire album in one month, Nebeker embraced spontaneity and collaboration, inviting his bandmates into a more open and instinctive process. The result is In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain. Produced by Josh Kaufman (The Hold Steady, David Wax Museum) and recorded at Dreamland Studios in upstate New York, the album captures Blind Pilot at their most fluid and connected. Songs like “Jacaranda” and “Brave” marry radiant arrangements with Nebeker’s deeply personal lyricism, while the airy folk-pop of “Just a Bird” and the piano-led ballad “Coming Back” highlight the band’s range and emotional depth.

The album’s title stems from a shamanic journey Nebeker took in Norway to reconnect with his Sámi roots – underscoring the record’s recurring themes of ancestry, place, and transformation. Embracing imperfection and letting go of expectations, Blind Pilot discovered renewed joy in their craft, rekindling the chemistry that first brought them together in 2005. Touring as a quartet now, with Kati Claborn and Luke Ydstie, and longtime collaborators joining on the record, Blind Pilot’s In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain is both a creative rebirth and a testament to music’s power to connect – within the band and with their audience.

Tickets are available at: https://tinyurl.com/OMHOF-ticket-link