2024 Recipient of the
Sam Morreale Music Award
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PETER P. PAONESSA, JR.
Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame
2024 SAM MORREALE MUSIC AWARD
PETER P. PAONESSA, JR.
PETER P. PAONESSA, JR. is a 2018 Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame Inductee recognized for his musical life that spanned over 60 years. His first paying job as a drummer was at the age of 15 on the road starting as a fill-in for a drummer in Cleveland. He continued to tour and record for many years with The Mercury’s, the VelTones, Humphrey and the Palookas and The Impacts throughout the USA and Canada.
He appeared on a television show in Halifax, Nova Scotia and regularly performed on the The Kelly Gold Show on the Las Vegas circuit. Returning to Niagara Falls, he became the Food, Beverage and Promotion Manager at The Winery in the Ramada Inn. He hired bands from Niagara Falls and all over Western New York and made it “the IT Place” to be.
Later, Pete and his wife Patti opened their own bar and restaurant, The Village Gate. Pete was a member of Local #106 American Federation of Musicians and Local #369 Federation of Music in Las Vegas. In his so called “retirement years”, he was a board member of the Niagara County Police and Judges Association, a member of the LaSalle Yacht Club and a Vice-President of the Griffin River Front Corporation. Of all these accomplishments, his proudest and most honored was being the President of the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame.
Being one of the founding members with Bill Phillips and current board member, Dom Mitro, Pete continued to lead, promote, and recruit musicians, music enthusiasts and historians to dedicate themselves in pursuits of creating and continuing a bonafide organization that would honor the musical heritage and future of the greater Niagara Falls New York region. Unfortunately, Peter passed away December 31st 2023.
For his passion and profound support of the music and musicians in our community, the 2024 Music Support Award, named in honor of his dear friend Dr. Sam ‘Saxman” Morreale, is proudly being posthumously awarded to Peter P. Paonessa Jr.