ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Music Hall of Fame will celebrate its newest inductees on Sunday. The Greater Rochester area is home to diverse talent and musical culture. The class of 2025 is a mix of pop, funk, jazz and Rochester entertainment history.

What You Need To Know

  • The Rochester Music Hall of Fame ceremony is Sunday at 7 p.m.

  • Inductee John Fossitt met Bruno Mars in 2011 backstage at the Teen Choice Awards

  • Fossitt performed at the Super Bowl and Grammy Awards with Bruno Mars

This year, inductees include guitarist, composer, producer and six-time Grammy nominee Chet Catallo, Foreigner’s original lead singer and co-founder Lou Gramm and 70s band Black Sheep. The Record Archive will be honored for its 50 years as an entertainment destination. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and its diverse repertoire of programming and musicians will also be inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame. The pop-punk, multi-platinum-selling band out of Geneva, Gym Class Heroes and Travie McCoy will also be inducted.

Rochester native and Gates-Chili grad John Fossitt will also be inducted. Fossitt is a solo artist, songwriter and creative director who is the keyboardist for 15-time Grammy winner Bruno Mars.

"I started playing drums at like two or three and then I kind of made that transition over to the piano and just playing anywhere a piano was," said Fossitt. "Anywhere a piano was I just wanted to sit down and pluck away at it."

Fossitt has performed in more than 50 countries. He’s played at the Super Bowl and the Grammy Awards. He will be performing live at the Rochester Music Hall of Fame as a 2025 inductee.

"The goal was this and the fact that it was achieved and escalated to the tenth power, yes. I couldn't imagine it, but I wouldn't have it any other way either. I am big on outreach, and I am big on humanity and I just want the best for this world and obviously, it starts right here in Rochester. To be honored at the Hall of Fame is just a culmination, but it's also just an aha moment of, like, OK yeah, now the groundwork and now to the stars for everybody," said Fossitt. 

He jokes he’s a nomad between Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Tokyo. His roots are in Rochester and he thanks his mom who helped get him where he is today.

"Obviously, my mom and my church family, friends, family and from high school. I have a bunch of people coming, so I am excited to see the melting pot of my entire life," said Fossitt. 

The Rochester Hall of Fame Ceremony is Sunday at 7 p.m. at Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre.

For tickets and more information, click here.