South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association announces 2023 Hall of Fame Class

Inductees for the 2023 Class of the South Dakota Rock & Rollers Hall of Fame were announced this week, and are set to be honored at the 14th annual introduction ceremony later this year.

The ceremony is set for Sept. 30, inside the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls. The organization also announced it will be bringing back its Battle of the Bands, which will take place the night before the induction, which is designed to nurture future musicians across the state.

"They're going to be playing music for the next 30, 40 years. Those are the people that we want to sort of inspire to get out and play and keep. Live music is a great thing, especially for kids," South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association President Michael Cornette said Tuesday during a press conference about the announcement.

Here's a look at this year's inductees.

Kory & the Fireflies

Kory & the Fireflies formed in 1994 by its leader Kory Van Sickle after he was inspired to put a band back together when he returned to South Dakota from performing in London.

The band would go on to feature a variety of lineups, would put out a number of albums and has had airplay in all 50 states with their singles. Van Sickle said his most memorable moments with the band was playing in Mexico and playing in front of 50,000 during the Sturgis Rally.

"The induction, to me, is a thank you to all the people that have supported us and came to shows and connected with the music and so just as much an award for all the people that have connected with our music as it is for us," Van Sickle said at the induction.

More: Photos: Thousands gather for Kory and the Fireflies' final concert of the Levitt season

Hot Rod-Chevy Kevy

Rod Jerke (Hot Rod) and Kevin King (Chevy Kevy) made up the Sioux Falls-formed band in the early 1980s.

The band quickly gained a following and their debut album, "Hot Rod-Chevy Kevy," was released in 1985, a double album selling over 10,000 copies during their live performances, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

The band has played well over 3,000 gigs including more than 1,200 in South Dakota alone, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association. Rod Jerke earned the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

CRANK

CRANK originated in a basement apartment in Huron in 1971, then known as Lucifer, playing gigs wherever they could find. The band members included Doug Lampson, Bob Gripp, Craig Brown and Lowell Buesing.

In 1972, the members moved to a farmhouse east of Worthing, changed their name and started writing their own songs. Buesing left a few months later, leaving them as a three-piece band. CRANK then found success playing in ballrooms at Lake Okoboji and Clear Lake, Iowa and took pride in being a three-piece band but eventually added Randy Royer to the band.

The band eventually broke up in 1975, but made a significant impact in the local music scene, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

Starchild

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Starchild bursting onto the Sioux Falls music scene, where it got its start at Turk's J&M club.

The seeds of Starchild were sown in 1973 when Mark Olson (drums) and Bob Wratz (guitar, lead vocals, songwriter) attended a David Bowie concert in California. When they returned to South Dakota, they met up with Chuck Salisbury (bass, vocals) and formed the band as a three-piece group, before adding more members down the road including Allen Hanson, Don Lerdal, Clint Kennedy, Keith Myhre, Tom O'Dea, Mick Jensen and John Bunker, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

Free Flite

Free Flite, a Rapid City-based four-piece rock band emerged in the early 1970s, comprised of Roger Groethe (drums) Larry Galbraith (lead vocals), Don Paris (bass) and Peter Diggins (guitar).

The band were opening regional shows for major touring acts including Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foghat, The Guess Who, Jo Jo Gunn, Head East, Black Oak Arkansas, Flash and Deodato.

Geoffrey B.C.

Geoffrey B.C,., was a five-piece rock band that drew inspiration from Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Foghat, ZZ Top and Savoy Brown. With their dynamic stage presence and infectious rhythms, the band was a local favorite for their electrifying live performances, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

Lifetime Achievement: Jimmy Goings

Goings is a musician, singer, songwriter and producer currently working in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association. Goings is a two-time inductee into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Association Hall of Fame with Ma's Boys (2013) and Wonderband (2014).

Spirit of the Music: Randall Zwart

Randall Zwart and his brother Bob formed the band Zwarte in the mid-1980s as a cover band, but in 1992, they released a debut record that became a classic. The band would go on to release 13 records. In 2015, the band released its 13th record titled "Lucky 13," and was awarded the Los Angeles Music Awards for producer's choice and Outstanding TV Theme Song, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

More: 'Grateful Dead of the Midwest': Zwarte plans reunion concert in memory of lead singer

Spirit of the Music: Terry French

Terry French, from Webster, was passionate about music and played guitar with several bands throughout his life, including touring with one across the country. Terry received his first guitar around 1960 when he was living in Washington, and graduated from Webster High School in 1963 and later attended Northern State University in Aberdeen where he lived on and off for many years.

Spirit of the Music: Gordon Bird

While attending BIA boarding school in Pierre, Bird learned to play the guitar by eighth grade and formed the Echoes band and later the Gordon Bird Band while attending the Flandreau Indian Vocational School.

Bird would eventually team up to form the Chevelles, which would eventually become Gordon Bird & The Stingrays, which would open for popular bands such as the Beach Boys, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association. Gordon married JoAnne Bird and their family formed the BIRD! performances group and Featherstone Productions, a music production company.

Bird has written many songs and recorded several albums under the Featherstone album, earning the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Promoter: Terry Taylor

Terry Taylor, a promoter, will also be inducted into the hall of fame this September. Taylor, played a key role in bringing larger acts like Danzig, Korn and Fugazi to the Sioux Falls area.

DJ: Jeff Harkness

Jeff Harkness will join the hall of fame as a DJ who has worn many hats, including over the past dozen years as a classic rock jock on B102.7, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association. Harkness has used his show as an opportunity to take listeners deeper into the stories behind the songs and the artists.

Music Store: Lindner Music

Originally known as Alvin's Music, the business was established in 1955 by Alvin Johnson in downtown Watertown and operated by his son Charles (Chuck). In 1990, the business was sold to Rodney Lindner and was renamed to "Lindner Music," in 1993. Their son Joe, who was 12 at the time, subsequently graduated with a two-year degree in piano tuning and band instrument repairs and became a vital part of the store. He along with his wife now own the store. Lindner Music is now located at 804 Jenson Avenue in Watertown.

Radio Station: KAUR (Augustana University)

KAUR 89.1 FM, a radio station at Augustana University was established in 1972 by a group of students, faculty and administrators and was modeled after National Public Radio's "block programming" format, with music genres including progressive rock, classical and jazz. The station's early years featured an eclectic mix of programs.

In 2009, due to waning student interest, college administration entered an agreement with Minnesota Public Radio to broadcast its schedule on the KAUR frequency, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

Special Recognition: Tempest Magazine

Tempest Magazine earned Special Recognition into the hall of fame, as its premier issue was published in November of 1989 with the mission of informing readers that there was something to do in Sioux Falls. It started as a monthly magazine that eventually evolved into a bi-weekly publishing schedule, according to the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Who will be added to South Dakota's Rock & Rollers Hall of Fame for 2023?