Brandon Valentine | Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame & Awards Show | Tone Tailors Podcast #11

Get your TICKETS! The winners will be announced LIVE on stage at the 7th Annual CPMAs & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA! Everyone is invited--artists, press, family, friends, fans, and the general public! Don't miss this opportunity to get your picture on the red carpet!https://amtshows.com/show/7th-annual-cpmas-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/This week on the Tone Tailors Podcast, I’m sitting down with Brandon Valentine, the founder and Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame. Brandon’s a drummer, a dad of two, a former movie critic, and somehow also a co-host of The Local Show on The River 97.3 FM. Oh and yes, his last name is Valentine and he was born on Valentine’s Day, because of course he was.More on CPMHOF and everything they do: https://cpmhof.com/We talk about what the CPMHOF actually is, and why it exists in the first place. Brandon saw a gap in the local scene: tons of talent, not enough recognition, not enough support, and not enough structure to help artists build momentum. So he helped create an organization that does three things really well: recognition, support, and education. That means Hall of Fame inductions, the Central Pennsylvania Music Awards (CPMAs), plus real year round work like promotions, radio, podcasts, bookings, and spotlighting artists who deserve more eyes on them.Brandon breaks down the difference between the Hall of Fame and the CPMAs, because people mix that up all the time. Hall of Fame is the “best of the best” legacy side. The CPMA awards focus on who had the strongest year across a ton of categories. It’s two separate lanes under one mission, and it’s built to give artists something they can actually use: credibility, resume lines, and real momentum when they’re trying to land better gigs and bigger opportunities.We also get into how the music industry flipped on its head. We went from “drop off your demo at the radio station” to “have a phone and a plan.” We talk TikTok discovery, independent distribution, and the reality that radio still hits different when you’re a local artist hearing your own name and song on the air for the first time. Brandon explains how artists can submit music and apply for features through the CPMHOF site, and why they keep access open because the whole point is growing the scene, not gatekeeping it.Then we go deep on youth music education, because that’s the core of what keeps the nonprofit engine running. Brandon explains the Youth Music Showcase, the Central PA Youth All Star Band, youth act bookings, and even youth music camps, all designed to help kids get real opportunities early. They’ve recorded covers, produced music videos, and built a pipeline where young musicians can level up, get seen, and eventually graduate into the adult categories when they turn 19. The CPMHOF youth program is built to nurture the next generation, not just celebrate the current one. We also talk about AI in music, and why it’s turning into a loud argument everywhere you look. Brandon shares how the Recording Academy handles AI disclosure, and what CPMHOF is discussing on their side so things stay fair while the industry changes. We don’t pretend it’s simple. We just talk about it like adults who actually work in creative industries and have to deal with the reality of where things are heading.And yes, we bring it back to supporting local gear shops too. Brandon’s message is simple: buy local when you can, try the gear, talk to real people, and keep these places alive because they’re part of the scene. That idea lines up perfectly with what Tone Tailors is all about.If you want to learn what the CPMHOF really does for Central PA music, this episode will make it click.More on CPMHOF and everything they do: https://cpmhof.com