Ron Dante inducted by Canned Hamm with a speech by David Smay:

Tonight we honor the career of Ron Dante, and in so doing, we may have doomed the Earth itself. The facts are clear – whatever Ron Dante has attempted he has accomplished with panache and tremendous success. Not content with mere pop stardom, Ron conquered literary publishing and Broadway production. He produced records that sold millions, and wrote jingles that sold a million burgers. The man does it all. So as we selfishly bask in his reflected glory, we must admit to ourselves we may be cheating the world of advances in brain surgery by keeping Ron here. Milk production in Wisconsin is probably falling right now simply because Ron isn't there. The cows miss him, and who can blame them. Global warming? Our fault. Admit it! It is because we are such greedy music fans that we can't leave Ron alone to fix the ozone layer.

It's Ron's fault, however, that we sometimes overlook his tremendous ears as a producer, or his fine songwriting skills. It's the voice. Being greedy little music fans, we can't resist it. It's one of the great pop voices ever, with more stylistic range than anybody. How did this Italian kid from New York turn into a one-man Beach Boys? (And add to the long list of Ron's overlooked gifts, his superb skills as a vocal arranger.) But he could be bluesy when he wanted, pure as a choirboy or gritty and soulful as the song required.

Ron was lucky to find a perfect foil in Toni Wine. They're pop music's Emmylou and Gram, and it's pure joy to hear their voices twined together. And there's the rub. Joy is a rare commodity in any age, and fiendishly difficult to capture in song. But that's exactly what Ron did, again and again over the course of his career. We were lucky to have his music.

And so it is with the greatest affection and gratitude that we induct Ron Dante into the Bubblegum Hall of Fame. Pour a little sugar on it, Ron!