Meet central Pa.'s new music Hall of Famers

Taylor Swift is not in the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame, at least not yet. 

That was my first question for Brandon Valentine, the nonprofit’s president and founder, and he answered it before I had a chance to ask. 

But I had more: What are the eligibility rules (A$AP Rocky once lived in Harrisburg; Junior Vasquez hails from Lancaster; Lil Peep was born in Allentown)? What about Polka King John “Stanky” Stankovic? Or Scranton’s Andy Bernard?

Ahead of next month’s inductions, Valentine patiently explained the process. We also discussed Pennsylvania's fuzzy regional boundaries, who’s in the class of 2022, and when Taylor Swift of Wyomissing will next appear on a ballot.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. 

PA LOCAL: I’ve been in and out of Pennsylvania my whole life and I still don’t know exactly what “central Pennsylvania” means. How does the Hall define it? 

VALENTINE: We do have actual borders. Largely it goes from the Maryland border to the New York border, as far east as say Reading or Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and as far west as Altoona. Basically everything outside of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Allentown, and Erie. 

We have the eligibility rules posted on the site, but the long and short of it is we consider acts that were either born in central Pennsylvania or accomplished a large portion of their musical success in this area.

PA LOCAL: How do nominations work? 

VALENTINE: We’re adding an official nominating form to our website soon, but we get emails all the time. They come in and get evaluated by our board and advisory committee to see if the act should be placed on the ballot and, ultimately, if they should be voted in.

PA LOCAL: Who’s getting inducted this year? 

VALENTINE: Les Brown (Reinerton), The Emperors (Harrisburg), LIVE (York), The Del McCoury Band (York), The Pixies Three (Hanover), Third Stream (Hershey). Find the full 2022 ballot here.

PA LOCAL: Admittedly, I didn’t realize so many musicians were connected to Pennsylvania and central Pennsylvania. 

VALENTINE: I think each of us on the board and advisory committee could say the same. 

We had 20 acts on our first ballot and we had 72 eligible candidates this year. Six will be inducted, and that leaves 66 eligible acts we will vote on next year. Taylor Swift is one of them.

—Colin Deppen, Spotlight PA

» One thing we learned this week: Each year the older adults of Schuylkill County try to banish Old Man Winter on "Hoodie Hoo Day."

» One thing that made us smile: A working 90s-era, Star Wars-themed Pepsi machine is drawing tourists in Pittsburgh, per the Post-Gazette.

» One thing we want to try: The Pennsylvania pawpaw, a member of the tropical fruit family that's somehow native to this very untropical state.

» One thing to know: Pennsylvania's large Ukrainian-American population is watching the Russian invasion closely. Here’s how to help.

» One place to visit: Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County has some of the darkest skies (and best stargazing) around, per Atlas Obscura.

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lime's worth of zest
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups of shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine flour, eggs, brown sugar, butter, salt, vanilla and lime until well combined. Add coconut flakes by hand until evenly distributed.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Let us know how yours turn out. Photographic evidence is welcome here.