Bobby Darin is a Hit Parade Hall of Fame Inductee

The first inductees to the new Hit Parade Hall of Fame have been announced and, not surprisingly, Bobby Darin is among them. The list of 28 inductees also includes Darin's old flame, Connie Francis, as well as Darin's good friend Paul Anka. For the full list, see below, or visit www.hitparadehalloffame.org.

The Hit Parade Hall of Fame was conceived in 2006 by radio executives John Rook and Gil Bateman, to honor hitmaking recording artists from all venues and walks of life. Starting in 2007, they began to solicit votes through their website, www.hitparadehalloffame.org. Nominees were required to have at least two Top 10 hits, singles or albums of any genre. Over 63,ooo votes were cast in 2007 to arrive at the final stable of inductees. Fan clubs played a major role in the voting, according to Bateman and Rook.

Here is the full list of 2007 Hit Parade Hall of Fame winners, as chosen by fans worldwide: Paul Anka, The Beatles, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, Beach Boys, Teresa Brewer, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, Jimmy Clanton, Nat "King" Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Neil Sedaka, and Frank Sinatra.

"We're thrilled with the response we've had from the public as we are still in our infancy and it appears that our voting numbers will grow as our young organization becomes more widely known," said founders Rook and Bateman.

The next step beyond the voting is to build a Hit Parade Hall of Fame bricks and mortar structure. Presently, the organization is speaking with two or three individuals and municipalities as to where to locate the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, voting has begun for the 2008 Hit Parade Hall of Fame inductees. This year, the Hall will be focusing on three decades, beginning in 1950. Besides voting for recording stars already nominated, visitors to the Hit Parade Hall of Fame website are also encouraged to suggest the names of future nominees. In 2007, fans gave the nominating committee more than five hundred names to consider.

Once nominated, a recording artist has three years to gain enough votes for induction into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. A total of eighty-two 2007 nominees continue to vie for votes with sixty-two new nominees joining them in 2008. To cast your vote or suggest a nominee, please visit www.hitparadehalloffame.org.

Bobby Darin and Connie Francis sing Cole Porter's "You're The Top" (video)

Bobby Darin and Connie Francis singing Cole Porter's "You're The Top" on Ed Sullivan in 1960. The chemistry between these former sweethearts is positively enchanting...