Leslie Odom Jr., Bacon Brothers, Patty Jackson, John DeBella, and Ed Rendell are Philly Music Walk of Fame inductees

The Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame will honor seven new inductees this year, and also present a special recognition award to “The Mighty Three” architects behind the Sound of Philadelphia.

This year’s group features two radio DJs, a Philly-born Broadway star and singer, a pioneering Black conductor, a pair of musical siblings, a classic Philly R&B group, and a non-musical former Philadelphia mayor.

The honorees announced Tuesday include Leslie Odom Jr., the East Oak Lane native who gained fame in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton and is heading back to Broadway this year to star in Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious, and the Philly Sound trio of Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and the late Thom Bell, who died in December.

The songwriter-producers and music executives were previously inducted into the Walk of Fame as individuals in 1993; this time, they will receive recognition as the embodiment of the Sound of Philadelphia.

This year’s new members of the Walk of Fame also include James DePreist, the Philly native and world-renowned conductor who died in 2013; Bacon Brothers Kevin and Michael who released their civic pride anthem, “It’s a Philly Thing,” last year; The Tymes, the vocal group that scored a #1 hit with “So Much In Love” in 1963; and Ed Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor being honored for his role in creating the Avenue of the Arts while mayor in the 1990s.

The names of those being honored will be cemented into the Avenue of the Arts sidewalk on brass plaques in an April 20 ceremony. A gala celebration will follow that evening at Vie on North Broad Street.

Philly radio legends Doug “Jocko” Henderson, Hy Lit, Georgie Woods, and Jerry Blavat were honored in 1993. Those broadcasters will be joined this year by WDAS-FM’s Patty Jackson and John DeBella, the rock jock and Morning Zoo personality who was a top-rated host on WMMR-FM (93.3) in the 1980s and has been morning drive time host at WMGK-FM (102.9) since 2002.

“Gosh, it’s overwhelming,” Jackson said on Monday, speaking on the phone during her mid-day shift at R&B station WDAS-FM (105.3) where she has been on the air for the last 31 of her 41 years in Philadelphia radio. “I’m so excited.”

Jackson has had a street in her native South Philly named in her honor, has called Villanova basketball games, and DJed on country station WXTU-FM (92.5). Her pre-recorded voice greets arrivals at Philadelphia International Airport.

But seeing her name on the Walk of Fame will be a special honor.

“I never thought I’d get a street named after me,” Jackson said. “When that happened, I was in shock. And Patti LaBelle showed up? I was like ‘Is this my life?’ But this just shows that whatever it is you do, you should do what you love, and hard work pays off. This is something I’ve always dreamed of.”