The Roots, Billie Holiday, and others feted at Philadelphia Music Alliance awards gala

At a star-studded gala presented by the Philadelphia Music Alliance, The Roots topped the bill at the Fillmore Philadelphia on Monday night as the hip-hop and Tonight Show band led a slate of seven acts inducted into the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.

Along with The Roots and their fellow inductees – who included "Disco Inferno" hitmakers The Trammps, Annie star Andrea McArdle, DJ Harvey Holiday, 1980s rock band Cinderella, Asleep at the Wheel leader Ray Benson, and the late Billie Holiday – those stars included both Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, who was expected, and soul-funk singer D'Angelo, whose presence was a surprise.

At the gala, hosted by Fallon's fellow ex-Saturday Night Live alum Joe Piscopo, praise was showered on The Roots, the awesomely versatile collective who, D'Angelo said, "are not only the best hip-hop band, they're the only hip-hop band. … They never compromised on their integrity. I love them. They are my brothers, they are my family." D'Angelo, wearing a signature broad-brimmed hat, cocked to the side, and a floor-length fur coat, spoke of the first time he played with drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson ("my favorite drummer in the world") at Sigma Sound Studios as "one of the most special nights in my life, like finding my twin."

Fallon joked that before he met The Roots when starting his then late-night show on NBC in 2007, he was looking for a cool band to be on the show, "but Nickelback said no." More seriously, he added that the band began to consider the job offer only when their 30 Rockefeller Center workplace was pitched as being "a short drive" to their hometown.

"The Roots are very loyal to Philadelphia," he said.

Thompson remembered that his father, doo-wop singer Lee Andrews, was inducted into the Walk of Fame 25 years ago, "and I didn't really notice, Because Tariq [Trotter] and I recorded our first demo that day." He reminded the crowd: "We're Philadelphians at heart, no matter where we go."

Trotter, also known as Black Thought, then stepped to the mic and said his thank-yous. "We now erect these plaques and monuments that will make up a time capsule of these great times, as turbulent as they may be. And what better place for them than on Broad Street, the city's main artery? It's from these streets that we came, and back to these streets that we return. There aren't enough words to explain how beautiful of a feeling this is and how long it's going to sit with us."

The Roots were among six acts honored by the Philadelphia Music Alliance. Stars bearing their names imprinted on them added to the Philadelphia Walk of Fame on Broad Street in a ceremony earlier in the day.

"Even with all their success, they are still hometown heroes who come back and give back, time and time again," said Mayor Michael Nutter of the Tonight Show house band, who also host Philadelphia's annual Roots Picnic and Philly Fourth of July Jam celebration. The group was formed in 1987 by Thompson and Trotter when the two were students at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.

At the ceremony during the day, Questlove posted a picture on Instagram with this caption: "Broad St. Where I went to elementary school & got an amazing education. 12pm you'd see all the luminaries of the sound of philly coming in and out of #PhiladelphiaInternationalRecords #PIR from #TeddyPendergrass to #PattiLabelle *coughcoughthanksgivingcoughcough* to #GambleAndHuff #BunnySigler & #DexterWansel even spotted #TheJacksons leaving their label to play a concert once in 79."

At the gala at the Fillmore, Dionne Warwick inducted Billie Holiday, who was born in Philadelphia before moving to Baltimore as a child. Warwick paid tribute to Holiday as "an entertainer's entertainer."

Benson (real last name: Seifert) was inducted by his former band mate and steel guitar whiz Lucky Oceans (born Reuben Gosfield), who's now a radio personality in Australia. He explained the unlikely development of a pair of Jewish kids from Philadelphia into enduring Western Swing purveyors by remembering seeing Gene Autry ride a horse wearing full cowboy regalia at a Philadelphia radio station promo event when they were seven. And Benson offered his explanation in two words – "Sally Starr" – naming the longtime Philadelphia TV children's entertainer. "This is the best thing that's happened to me all year," said the 6-foot-7 country singer in a white 10-gallon hat.

WMMR (93.3-FM) radio personality Jacky Bam Bam sang the praises of Cinderella, noting the roles of Jon Bon Jovi and Gene Simmons in their success and citing the band's commercial accomplishment of selling a total of seven million albums. Tom Kiefer accepted the award via a video feed from Italy.

It took two Philly radio personalities to induct Harvey Holiday: Jerry "The Geator" Blavat and basketball maven Sonny Hill. Harvey Holiday topped host Piscopo with his stage patter: "It's like a rehearsal for my funeral: I'm wearing a suit and my whole family's here." He paid tribute to other Philly radio personalities like Georgie Woods and Joe "Butterball" Tamburro as well as favorite artists like Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, and Fats Domino, and recalled the power of radio on his upbringing by paraphrasing Bruce Springsteen: "I learned more from a three-minute record, baby, than I ever learned in school."

The original members of The Trammps performed "Disco Inferno," led by Earl Young, the 75-year-old who played drums on the original recording but led the band out front on vocals in getting the black-tie audience up from their dinner tables and onto their feet. "Thank you, Philadelphia, you know I love you," Young said in accepting his award from radio personality Dyana Williams.