The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum today announced the opening of the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Exhibit. Opening during Celebration Day at the Museum on Saturday, April 11, the 2015 Inductee Exhibit will shine a spotlight on the impact and influence of this year’s class: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The “5” Royales, Green Day, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Lou Reed, Ringo Starr, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and Bill Withers.
“The Inductee Exhibit highlights iconic items that span the careers of these legends, and helps illustrate their impact on music history,” said Karen L. Herman, vice president of collections and curatorial affairs for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “Many of these pieces are new to the museum and are being exhibited for the first time.”
Items in the 2015 Inductee Exhibit, which will be located in the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall on the lower level, include instruments, gear, stage clothing, and more. Highlights include:
- Stevie Ray Vaughan’s butterscotch Fender Stratocaster, featuring a custom tiger stripe pickguard that is a homage to Buddy Guy, one of Vaughan’s biggest musical influences
- Lou Reed’s Bolin guitar and Soldano amp, which were essential in creating his unmistakable guitar tone
- Bill Withers’ Martin acoustic guitar, a stalwart with him on stage during much of his career
- Ringo Starr’s drum kit, the backbeat of the British Invasion, which was used with the Beatles from 1964 to 1968
- Paul Butterfield’s harmonicas and their custom case
- Tré Cool of Green Day’s drum kit which he lit on fire at the 1998 HFStival at RFK Stadium
- Instruments and clothing from Joan Jett and each member of the Blackhearts
- Original recordings of The “5” Royales’ songs that were later covered by artists from James Brown to Mick Jagger and Derek and The Dominos
The exhibit will also include a multimedia highlight reel of speeches and special moments from the past 29 years of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Induction Ceremony including behind-the-scenes footage, rehearsals and performances. The exhibit features a video wall, with soundbars powered by Klipsch Audio, highlighting performance footage and exclusive interviews with the 2015 inductees.
Inside the Hall of Fame gallery, a new video in the entrance lobby to the Hall of Fame gallery will be added in the coming weeks and will feature the top 10 greatest induction performances as voted on by fans from around the world at www.rockhall.com. The signatures of the 2015 inductees will also be added to the signature wall and full song catalogs will be added to the interactive jukeboxes. The area that previously showcased each year’s inductees has been converted to an In Memoriam Exhibit honoring inductees who have recently passed away.
Kicking off Cleveland Rock Week, Celebration Day on April 11 will feature free admission to the Museum, live local entertainment, and more. The daylong celebration begins at 9 a.m. at the Museum and concludes with a Rock N’ Blast fireworks show at 8 p.m. at Voinovich Park. Celebration Day is presented by PNC and sponsored by the Cleveland Indians, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, The John P. Murphy Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, and The Cleveland Foundation. For more information about Celebration Day, Cleveland Rock Week, and current exhibits, visit www.rockhall.com.
