Although it started its annual inductions in 1986, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame didn’t have a “hall,” per se, until its I.M. Pei-designed museum on the shores of Lake Erie finally opens on September 2, 1995. The new inductees included Al Green, the Allman Brothers Band, Frank Zappa, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, and Neil Young, among others.
To mark the occasion, a concert was held at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium and simulcast on HBO. Appearing on the show were a range of artists from classic rock to (at the time) contemporary acts appearing in once-in-lifetime collaborations.
The show starred veterans like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, John Fogerty, The Kinks, Eric Burdon, Booker T & the MGs, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and others, alongside rock founders like Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Johnny Cash. What a night!
Highlights included: Berry launching the show with “Johnny B. Goode” backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. Springsteen had introduced the legend by calling him “one of my all-time heroes… a man who doesn’t play rock and roll, he is rock and roll…”
Watch “Johnny B. Goode”
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Watch Bob Dylan and Springsteen perform “Forever Young” together
Watch Led Zeppelin play a favorite
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Watch the Allman Brothers Band perform “One Way Out”
Although the Hall of Fame nominations and inductions prompt annual debates among and complaints from fans, the Museum is another matter. Its collection and exhibits are a delight for anyone who values rock music.
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From a former Clevelander: If you love rock n’ roll and you haven’t been, yes, it’s worth the trip. Especially in warm weather when you can enjoy the rest of this great city and hopefully catch a show somewhere.