Sept 2, 1995: Rock Hall Opens With Stars Galore

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Rock HallAlthough 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”

Related: 100 crucial Rock Hall omissions

Watch Bob Dylan and Springsteen perform “Forever Young” together

Watch Led Zeppelin play a favorite

Related: 100 more crucial Rock Hall omissions

Watch the Allman Brothers Band perform “One Way Out”

The Hall of Fame nominations and selections, governed by the Rock Hall Foundation, have strayed far from what most people would define as rock and roll, and have prompted annual debates among—and complaints from—fans. However, the actual Museum is another matter. Its collection and exhibits are a delight for anyone who values rock music.

Related: A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cynic visits the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Best Classic Bands Staff

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  1. Colorado Slim
    #1 Colorado Slim 3 September, 2021, 00:22

    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.

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  2. Da Mick
    #2 Da Mick 3 September, 2024, 19:31

    The R&R HOF “Museum”– that’s just what it is — a museum. It has nothing to do with the clowns who nominate and elect the most ridiculous choices into what was supposed to be the R&R HOF, which has turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments of generations of rock fans.

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