News: Musicians Hall of Fame Exhibit Is Huge Hit at The Big E Fair
BMNN wrote: on Oct. 23, 2010:NASHVILLE, TN – The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum traveling exhibit recently returned from its highly anticipated trip to The Big Eastern States Exposition (“The Big E”) in Massachusetts, where the Hall of Fame showcased some of the most treasured pieces in music history to over 200,000 fair visitors. The exposition was held September 16-October 2 in West Springfield, MA and is the largest fair in the northeastern part of the U.S. Fair officials anticipated an overall attendance of approximately 1,500,000 visitors during the 17 day event.
The exhibit was welcomed not only by fair officials but government and state officials as well. John Juliano, Special Events Director for The Big E said, “The Musicians Hall of Fame exhibit was a huge success!” The exhibit garnered numerous print and television news stories throughout the New England States which helped peak the already record breaking crowds.
Massachusetts Governor Patrick stopped by the exhibit space and personally held the 1967 Fender Stratocaster once owned by guitar great Jimi Hendrix.
While visiting Massachusetts, The Musicians Hall of Fame received numerous offers to showcase their artifacts at other venues throughout the country in the near future, time allowing. The Museum is currently in talks with the city of Nashville about possible relocation in the downtown area in 2011.
Musicians Hall of Fame Director Joe Chambers presented a variety of items ranging from Jimi Hendrix’s 1967 Fender Stratocaster to Luther Perkins’ 1963 Fender Esquire that he used while playing as a member of the Tennessee Two with Johnny Cash. Also on display was one of Johnny Cash’s personal guitars.
Other items that made an appearance included Joe Osborn’s 1960 Fender Jazz Bass rightfully described in September 2010 issue of Bass Player Magazine as “One of the most famous recording basses in the history of popular music.” Osborn took delivery of this bass while playing with Ricky Nelson in 1960. He can bee seen playing the instrument along with fellow guitarist James Burton (Elvis’s guitar player from 1969 to 1977) on the original T.V. series “Ozzie and Harriet” backing a young Ricky Nelson.
Osborn recorded hundreds of hit records using his historic jazz bass such as, “California Dreamin’ “, “Monday, Monday”, “I Saw Her Again”, along with every other hit The Mamas & The Papas recorded, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel, “Lucille” by Kenny Rogers, “Aquarius” and “Up, Up and Away” by the 5th Dimension, “Close to You” and all of the other hits recorded by The Carpenters. It would almost be easier to name the hits Osborn didn’t play on during his career.
Along with Osborn’s bass, Big E visitors also viewed Hal Blaine’s blue sparkle Ludwig drum set. Blaine played on most of the songs listed for Joe Osborn as well as “God Only Knows”, “Good Vibrations”, “California Girls”, “Fun, Fun, Fun”, “I Get Around” along with many other Beach Boys records. Blaine, along with Scotty Moore (Elvis’s original guitarist), were the first “sidemen” inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Along with the rest of the Wrecking Crew (famous group of L.A. session musicians), Blaine was among the first musicians inducted into The Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007.
The Museum’s physical location closed its doors in early 2010 after the city of Nashville purchased the museum property by use of eminent domain to start construction of the new Music City Convention Center. The MHOFM temporarily put many artifacts in storage at the highly revered performance and storage facility Sound Check near downtown Nashville which unfortunately was flooded in the Spring of 2010. Many treasured musical pieces, including those from the Musicians Hall of Fame, were affected.
Please visit their website for further information concerning the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum’s possible relocation to downtown Nashville as well as the upcoming Spring 2011 Musicians Hall of Fame Awards Show and Induction Ceremony. Inductees will be announced in the near future.
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