First Tier of One-of-a-Kind Playable Art Guitars Now on Display in the Lobby of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Cleveland, OH—October 13, 2009— Cleveland Rocks!, a public arts project presented by Epiphone Guitar, has officially kicked off its exhibit of one-of-a-kind playable* art guitars at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Each piece can be viewed for free in the lobby and is a one-of-a-kind playable Epiphone guitar that will be auctioned off to benefit local non-profits at a gala event on December 3, 2009, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  The second tier of these guitars will launch at the Rock Hall in a few weeks and include guitars autographed by some of the world’s greatest musicians.  There will be a total of 50 guitars in the project.

Who: The first tier of visual artists exhibiting painted Epiphone Les Paul guitars for Cleveland Rocks! are listed below:

George F. Kocar - Bay Village, OH
Lindsay Adams - Warren, OH
Jim Hern - Pickerington, OH
Beth Gregerson - Willoughby, OH
Neal E Hamilton - Shaker Heights, OH
Debbie Apple Presser - Cleveland Heights, OH
Billy Nainiger - Cleveland, OH
Sylvia Masek - Lakewood, OH
Steve Schimoler - Cleveland, OH
Dale and Jennifer Simmons - South Euclid, OH
Kathy Morris Bakhshi - Brecksville, OH
Lauryn Gintert - Newton Falls, OH
Sunia Boneham - Cleveland, OH
Judy Kean - Avon Lake, OH
Jerry Keller - Cleveland, OH
Cortney Cinamin Kilbury - Lakewood, OH
Tina Grimm - Rittman, OH
Grace Summanen - Euclid, OH
Jose O Vasquez - Lakewood, OH
Ellen Mullarkey - Bay Village, OH

What: Cleveland Rocks! is a two-tiered major art exhibition featuring Epiphone Les Paul model guitars painted by local and regional visual artists who have been inspired by the legendary musicians of Rock 'n Roll. In October, the first group of 25 guitars will be displayed until November, when 25 new guitars will take their place for the second tier of this exhibit. Many of the guitars in the second tier will feature handwritten autographs of major musical icons. All of the Cleveland Rocks! guitars on display can be viewed for free.

At the conclusion of this exhibit, all of the guitars on display will be auctioned off at a gala event on December 3, 2009, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum hosted by world renown auction house, Juliens Auctions. The auction will raise funds for three local non-profit organizations: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and The Music Settlement.

Where: The main lobby of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 751 Erieside Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44114

When: Exhibit runs through December 3, 2009

Individuals, organizations or corporations interested in sponsoring a Cleveland Rocks guitar can contact the organizers by calling 1-800-444-2766 ext. 2121 or by emailing clevelandrocks@epiphone.com.  All sponsor benefits and levels are outlined on the official website or can be customized to suit a sponsor's interests and requirements.

For more information on Cleveland Rocks!, please visit http://ClevelandRocks.Epiphone.com, www.gibson.com, or www.rockhall.com/exhibitnew/cleveland-rocks   

*Due to some artistic additions to a guitar, it may not be suitable for performances

All photo credits: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Contacts:         
Caroline Galloway, Gibson Guitar & Epiphone, 615-423-4904, caroline.galloway@gibson.com
Cie Hoover, Gibson Guitar & Epiphone, 615-260-8835, cie.hoover@gibson.com