Cleveland rocks with a strong beat as East Ninth Street becomes "Rock & Roll Blvd." and GuitarManiaŽ makes an encore for 2004

(Cleveland, Ohio) June 27, 2003
In a dynamic two-set performance, the City of Cleveland today named East Ninth Street as Rock & Roll Blvd. as a commemoration of the City's history as the home of Rock and Roll. In addition, Mayor Jane L. Campbell, United Way Services, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and Fender Musical Instruments launched GuitarMania II.

In a joint press conference at Cleveland's Willard Park, Mayor Campbell unveiled a new street sign that names the main street stretching south from Lake Erie's shore and home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to Carnegie Avenue as Rock & Roll Blvd. Soon several of the 10-foot sculpted and decorated models of Fender StratocasterŽ guitars from GuitarMania will find permanent homes along the street, honoring Cleveland's Rock and Roll heritage and creating ongoing tourist attractions.

"By identifying a section of East Ninth Street as Rock & Roll Blvd., we are highlighting a large part of our City's culture," said Mayor Campbell. "The addition of GuitarMania will be an added attraction for visitors to Cleveland."

GuitarMania II launched
At the same event, the launch of GuitarMania II, the United Way community art project in partnership with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, was announced by the Mayor, who is Honorary Chair of GuitarMania II, Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and K. Michael Benz, president and CEO of United Way Services. Joining the officials was Ritchie Fliegler, senior vice president of Market Development for Fender Musical Instruments. As in the original GuitarMania, Fender has granted rights to use the world-famous image of the Fender Stratocaster guitar, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2004.

Proceeds from GuitarMania II will benefit United Way Services, which provides health and human service programs for 400,000 Greater Clevelanders annually, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum education fund. The community's largest funder of health and human service programs in Cuyahoga County, United Way Services supports 187 programs at nearly 130 partner agencies. The education fund provides programming and educational opportunities that reinforce the commitment to the study and interpretation of music and its roots.

GuitarMania
GuitarMania was the highly-successful first run of the public art project engaging corporate, organizational and individual sponsors and local and nationally known artists of all ages in the creation of brilliantly painted and sculpted fiberglass models of the Stratocaster. After a summer of nearly 100 artistic pieces displayed throughout the City, the guitars were auctioned off for charities at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

"GuitarMania showcased the strength of public-private partnerships in Greater Cleveland," said Mayor Campbell, who stressed that the project not only reinforced the City's image as the home of rock and roll, but was also a great venue for the talent and creativity of its arts community, home of 6,000 individual artists. Included among the celebrity artists were Peter Max, Yoko Ono, Keith Richards, Eric Carmen, Omar Vizquel, Graham Nash, Wyland, Tom Batiuk, Shannon, the Drew Carey Show cast, Philip Burke of Rolling Stone Magazine, Joe Walsh, Michael Stanley, and Hector Vega.

GuitarMania miniatures will be available this fall at stores in Cleveland and throughout the nation and the world.

GuitarMania II Encore in 2004
"GuitarMania made Rock and Roll history and became the perfect project with a cause, creating a new chapter of giving in Greater Cleveland while shining the national spotlight on our city. With the 50th anniversary of Fender Stratocaster in 2004, it is the perfect opportunity for an encore project," said Benz. "What better way to celebrate the project's success than to rename Cleveland's main beat 'Rock & Roll Blvd.'?"

"This is an opportunity for Cleveland to capitalize on its rich tradition and rock and roll heritage. It's important for our city to promote its roots, not just to ourselves, but to the rest of the world as well," said Stewart.

Finished guitars will be on tour at businesses and landmarks throughout Greater Cleveland from June through August 2004. They will return to take center stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum during September and will be auctioned off on November 6, 2004. Sponsorships are now available for GuitarMania II by contacting Dave Shriber at (216) 436-2247 or dshriber@uws.org. Artists interested in participating also may contact Shriber. For more information, contact Michelle Carver at (216) 436-2121 or mcarver@uws.org or log on to cleveland.com/guitarmania.