Ronnie Wood, Bon Jovi, Eddie Vedder, Flea, Graham Nash and 14 more celebrities take the lead in GuitarManiaŽ II, Encore in 2004, United Way Services of Greater Cleveland's 93-guitar public art auction on November 6, 2004

(Cleveland, Ohio) August 12, 2004
Most of the 93-guitar band of GuitarManiaŽ II, Encore in 2004, will be auctioned on Saturday, November 6, 2004 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. An online bidding option will be available for interested bidders outside of Cleveland.

The public art project, consisting of 10-foot-tall fiberglass models of Fender StratocasterŽ guitars, painted and sculpted by 19 celebrities and more than 70 local artists, has been on display at locations throughout Greater Cleveland since Memorial Day weekend. The guitars will gather at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame from Labor Day weekend until the auction. Proceeds benefit United Way Services of Greater Cleveland's more than 130 partner agencies and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's education fund.

Headlining the project are guitars by Jim Belushi, Blondie (including Deborah Harry), Bon Jovi, Michael "Flea" Balzary (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Jackson Browne, David Carradine, the Chapman brothers (www.homestarrunner.com), Richie Havens, Maria Elena Holly (Buddy Holly's widow), Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash), Kristin Nelson (Ricky Nelson's widow), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Marky Ramone (Ramones), World's Greatest Beatles artist Shannon, Lamar Sorrento, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones).

Rock and roll enthusiasts around the world may bid by proxy on most of the guitars online beginning mid-October. Final online bids will become the opening bids for the live auction and/or become the final bid should attendees not best the online bid at the live auction. A few guitars retained by option of the sponsors will not be auctioned.

Each guitar is an exact replica of the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation's StratocasterŽ guitar created in fiberglass. It is 10-feet-tall, 40 inches wide, 5.5 inches thick and weighs 100 pounds with a stand weighing 60 pounds. Companies and organizations throughout Greater Cleveland sponsor individual guitars to fund the public art project. Artists submitted proposed designs for selection by sponsors. A jury approved the designs.

GuitarManiaŽ, initiated in 2002 by United Way Services of Greater Cleveland in partnership with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, generated more than $1 million net for the charities. The initial project celebrated the artistic excellence of Greater Cleveland and the city's musical heritage. GuitarManiaŽ II, Encore in 2004 continues that celebration, as well as pays tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Fender StratocasterŽ guitar.

In addition to the United Way Services of Greater Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, partners for GuitarMania II are Clear Channel Radio, cleveland.com, Continental Airlines, Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, Fender Musical Instruments Corp., The Plain Dealer, Sherwin-Williams and Turner Construction.

Complete information on the GuitarMania project, including history, photos of the guitars, artist bios and sponsor listing, is available at a cleveland.com/guitarmania. For further information, contact Michelle A. Battle at (216) 436-2121 or via email.