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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation establishes a $5 million endowment fund for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum announced that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in New York will create a $5 million endowment fund to ensure the nonprofit museum experience always remains vibrant. The fund was generated by proceeds from the history-making Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anniversary concerts held at Madison Square Garden in October 2009 with a lineup of legendary artists from Jerry Lee Lewis to Bono.

“Rock and roll is an art form, and arguably one of the most accessible art forms that is well known and loved around the world,” said Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “This gift is also about the artists’ endorsement of the Museum’s mission: to celebrate and preserve the art form and to provide education activities to inform the public about its worldwide impact.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation has been the largest single contributor to the Museum and its support has been instrumental in the success of the Cleveland landmark. The Foundation has leveraged its presence in one of the major world capitals to bring artists to Cleveland and to create fundraising opportunities. In the past five years, the Foundation has contributed more than $13 million to the Museum in Cleveland, including annual support for capital improvements, $8 million gift toward the Capital Campaign, $1 million gift to develop a long-term digital strategy and a complete redesign of the Museum’s website.

“This support from the New York Foundation helps ensure that we will continue to thrive and I want to thank them for this very generous gift,” said Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The endowment gift comes at a time that the Rock Hall is within $1.5 million of completing an ambitious $35 million Campaign for the Rock Hall. The capital campaign will support a Museum redesign and the construction and operation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Library and Archives in downtown Cleveland. (more…)

Planning to see rock icons KISS this summer during their 2010 North American tour, The Hottest Show on Earth? Plan on buying tickets in advance.

This weekend, the legendary rockers started their 32-city tour with record-breaking crowds in Cheyenne, WY, and Minot (Bismarck area), ND. KISS is also the first rock act to completely sellout the grandstands in Minot (more than 15,000 people), they broke Taylor Swift’s 2009 gross merchandise sales record in both cities and KISS gave back by donating more than $30,000 from their ticket sales to Wounded Warrior Care Project, a non-profit veterans organization.

“We know that times are tough for The KISS Army of fans and that’s why we’re giving back,” said KISS bassist and co-founder Gene Simmons. “We’re committed to giving our fans the biggest, baddest, most over-the-top show for their hard-earned money.”

“While we give our fans the greatest show ever, we also want to help guarantee that our country’s brave men and women who return from fighting overseas receive the medical care that they have sacrificed for and is owed to them. While our government is tied up in bureaucracy, the KISS Army has taken up the cause. We’re donating $1 from every ticket sold, to the Wounded Warrior Care Project,” added KISS rhythm guitarist and co-founder Paul Stanley.

Throughout their 37-year career, KISS has sold 80 million albums, played for millions of people and become an integral part of American culture. KISS will perform such classics as “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” as well as hits that they haven’t played in the US in years.

The Hottest Show on Earth tour, produced by Live Nation, will trek through a mix of arenas and amphitheaters throughout North America. Tickets for shows produced by Live Nation are now on sale and, in order to help fans in a tough economy, the band is offering a special ticket promotion. For Live Nation amphitheatres that have a lawn, up to four kids aged fourteen or under can get in free with the purchase of one adult ticket. (more…)

No wind, no rain, no motorcycle mishaps can stop Aerosmith’s “Cocked, Locked and Ready to Rock Tour” which begins their spectacular 18-city Live Nation produced US Summer Tour starting tomorrow, Friday, July 23rd at Oakland’s Oracle Arena.

Aerosmith, America’s Number One rock and roll band, has just finished a run of phenomenally successful dates in Europe and South America but all agree that playing for their American fans is the ultimate. Clearly the Aerosmith army couldn’t agree more.

The band is scheduled to play their hometown along with the J. Geils Band at a sold out Fenway Park show on August 14th.

“After last summer, we’ve been looking forward to getting back out there with a vengeance. I can’t wait to feel the roar of the American audiences again and give this summer what it needs – a double dose of Aerosmith!” commented Steven Tyler.

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry had a motorcycle mishap last week but stated, “Just like the name of the tour, I am ‘Cocked, Locked and Ready to Rock.’ It was a close call. My bike is smashed but I am ok from head to toe. I want to thank all of the fans for their emails and support.” (more…)