Muddy Waters, Cheap Trick among inductees in first class of Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
JOLIET, Ill. - The very first Illinois Rock & Roll Museum Hall of Fame inductees will be honored Tuesday at the Rialto Theatre in Joliet.
The event honors the state’s legends that shaped rock and roll.
They are the giants of the music industry and they all have ties to Illinois.
The museum, located on Route 66 near Lincoln Highway, is making Joliet the center of rock and roll’s local past and future.
Ron Romero, the president and founder of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, says people think of Los Angeles, New York and Nashville as music cities but, "truth be told there's a lot of music in Chicago."
Over 4,000 performers were nominated. That number was narrowed down to 21 and seven were chosen.
The first class of Hall of Famers are Cheap Trick, Chicago, REO Speedwagon, The Buckinghams, Ides of March, Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters.
The unfinished museum already has a collection of treasure, plus classrooms, practice rooms for burgeoning musicians, and a rock star stage.
The pandemic threatened to lower the curtain on construction.
Tradesmen who weren’t working donated their skills to building, wiring and installing drywall for the museum.
"Our mission is to honor and preserve and nurture upcoming artists and people who want to work in the industry, in any way we can," Romero said.
The Illinois Rock & Roll museum designated ambassadors to spread the word, including songwriter and performer Jim Peterik, broadcaster Bob Sirott and actor Joe Mantegna.
Some of the inductees will perform at the induction ceremony, including Chicago favorite, the Ides of March.
Ticket proceeds will go towards the museum.