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Julien’s Auctions
Ringo Starr with his guitar.
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Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum has one-of-a-kind guitars from legendary artists including Prince, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and more on display in a special exhibit through May 18.
Each guitar is steeped in music history, from the yellow cigarette smoke stains and visible repairs on Steve Jones’ original Sex Pistols guitar to Randy Bachman’s axe that birthed the rock ‘n’ roll song “American Woman.” Prince’s Cloud 3 and John Lennon’s “Help!” acoustic guitar are the rarest in the exhibit. The Cloud 3, one of Prince’s centerpiece instruments, accompanied him on stage in the mid-80s to early 90s in tours including Purple Rain and Diamonds & Pearls. To ensure authenticity, Julien’s Auctions put the guitar through a CT scan since Prince painted his Cloud guitars. As for Lennon, the “Help!” guitar was recently found in an attic in the United Kingdom after fifty years of being considered lost.
“For people to be able come and see these beautiful guitars—this week only—is an experience of a lifetime,” says Linda Chambers, CEO and co-founder of Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum.
Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum is the first and only venue in the United States where the exhibit can be seen by the public before heading to the Hard Rock Cafe in New York for auction. (musicianshalloffame.com)