Do you know where your favorite musicians were born and which guitar they played on? Did you visit your childhood home and the location of your first concert, or even put flowers on your grave? Then you are really super fans.
You are sure to be interested in the following attractions, all of which revolve around the greatest stars and hits in rock ’n’ roll history.
The I.M. The I.M. Pei designed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio
“Long Live Rock”. The huge red letters in front of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland speak to every rock fan from the soul. The museum is dedicated to the history and development of rock as well as the most important artists of the genre and houses some of the most valuable treasures of the music scene, including Michael Jackson’s glove, Ringo Starr’s drums, Janis Joplin’s car, and Slash’s black top hat.
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Other exhibitions deal with the history of hip-hop and modern pop artists. After your tour of the museum, you can stroll along the shores of Lake Erie and try regional specialties such as Polish Boys (a kind of sausage sandwich) or pierogi. What many do not know by the way: The term “rock and roll” was coined in the early 1950s by Allen Freed, a DJ from Cleveland.
Elvis Presley’s pink Cadillac in front of Graceland, the King’s private estate in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll. In the world-famous Beale Street, you can hear live music behind every door. One of the city’s greatest attractions is the magnificent Graceland, where Elvis Presley lived from 1957 to 1977. It’s hard to believe that the man who went down in music history as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” was born in a humble two-room cabin in Tupelo, Mississippi! (You can also visit this house when you are in the area on your travels.) After visiting the property, the car museum, and Presley’s private planes, you can pay your respects to the unforgettable star at his grave.
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The Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where the very first rock ’n’ roll record was recorded
If Elvis Presley owes his fame to anyone, it is Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Studios. Incidentally, Jackie Brenston also recorded the hit “Rocket 88” in his studio in 1951, which experts generally consider being the first-ever recorded rock ’n’ roll song. In 1956 Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins met here by chance and took the opportunity for an impromptu jam session. This resulted in an album that became famous as the “Million Dollar Quartet”. A trip to the Sun Studio should not be missing on any visit to Memphis. There is even a convenient shuttle bus from Graceland.
A plaque in the grounds of the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, New York
This sleepy little New York state community will forever be inextricably linked with the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. (Don’t be fooled on your journey: The festival site in Bethel is around 90 km southwest of Woodstock.)
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What was announced as “Three Days of Love, Peace and Music” developed into one of the most legendary events in music history. On the stage were icons of the 1960s such as Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Joan Baez. The original festival site now houses the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which regularly hosts cultural events and live performances, and the Museum at Bethel Woods, which features loads of black light posters, setlists, and other nostalgic souvenirs from the Woodstock era. The site is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is just a two-hour drive from New York City.
Paisley Park, the musician Prince’s private estate and studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota
With his unmistakable look and sensational vocal range, productive musical legacy, and innovative sound, Prince rank among the most influential musicians of the last 50 years. The recording studio, stage, and famous violet piano of the artist can be visited on his Paisley Park estate. There are several improvised shrines in front of the site where you can immortalize yourself. Other attractions for Prince fans in Minneapolis include locations from the movie “Purple Rain”, the Dakota Jazz Club, and the independent record store Electric Fetus, which Prince was a customer of.
Exhibits at the Allman Brothers Band Museum in Macon, Georgia
The Allman Brothers Band Museum (aka Big House) in Macon is all about the popular southern rock jam band of the same name. On your tour of the living room and kitchen, you can see where Dickey Betts wrote hits like “Blue Sky” or “Ramblin’ Man ”and you can take a look at the largest collection of memorabilia related to the band. Afterward, the H&H restaurant will take care of your physical well-being with authentic soul food. You can tell that the members of the band have come to this modest restaurant by the menu, which features dishes such as Midnight Rider, Ramblin ’Man, or Skydog Biscuits.
Mural of Bob Dylan at the Fifth / Hennepin Junction in Minneapolis, Minnesota
With his politically charged lyrics and characteristic croak, Bob Dylan embodies the 1960s generation from the “summer of love” like no other. Even in his old days, the 2016 Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature never tired – he continues to produce songs and is always on stage. The inconspicuous house in which he spent the first six years of his life is privately owned and cannot be visited.
You can at least take a photo of the sign on the sidewalk that reads “In Bob We Trust”. A walking tour of Bob Dylan Way takes you to pubs, shops, art studios, and restaurants in central Duluth. Information boards repeatedly point out the reference to Dylan. The town’s special attractions include the Bob Dylan manhole covers and the annual Dylan Festival in May.
Charlottesville, Virginia is best known for significant historical landmarks such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Estate and the University of Virginia, which are jointly listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is also home to the Dave Matthews Band, who received a Grammy Award in 1996 for their song “So Much To Say”. In 1990 her singer was still working as a bartender at Miller’s. You will look in vain for a fan altar in this popular three-story bar. Instead, there is a large cocktail menu, delicious dishes. And daily live music. Every Thursday you can even hear John D’earth, the band’s excellent trumpeter, play here.
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