In 1995, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland, after over a decade of debate and construction. As you would expect, there was an all-star, six-hour concert in Cleveland to celebrate the opening of the Hall on September 2, 1995. The event was broadcast live.
Among the musicians present (according to various sources) were Chuck Berry, Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, Natalie Merchant, Sam Moore, Iggy Pop, the Pretenders, Martha Reeves, Little Richard, John Mellencamp, Eric Burdon, Jon Bon Jovi, Aretha Franklin, Lou Reed, Soul Asylum, the Allman Brothers, Sheryl Crow, The Kinks, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, John Fogerty, Booker T. and the MGs, James Brown, Al Green, Johnny Cash, George Clinton, Melissa Etheridge, Carole King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Boz Scaggs, Slash, Robbie Robertson, Jim Keltner, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Bob Dylan. The musical director was Dylan's former guitarist, G.E. Smith.
After an introduction by Bruce Springsteen ("Ladies and gentlemen, one of my favorites"), Dylan played a strong half-hour set, mixing familiar material with Empire Burlesque's "Seeing The Real You At Last." According to one attendee, Dylan 's appearance was a surprise, as "he was not on the bill, t-shirts or in the programs". While segments of the concert have been made available for purchase in different formats, the video of Dylan's portion has never been included. "All Along The Watchtower" was included on the Columbia 2 CD set, The Concert For The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
The highlight had to be when Dylan introduced a surprise guest:
"A buddy of mine is going to come up and do one of my old songs . . . Mr. Bruce Springsteen . . . Let me hear you say 'Bruce!" (Smiles all around)
Then Dylan and Springsteen shared vocals on "Forever Young", which you can see below.
Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio: 2 September 1995
Opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum.
1. All Along The Watchtower
2. Just Like A Woman
3. Seeing The Real You At Last
4. Highway 61 Revisited
5. Forever Young - with Bruce Springsteen (guitar & shared vocal).
Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar), Bucky Baxter (pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar), John Jackson (guitar), Tony Garnier (bass), Winston Watson (drums & percussion).
1 released on The Concert For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Columbia 483 793 2, 17 September 1996.
Broadcast live by various TV-stations in the US.
Stereo TV broadcast, 28 minutes.
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