The behind-the-scenes battle for the Rock Hall
For 25 years, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has defined Cleveland's
image as the "Rock and Roll Capital of the World." But while the Rock
Hall has become an iconic landmark for the city of Cleveland and for
fans of rock and roll around the world, it was just one missed phone
call away from never being built in Cleveland. If the prominent singer
and actress Lesley Gore hadn't contacted radio personality Norm N. Nite
in August 1983, the Hall of Fame would not be in Cleveland--period.
Earlier that summer, Gore had learned that the newly formed Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was looking for a city to house their
planned museum honoring the history of rock. Gore knew that a year
earlier, Nite had pitched an idea for a similar museum, so she reached
out to let him know that other figures in the music industry were
working to turn his dream into a reality.
Nite immediately joined the project's Rules and Nominating Committee and
spearheaded the campaign to bring the museum to Cleveland. At the time,
the search committee was considering several other cities, including
Memphis, Detroit, and New York, but Nite argued that the city's deep
historical connection to rock music through Alan Freed and the Moondog
Coronation Ball made Cleveland the perfect location. He began lobbying
local and state politicians, fundraising with music moguls and civic
leaders, and promoting the museum to the broader Cleveland public. As
fans got involved, especially with their overwhelming response to a USA
Today phone poll, Nite's campaign to bring the Hall to Cleveland was
ultimately successful.
This book, told from Nite's insider perspective, draws on both
first-person accounts and exclusive interviews with influential business
leaders, government officials, and giants of the music industry. A
detailed record of the Rock Hall's inception and creation, The House
That Rock Built becomes a true tribute to the people who made it
happen--through Herculean efforts--and to the music it celebrates.
