Nashville Announces Music City Walk of Fame Project Honoring Musical Heritage of the City

Nashville Announces Music City Walk of Fame Project Honoring Musical Heritage of the City

Gibson Guitar Named Presenting Sponsor of Permanent Induction Project

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Nashville announced the creation of a Music City Walk of Fame and unveiled the exclusive design for induction plaques on Thursday, August 10th. The announcement took place at Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun Street between 4th and 5th Avenues South, which will serve the location of the first plaques of the Music City Walk of Fame. The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Foundation (Music City, Inc). The Music City Walk of Fame is being produced with the support of Gibson Guitar, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060814/LAM013 )

The Music City Walk of Fame will feature permanent sidewalk medallions with each honoree's name. The inductions will be open to all singers, musicians, songwriters, producers and music industry executives/contributors who have played a significant role in preserving the musical heritage that is Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

Inductees will be announced throughout the year and honored at a special ceremony with the permanent platinum-and-granite, star-and-guitar plaque. The Music City Walk of Fame will begin at Hall of Fame Park and proceed down the newly named Music Mile (from Schermerhorn Symphony Center to Music Row on Demonbreun Street). The first induction announcement is planned for November 2006 which will coincide with CMA Music Week prior to the 40th Anniversary of the CMA Awards.

"The Music City Walk of Fame strongly reinforces the tie between our city and Music Row," Mayor Bill Purcell said. "The induction ceremony this November will be one of the key events of Celebrate Nashville as we focus on the special role this industry plays in Music City."

The Music City Walk of Fame is the first project of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau's newly formed 501 C-3 charitable foundation Music City, Inc. The foundation was established to further the education, research and training for Nashville's hospitality industry and to produce events and projects in association with the City of Nashville.

"This initiative may be one of the most important efforts we have ever undertaken," said Butch Spyridon, President, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The Music City Walk of Fame reinforces the music brand, creates a new attraction, illustrates the diversity of the music in Music City and is the first building block in the development of the Music Mile. All of that collectively makes this project extremely important."

Music City, Inc. has established an anonymous committee for the Walk of Fame project. Each inductee of the Music City Walk of Fame must be nominated via the nominations process and then voted on by the committee, made up of various members of the entertainment and music community. The official nomination period will begin August 10 with the announcement and a sponsorship fee of $7,500 is required. The money will be used to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame. Nomination of an individual or group does not guarantee induction. Those nominees not selected the first year will automatically roll over for a second review the following year. If it is not approved in the second year, nominees must be resubmitted.

Nomination forms with all guidelines can be found on-line at www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame or picked up in one of the Nashville Visitor Information Centers, located in the arena tower at Fifth Avenue and Broadway, or at the Fourth Avenue and Commerce Street location. Inductions will take place one to three times a year as deemed appropriate by the committee and the Foundation Board.

Sponsors supporting a nomination must submit a photo, a bio and the nominee's qualifications as well as a list of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation. Applications can be made by anyone, including a fan, as long as the celebrity or his/her management is in agreement with the nomination. If there is no letter of agreement included from the celebrity or his/her representative, the committee will not accept the application. For nominations of deceased individuals there is a two-year waiting period after death. The Committee does not necessarily select posthumous honorees each year.

Gibson Guitar, the world's premier musical instrument manufacturer headquartered in Nashville, is the presenting sponsor of the Music City Walk of Fame, funding the launch and marketing campaigns.

"Gibson Guitar has played an integral role in so many musicians' lives for over 100 years. It was only fitting that we support such an exciting initiative which will help to preserve the history and tradition of the great music originating from this great city," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO Gibson Guitar. "We hope the many people who visit Nashville every year enjoy seeing their favorite stars represented on the Music City Walk of Fame. Hollywood may have the Hollywood Walk of Fame but ours will be the only one that truly sings."

In addition to the new inductees, all honorees of the Walkway of the Stars from the former Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will be recognized with a commemorative marker on the Music City Walk of Fame.

The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination.

The Promise of Nashville, where the music is inspired, created, recorded and performed, is to provide the ultimate musical entertainment experience, celebrated throughout our diverse cultural and entertainment offerings, and presented in an authentic, unique, friendly and unpretentious atmosphere.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060814/LAM013
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Gibson Guitar

CONTACT: Heather Middleton of Nashville CVB, +1-615-259-4767,
heather@visitmusiccity.com, for Gibson Guitar; or Caroline Galloway,
+1-404-338-3469, Caroline.Galloway@gibson.com, or Kim Dettwiller,
+1-615-330-5656, kimdet@comcast.net, both of Gibson Guitar

Web site: http://www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame

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