Mon 9/17-Sat 9/22
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has been holding the annual conference/events series/gala called the Music Master series (formerly the American Music Masters series) for two decades, honoring inductees such as Robert Johnson, Woody Guthrie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones.
This year’s honoree is country great Johnny Cash, inducted into the Rock Hall in 1992. As usual, the marquee event is the gala concert taking place at PlayhouseSquare’s State Theatre on Fri 10/21 @ 7:30pm, with tickets from $30-$100. These events bring together artists whose careers touched on the honoree’s as well as artists influenced by him. And you couldn’t get closer than producer/vocalist John Carter Cash, who will serve as the event’s executive band leader: he’s Cash’s son. He’ll serve as band director along with keyboard player Tony Harrell.
Others participating include Sam Bush, Paul Cauthen, Ana Cristina, Ira Dean, Nikki Lane, Terry McBride, Bill Miller, the Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Worsham, Social Distortion’s Mike Ness, Eilen Jewell, punk band X and WS Holland.
The week-long event, with lectures, interviews, panels, an exhibit opening, a book signing and educational programs, kicks off on Mon 10/17. One of the sure-to-be-highlights in the Wed 10/19 Evening with Cash’s best-known offspring folk/pop singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash — and that’s sold out. But you can still get tickets to the other events.