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CLEVELAND (Billboard) - When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum staged its 10th annual American Music Masters concert last November at Cleveland's State Theater as a tribute to Sam Cooke, even the performers were star-struck. Elvis Costello, for one, walked offstage in a haze, leaving behind Solomon Burke and Aretha Franklin to sing "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Costello admitted that he had to keep pinching himself, says Warren Zanes, VP of education at the museum, who was standing in the wings that evening. The singer -- a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 2003 -- could not believe he was performing with his heroes on such a once-in-a-lifetime bill.

These are the moments the museum's staff works toward.

"If you do it right," Zanes says, "you then have someone of Elvis Costello's stature, who is an ambassador, (who) goes and says (the Rock Hall is) about the music, about teaching the lessons that you can teach from the music."

On March 13, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction dinner in New York. Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Sex Pistols and the founders of A&M; Records -- Herb Albert and Jerry Moss -- are this year's honorees.

Meanwhile, at some point this year, the hall's 6 millionth visitor will walk into the angular $84 million facility, which was designed by noted architect I.M. Pei and opened in September 1995.

That milestone will merit a brief celebration, perhaps a few balloons and local TV coverage. But otherwise it will be just another day for the museum, which is scenically perched on the shores of Lake Erie.

EDUCATIONAL EXPANSION

There is little time for reflection for the institution, which has been strengthening its programs, expanding its facilities and enhancing its image.

"I think one of our biggest challenges is to remind people that this is an art form that changed the world, one that continues to sort of be the platform for many idealists on how the world can be different," Rock Hall president/CEO Terry Stewart says.

Just as the hall has drawn tourists to northeast Ohio, it also has brought together a unique staff: unabashed rock 'n' roll believers, dedicated not only to promoting the institution but to spreading its gospel. They include Stewart, former president of Marvel Entertainment Group and extensive memorabilia collector; Zanes, former Del Fuegos band member-turned-academic; and VP of exhibitions and curatorial affairs Jim Henke, a former writer/editor for Rolling Stone.    Continued ...

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