Seeing Stars: Where the Stars are Immortalized
  

 

"Guitar Center" is a large music store, situated on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. It's a fine place to buy a guitar, but what makes this particular store special is what lies just outside its front door: The Hollywood RockWalk ^®.

Like a small version of courtyard at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, this little patio contains the handprints of numerous celebrities. But these celebrities aren't movie stars - they're rock musicians and guitar greats.

Hollywood has long paid tribute to its film & TV heritage, but its rock & roll pioneers tended to go unrecognized. Founded in 1985, Hollywood's RockWalk was created to remedy that injustice - it is the only sidewalk which immortalizes the legends of the music world, a permanent way of honoring those individuals and bands who made a lasting an important contribution to music.

The cement squares of the RockWalk contain only the star's handprints; unlike those at Grauman's Chinese, there are no footprints. And while some of the squares contain actual autographs (Little Richard, Dick Clark, George Martin...), most contain just a tiny bronze plaque which contains the name and facsimile signature of each artist.

On the east wall above the RockWalk are a number of large bronze plaques, containing the likenesses of such musical celebrities as Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Marvin Gaye, Keith Moon, John Bonham, Rick Nelson, Buddy Rich, and Gene Krupa. A legend reads:

And there are indeed some big names who have left their handprints here : Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie & Alex Van Halen, Kiss, Bo Diddley, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, Smokey Robinson, The Moody Blues, Jimmy Page, the Doobie Brothers, Carl Perkins, Greg Allman, Black Sabbath, Grace Slick, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Nancy Wilson, Johnny Cash, Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, Ted Nugent, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Jeff Beck, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, The Ramones, The Ventures, Jan & Dean, Carlos Santana, blues master B.B. King, singer/songwriter Carol King, Dick Clark (host of "American Bandstand"), Leo Fender (inventor of the Fender guitar) and one of the early guitar masters, Les Paul.

Future inductees are by a secret ballot vote of past RockWalk honorees, each of whom are asked to submit a list of three possible inductees. All induction ceremonies are open to the public. You can obtain a list of upcoming inductees at the RockWalk's own website.

There's a free parking lot on the west side, and limited street parking on Sunset.

 Getting there: Guitar Center is located on the north side of Sunset Boulevard, just west of Vista St. (between La Brea & Fairfax). / From Hollywood & Vine, go two blocks south on Vine Street to Sunset Boulevard. Turn right (west) on Sunset, and go a mile and a half west to Guitar Center, at Vista Street. It will be on your right (north) side. Look for the awning that says "RockWalk."