Cleveland.com: Rock Hall to unveil Smokey Robinson and Graham Nash exhibits this fall

Smokey Robinson (right) and Graham Nash (left) will get new exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this fall. (The Plain Dealer)

By Troy L. Smith

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will honor two of greatest singer-songwriters of all time with new exhibits this fall.

First up is Graham Nash, the British music legend best known for his pop group The Hollies and as a member of folk-rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. "Graham Nash: Touching the Flame" will open to the general public on Oct. 17 in the part of the Rock Hall that currently houses "Paul Simon: Words & Music."

"Touching the Flame" will have a similar to vibe as the Simon exhibit and feature video interviews with Nash. However, where "Words & Music" follows Simon's early life to Simon & Garfunkel to a solo career that peaked with 1986's "Graceland," "Touching the Flame" will center more on the artists who influenced Nash.

Nash is a prolific photographer and collector. For example, he collects Buddy Holly memorabilia and photographs, some of which will be on display in the exhibit.

"Graham Nash has an interesting story," says Karen Herman, vice president of collections and curatorial affairs for the Rock Hall. "On top of being a musician, he is also a visual artist and photographer himself.

"We really were looking at this as not only profiling him as a musician, but also as a fan and collector. It tells the story of how someone of very humble means can become a world-renowned musician."

Nash will be present for the opening of the exhibit, which Herman says could include a performance.

Joining "Touching the Flame" as a new exhibit in the Rock Hall this fall is a special space dedicated to Smokey Robinson, this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Music Masters honoree.

Last year, the Rock Hall dedicated very limited space to its 2014 honoree, The Everly Brothers. However, the Smokey Robinson exhibit will be much larger, located on Level 2 of the museum and featuring video interviews with the iconic Motown songwriter/performer.

"We did a little, free-standing unit for Everly Brothers," recalls Herman. "But we really wanted to blow it up more this year and keep the Smokey exhibit up for an entire year. It's a way to say, 'Hey, this is a really big deal.'"

The exhibit will make its debut during or around the same week as the Music Masters show, which takes place on Saturday, Nov. 7. Robinson will be at Playhouse Square to accept the honor, though he is not scheduled to perform.