{"id":2644,"date":"2025-04-24T17:01:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T17:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.latour1.com\/?p=2644"},"modified":"2025-04-25T12:33:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T12:33:55","slug":"the-rock-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/the-rock-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to the Rock Walk: Where LA Music History Comes Alive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are over <\/s>300 Guitar Center stores across the United States, but only one of them features the cemented handprints and signatures of some of the most iconic musicians of our time, and that’s the Guitar Center at 7425 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Welcome to the Rock Walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 1985 and inspired by the famous TCL Chinese Theatre<\/a> just one mile away on Hollywood Boulevard \u2014 where you’ll find the handprints and footprints of film and TV legends \u2014 the Rock Walk has memorialized some of the biggest names in music history. Read on for more details about this unique music industry attraction, its background and what you’ll see when visiting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A guitar store and a cultural attraction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Store<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A hidden gem in the heart of Hollywood, the Rock Walk is often missed as tourists make their way to other popular area landmarks. The collection of handprints from the world’s most famous musicians and industry pioneers is located at the Guitar Center’s flagship store<\/a> in Hollywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the store, visitors can peruse walls lined by every style of guitar imaginable as well as sound and lighting equipment for live music events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately in front of the store’s entrance, meanwhile, you’ll find one of LA’s lesser-known attractions \u2013 more than 150 handprints and signatures memorialized in cement that have become an industry-recognized music landmark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rock Walk was established in November 1985 as a space to honor musicians along with other industry trailblazers who made significant contributions to music’s growth and development. The idea was to create a historic institution as compelling as TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s Chinese Theater) and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> While the bronze plaque outside says Rock Walk, Guitar Center calls it RockWalk (and sometimes even Rockwalk). We’ll use these names interchangeably in this post, just like folks do here in LA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, the RockWalk has grown to include artists and industry leaders from rock ‘n’ roll to blues to R&B. And to ensure the bonafide legend status of those memorialized, each new inductee is selected by previous honorees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local tip:<\/strong> If you happen to be into guitars, you\u2019ll want to check out the back room filled with vintage (and pricey) instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you’ll see at the RockWalk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Sidewalk<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While smaller in size than the sidewalk in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood\u2019s Guitar Center manages to showcase the handprints of an impressive variety of famous music industry figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stevie Wonder was one of the inaugural inductees on the RockWalk back in 1985 along with Jim Marshall, Robert Moog, Eddie Van Halen, and Les Paul. Paul, a great guitar player in his own right, was instrumental (pun absolutely intended) in the design of the Gibson guitar model that bears his name. Like the Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix famously played upside down and strung for a lefty, the Gibson Les Paul has been the guitar of choice for the likes of Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, and Slash among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original inductees share real estate on the RockWalk with a long list of music legends that have subsequently been added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the names you’ll find at the RockWalk:<\/p>\n\n\n\n