This guitar project was sponsored by United Way of Cleveland, Fender, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
   The theme, Rock Aid for the World, is a tribute to the musicians who have given time and money to help needy countries around the world. George Harrison of the Beatles basically founded this entire concept with the Concert for Bangladesh, back in the 70's. The design was chosen for the final competition, and was generously sponsored by Paul Braden of Woodsy's Music (www.woodsys.com) in Kent, Ohio. (Click here for a complete history of the "Rock Aid for the World" guitar)
   Photos of the guitar were presented to Mrs. Harrison at the dedication of the Bangladesh Concert installation at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 2005.
   In the late 1960's Wayne and his wife Hazel were in the Columbus, Ohio rock group The Four O'Clock Balloon. Since their group had played a "benefit" concert for legal fees for students that had been arrested for protesting for benefits for service personnel at Ohio State University, Wayne thought it befitting to paint their group images in black and white on the guitar to be symbolically represented. To bring his art and music involvement full circle, his wife discovered a poster in the Jimi Hendrix exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the poster that was made when The Four O'Clock Balloon opened for the "Jimi Hendrix Experience" in Columbus, March 3, 1968. They met Hendrix afterwards, as Hazel took photos of him and other members back stage at Vets Memorial Auditorium. They then spent time with Jimi and Noel Redding after the concert, at the Balloon's drummer Jack White's apartment. Hazel was a vocalist for the group, Wayne was lead singer and played keyboard. Other members of the Balloon included Geoff Robinson, rhythm guitar player and singer, who came up with the name for the group, Roger Alton lead guitar player, "Bopper" Warner, bass player, and John Geyer, sound, lights,etc.