Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay On “The Jim Irsay Collection,” The Traveling Wilburys & More (Video)
Jim Irsay, owner and CEO of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, brought items from The Jim Irsay Collection — his renowned assemblage of historic and iconic artifacts from rock music, American history and pop culture — to New York City earlier this month. Showcased at a one-of-a-kind, invite-only reception on June 2nd, the event undoubtedly showcased Irsay’s passion for preserving culturally-significant artifacts, as shared with the world. The following day, Irsay and team opened the collection for the very first time publicly. Both events were held at The Manhattan Center’s Hammerstein Ballroom.
The Jim Irsay Collection is highlighted by musical instruments and items owned and used by some of the greatest artists in music history, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Prince, Eric Clapton, Elton John, The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, Les Paul, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and The Doors’ Jim Morrison. On the musical end, the collection also includes autographed photos, handwritten lyrics and other historical music memorabilia. The collection made international headlines earlier this year when it acquired Kurt Cobain’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” guitar, as showcased at the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Not just an exhibition of items from his collection, attendees of Irsay’s private reception also included a performance by The Jim Irsay Band, a band “which has never existed and will never exist again.” The lineup of The Jim Irsay Band included special guest performer Natalie Merchant (former lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs), Mike Wanchic (John Mellencamp) on guitar, Mike Mills (founding member of R.E.M) on bass, Tom Bukovac (over 700 album credits) on guitar, Kenny Wayne Shepherd (5-time GRAMMY-nominated artist) on guitar, Kenny Aronoff (Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Bob Dylan) on drums, and Michael Ramos (Los Lonely Boys, Patti Griffin, Paul Simon) on keyboards.
On June 2, 2022, I had the pleasure of participating in a press conference with Jim Irsay, his band and NFL-related representatives. Below is video of the questions Irsay answered from yours truly. More on Irsay, The Jim Irsay Band and The Jim Irsay Collection can be found by clicking here, here and here.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
Related Posts
NBA Star Anthony Davis Presents Exclusive Screening of “Finding Tony” During All-Star Weekend 2024 →
Flag Football Officially Added to the Olympic Games in 2028 →
NFL Players Who Embody Black Greatness →
