101 KLOL 1987 4th annual Rock N’ Roll Auction
The 101 KLOL Houston 4th annual Rock N’ Roll Auction benefiting Houston’s End Hunger Network took place on Easter weekend in 1987 at Houston’s Hard Rock Cafe.
If you’ve watched the “Runaway Radio” documentary available via streaming, DVD, or at a screening, then you know about the Rock ‘N’ Roll Auctions that were held over the years. In the documentary, you see footage of Joan Jett and Steven Tyler/Joe Perry of Aerosmith at one of the first Rock ‘N Roll Auctions held in Cactus Records at Sharpstown Mall. The auction would eventually move to the much larger Houston Summit arena (Lakewood Church’s location today).
As for 1987’s KLOL rock auction, Joe Walsh of The Eagles landed in Houston for a memorable impromptu performance, which led to a future staple of the event.
Here is what KLOL promotions director Doug Harris told us in one of his interviews for “Runaway Radio”:
“We went to the parking lot of the Hard Rock Cafe because at this time, Hard Rock Cafe was sort of redefining the value of an autographed guitar. And it was a huge hit, big tent, and all these people were there. We had celebrity guests. I think Vince Neil was there that year, Joe Walsh was there.
So, we decided to have a live band just to sort of keep the gang entertained. I think there were five or six hundred people there. And a band called 5 AM from Houston, a cover band, decent bunch of guys played. And so we’re auctioning off this guitar, and Joe Walsh just kind of gets on stage, straps it on, plugs it in, hits a few licks, and the crowd goes crazy.
[We’re] going, ‘Okay, let’s see where this guy’s going to go.’ So he takes a Heineken beer bottle and he snaps the neck off on top of an amplifier. I’m amazed he didn’t cut his hand. He snaps the neck, puts it on his finger as a slide, and starts playing Rocky Mountain Way. And the band picked it up, and that became the first time that we did what was later built as the All-Star Celebrity Jam.”
Dayna Steele posted that she was in charge of “babysitting” Walsh while he was staying at The Warwick Hotel (now Hotel ZaZa) in the Houston Museum District.
In 1987, various rock and roll memorabilia were up for grabs, including record albums, guitars, and drumsticks. These items had been collected for nearly nine months in preparation for the auction. A notable item was a matched set of tour guitars from ZZ Top, described as “one of a kind” and the only two like them in the world.
The event drew an “enthusiastic group of rock fans,” with over 3,000 fans attending. Auctioneer recording stars such as Joe Walsh of the Eagles and MTV’s Mark Goodman were present.
Also in attendance were Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Joe Lynn Turner, Earl Slick (guitarist for John Lennon and David Bowie), Rob Jungklas, Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson of Night Ranger.
The rock auction generated nearly $25,000 in total bids. The match set of ZZ Top tour guitars alone sold for $4,000.
See many more 101 KLOL Houston annual Rock N’ Roll Auction photos through the years at RockinHouston.com.
Over 7,000 people turned out for the 101 KLOL 1988 5th annual Rock N’ Roll Auction, held Saturday, April 23rd in Houston’s Summit Arena, setting a new attendance record for the charity event.
K101-FM, as it was known back then, threw its 3rd Annual Rock ‘N Roll Auction, Saturday, March 15, 1986, at 2 p.m. at the Fizz club located at 6400 Richmond.
Jack Blades of Night Ranger tells a 101 KLOL story on AXS TV’s “Rock & Tell” with Katie Daryl.