Ruth Eckerd Hall

Ruth Eckerd Hall is a 73,000-square-foot (6,800 m²) performing arts venue, located in Clearwater, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area and is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts.

The concert hall is named after Ruth Eckerd, the wife of Jack Eckerd, and is a regular performance venue for the Florida Orchestra.

Its 2,180 seat auditorium features continental seating, with no center aisle.

History

In 1977, the Kapok Tree Corporation donated 38 acres (150,000 m²) to the City of Clearwater with the stipulation that a performing arts center be built on the property. The bequest mandated that the construction begin within two years, and in 1979 a ground breaking ceremony was held. At its inception, a group of dedicated volunteers in the community stepped forward to organize the effort and obtain the necessary resources for its completion. Among these leaders, Jack and Ruth Eckerd were instrumental in the project’s success. The main auditorium is named in Mrs. Eckerd’s honor. The Center’s main name recognizes Richard B. Baumgardner, the founder of the Kapok Tree Corporation. The facility is a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired building with Taliesin Associated Architects, led by William Wesley Peters doing the design work. Construction cost $14.5 million with $9 million donated by the private sector and the remaining $5.5 million provided in the form of a mortgage. The Hall was dedicated and opened on October 15, 1983.

Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler (born Steven Victor Tallarico; March 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and former television music competition judge, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'" due to his high screams and his wide vocal range. He is also known for his on-stage acrobatics. During his high-energy performances, Tyler usually dresses in bright, colorful outfits with his trademark scarves hanging from his microphone stand.