The Jim Irsay Collection features historical documents, sports collectibles, musical instruments, pop culture memorabilia, and more. When you're worth more than $3 billion, you can acquire some cool stuff. Im blessed. How you experience it when you walk in? [60] His purchases have set records: in 2014 he bought the electric guitar that Bob Dylan played at Newport for just under US$1 million[61] and in 2017 he paid US$2.2 million for a Ludwig drum set belonging to Ringo Starr. WATCHVIDEO, "Bloomberg caught up with Irsay in advance of the [concert and exhibit in New York]. On May 5, 2018, he purchased an original printing of the 1939 book Alcoholics Anonymous with notes handwritten by the author Bill Wilson, cofounder of AA, for $2.4 million at auction. There are also other forms of rare collectibles too, like one of Jackie Robinson's game-used bats and Jack Kerouac's 'On The Road' manuscript. And then theres John Lennons 1963 Gretsch. INDIANAPOLIS The Jim Irsay Collection, based in Indianapolis, has acquired the late Kurt Cobain's iconic guitar used in the band Nirvana's iconic "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video. In 2014, Irsay was suspended by the NFL for six games and fined $500,000 for, Since then, Irsay has been open about his emphasis to support. Irsay sets his price before the bidding even starts (in this case, $3.75 million, or $4.4 million with auction fees included) and then sits back and lets the universe take care of the rest. We never put it in harms way. After high school, he attended and graduated from, Southern Methodist University in 1982 with a degree in broadcast journalism. Irsay played linebacker for the SMU Mustangs football team as a walk-on,[6] but an ankle injury ended his playing career. And Irsay has done that in spades. Perhaps as a nod to Irsays own well-publicised battle with addiction, theres also the working manuscript for The Big Book aka Alcoholics Anonymous. Admission is free and, as of this writing, a limited number of tickets remain available. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor, entered rehab and was. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Thanks for contacting us. 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. You outbid me. Records show that Jim Irsay owns about 175 guitars. Martin & Co. Irsays collection also includes Jack Kerouacs original 36-metre typewritten manuscript for On The Road ($2.4m), Hunter S Thompsons Red Shark convertible, Abraham Lincolns walking cane and an original Apple II manual signed by Steve Jobs in 1980. As it turned out, though, Allen was in the bidding. Artifacts and signed documents from numerous U.S. Presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and others. Irsay hopes that life experiences, ranging from outreach or a Jim Irsay Collection concert, can ultimately benefit those who are in need. I want to make that very fucking clear. Some of the focuses of the center will be providing support for research, analyzing sociomedical sciences, advancing more graduates trained in the mental health field and promoting mental health more locally and nationally. He once offered to buy Cobain's acoustic guitar from the famed 'MTV: Unplugged' set, but when the seller instead opted to put it up for auction, Irsay backed away. In 2014, he was arrested for DWI and possession of prescription medications. Shepherd may prefer heavier strings and an action with a little more fight but it doesnt stop him from sounding pretty spectacular with David Gilmours longtime number one plugged into a vintage 5E3 Deluxe. Given his great love for wordsmiths such as Dylan and Kerouac, Irsays answer is perhaps unsurprising. He wrote Sgt. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. In an interview with Vlad Duthiers of CBS Mornings, Irsay touted self-owned guitars, artifacts and. But, in terms of owning historic instruments with rock n roll credentials and sheer spending power, nobody can top Jim Irsay. 'Lovely guy, and his wife came and it was cool,' Irsay said. The guitar, case and strap sold for seven times its $642,0000 estimate with Julien's Auctions in California. Kurt Cobain's guitar from Nirvana's 1991 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' music video was up for auction in Las Vegas, where acolytes of the 62-year-old billionaire were ready spend as much as $3.75 million on the piece at Irsay's direction. When you have a gene, thats a very difficult thing. Jim Irsay is calling from Pittsburgh, where his Indianapolis Colts will face the Steelers on Sunday, and regretfully not New York's Theater at Madison Square Garden, where an all-star gathering. And the best part is that its free. James Irsay (born June 13, 1959) is an American businessman, known for being the principal owner, chairman and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Recent additions include the SG Special used by Pete Townshend during The Whos exhilarating performance on The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circusand the Steinway piano used on tour by Elton John from 1974-1993. [45], Irsay married Meg Coyle in 1980, and the couple have three daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, as well as 10 grandchildren. Owner of the NFL Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay's passion for rock music, American history and pop culture has led him to assemble a. It's amazing to have that piece of history because Lennon was so major', Much of Irsay's collection centers around his lifelong passion for the Beatles. In an interview with Vlad Duthiers of CBS Mornings, Irsay touted self-owned guitars, artifacts and historic memorabilia belonging to The Jim Irsay Collection, estimated to be worth over $100 million. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was in an old-fashioned bidding war back on May 22. Irsay, the eccentric owner of the Indianapolis Colts, had assembled an all-star band, including blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, R.E.M. I want no money, Irsay told Reuters. Irsay was on stage singing for the open and conclusion of the show, but stepped aside for a lengthy portion during the middle. But I dont possess it. This is evidenced on day two of our stay in Indianapolis when the team puts together an impromptu concert performance in the grounds of a disused psychiatric hospital. And then we have people on retainer like Jim Canary, whos a paper conservator at Indiana University. I've only owned two of them.'. After his father suffered a stroke in 1995, Jim assumed day-to-day management with the role of Senior Executive Vice President, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer in April 1996. Darren Julien, chief executive officer of Julien's Auctions, said: 'To have this legendary guitar, one of the most culturally significant and historically important guitars of Kurt Cobain and in all of rock music history to return to Indiana to be part of Jim Irsay's renowned memorabilia collection is a great honor and personal highlight of my life. Irsay's father, Robert Irsay, built a fortune estimated to be over $150 million through successful heating and air-conditioning companies. Theres so many things. Renowned American author Jack Kerouacs original 119-foot. In fact, Cobain's family donated a portion of the proceeds to the organization, which has already raised more than $16 million since 2020 to help fight the stigma of mental illness. He owns instruments from all four members, Irsay's interests extend to American history as well, which is why he's included items like Abraham Lincoln's pocket knife, Pictured next to the exhibit of the original scroll that Jack Kerouac wrote On The Road on are Jim Sampas, left, the Literary Executor, Jack Kerouac Estate, and a nephew of Kerouacs and Jim Canary, (right) the conservator at the Lilly Library at Indiana University, at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum at The Lowell National Historic Park in Lowell MA on March 17, 2022. pepper's on it. The collection isnt just for viewing purposes, however. It was in his place, in his flat. When the folk messiah turned Judas and performed Maggies Farm, Like A Rolling Stone and Phantom Engineer (an early version of It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry) with an electric band on 25 July 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, this short but controversial set would later be hailed as a watershed moment in pop history. READ ARTICLE, "As much of a spectacle as the cover sets might bewith Irsay backed by members of John Mellencamps band and R.E.M., among otherstheyre simply a warmup act for the main attraction, Irsays massive and still-growing collection." $567,000. The Jim Irsay collection can be seen at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday and will continue touring, Irsay's intuition admittedly fell short in 2019, when he paid a record $4 million for Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's 'Black Strat' (pictured) a Fender Stratocaster that was drawing bids from 61 different countries, Bob Dylan plays a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar for the first time on stage as he performs at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965 in Newport, Rhode Island. He inherited the franchise from his father, a man who to this day is still reviled by a contingent of Baltimore diehards for moving the Colts out of town. Over the span of two decades, Irsay has acquired a vast collection of cultural memorabilia. Irsay's father, Robert Irsay, built a fortune estimated to be over $150 million through successful heating and air-conditioning companies.[1]. When his father died in 1997 Jim engaged in a legal battle with his stepmother over ownership of the team, but later became the youngest NFL team owner at that time at 37. As of January 25, Kicking the Stigma has raised over $4.5 million. Speaking between drags of his cigarette from a midtown-Manhattan hotel room, Irsay was preparing to exhibit his extensive collection of rare music memorabilia in New York on Friday. There are plans for a European tour in the summer of 2024. How do you sell the golden tickets? I cant be Pete Townshend or Chrissie Hynde or Natalie Merchant or whoever, because thats just not me. The list goes on and on. Previously,Cobain's acoustic guitar from Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged performance sold for a record-breaking $6million at auction in June 2020. An active philanthropist, Mr. Irsay hopes to establish a museum to share these treasures with the world. Nothing against Buzz Aldrin hes the only one who hit a six-iron on the moon but really if it was Neil Armstrongs suit, I probably wouldve been in on it, Irsay told reporters. Displaying historical items free of charge makes the collection worthwhile for the 63-year-old. Irsay has his own all-star band, The Jim Irsay Band, and has hosted free concerts across the country in Nashville, Tenn.,[68][69] Washington, D.C.,[70][71] Austin, Tex.,[72][73] Los Angeles,[74][75] New York City,[76][77][78][79] Chicago,[80][81][82] Indianapolis,[83][84][85] San Francisco[86][87][88] and eventually Las Vegas. In 2022, a total of $1.4 million in action grants were distributed to 23 nonprofits and organizations in the mental health sector. He also draws parallels between trailblazers in music and creatives in business watching James Brown work is no different than Steve Jobs and over the years has found kindred spirits in the many musicians he counts as friends. Thus, one item which Irsay would covet should it come available is Neil Armstrongs space suit. Since Jim took over in 1995, the Colts have compiled a 258-191-1 regular season record. Nirvana's breakout hit became an anthem for Generation X and rock's grunge era of the 1990s, and eventually earned . Back stage, Pete Seeger was trying to cut the wires. While recording Revolver, The Beatles were reimagining the pop landscape from one studio day to the next, and that certainly gives this instrument a special allure even if John obviously preferred his Epiphone Casino. The comments below have not been moderated. A personal friend of Irsays, Allen passed away in 2018 but could regularly be found bidding on many of the same celebrity-owned instruments as the Irsay team, including Ringo Starrs Beatles-era drums. But, in terms of owning historic instruments with rock n roll credentials and sheer spending power, nobody can top Jim Irsay." It's a history nerd's fever dream, with items like: Abraham Lincoln's walking cane; An original Wanted poster for John Wilkes Booth. Irsay has made political contributions to John Edwards and Harry Reid. 'It's so eclectic because it's everything.'" I wouldnt be here right now without that., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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If music isnt your thing, theres plenty of American history in the collection. The exhibit is at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum at The Lowell National Historic Park. Kurt Cobain's iconic Smells Like Teen Spirit guitar sold for a staggering $4.55 million after a bidding war won by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on May 22. [43] The gala has been hosted at the Colts' Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center[44] as well as Jim Irsay's house. 'All of us in the guitar-collecting business were like: ''What? Its like Dylan says, He not busy being born is busy dying, Irsay asserts. Powered by. As he sees it, the former owners are still connected to the pieces from beyond the grave, and his role is to preserve everything until humanity is ready to reveal the secrets within. Gibson | Locate an Authorized Retailer Dealer or Service Center near you. Sometimes you might think Im coldhearted. 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jim irsay guitar collection worth