BILLY CORGAN To Speak At RUSH 'Walk Of Fame' Ceremony

Billy Corgan, vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter for THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, will pay tribute to Canadian rock legends RUSH as they accept their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billy joins Donna Halper, former radio personality at WMMS-FM in Cleveland where RUSH received their first radio airplay with "Working Man", who will participate as well.

The ceremony will take place in front of the Musician's Institute at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard at 11:30 a.m. in Los Angeles this Friday, June 25.

Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood is going to have special screenings of the RUSH documentary "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" at their theatre this Friday in honor of RUSH getting their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just blocks away. They're giving special screenings at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. in their biggest auditorium.

Thanks to the efforts of RUSH fans, spearheaded by Donna Halper — the woman who is credited with discovering RUSH while working at WMMS-FM in Cleveland back in 1974 — the Canadian band was one of 25 recipients chosen in 2008 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's Walk of Fame Committee to be enshrined.

The Walk of Fame, which lines both sides of Hollywood Boulevard, honors more than 2,000 entertainers.

In a 2008 interview, Halper called the Walk Of Fame achievement "amazing" because few bands are accepted on the first try.

"I can tell you that success has not spoiled [the members of RUSH] at all. They've had many gold albums, performed all over the world, and have earned the acclaim of a devoted fan base. Critics have been somewhat scornful of them, but their millions of fans adore them," Halper told The Patriot Ledger.

"She is a fiercely passionate and highly-opinionated woman and is a tireless supporter of RUSH," said RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee.

"We have remained friends through the years and she always makes a point of paying us a visit whenever we are near her home," Lee said.