He's one of rock's most distinctive axemen, but even when he isn't slinging riffs and peeling off licks, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen is a bona fide guitar hero.
Sometimes it's a guitar lick, sometimes it's seeing someone on TV, but for Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, his first musical memory came from his father and an accidental stage appearance.
Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen isn't ready to be relegated to relic status just yet. Still, fans will be happy to know that the man, his legendary band -- and yes, all those guitars -- are the subject of a special exhibit at the Burpee Museum Of Natural History, located in the band's hometown of Rockford, Ill.