Music hall unveils permanent exhibits at VIA, RBC Place

A London Music Hall of Fame display case is seen at VIA Rail in London, Ont. on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

Many travelers to and from London will now be given a taste of the city’s rich music history.

“It’s a little introduction, it’s a way of welcoming people to our city,” explained Mario Circelli, the founder of the London Music Hall of Fame.

The Hall now has permanent exhibits at VIA Rail and RBC Place.

The window cases feature some of London’s best known music artists, like big band leader Guy Lombardo, and country and western crooner Tommy Hunter.

Next week the two decade old hall will celebrate its eighth anniversary in a permanent bricks and mortar location- a storefront on Dundas Place in London.

Circelli says the new displays at VIA and RBC Place celebrate London’s arts and culture.

“We were home to some of the biggest pop stars in this region, and in a lot of cases nationally and even internationally,” said Circelli. “People like Garth Hudson from The Band, and Tommy Hunter, Canada’s country gentleman. And for those who didn’t know, Canada was a major record pressing plant through Spartan Records, and that’s part of our display here at VIA Rail as well.

RBC Place is so vastly used, and it made sense for us to help introduce the London music history at that venue, and they’ll get a chance to see a display for Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians, who were Canada’s first pop stars.”

Circelli says a third permanent display at a major London destination will be revealed in the near future.