KISS legend Gene Simmons has been honoured with the keys to Niagara Falls city and North Tonawanda in New York – find out more below.
In a special ceremony held in front of City Hall in New York on Sunday, August 18, Mayor Robert Restaino of Niagara Falls and Mayor Austin Tylec of North Tonawanda presented Simmons with a “Key To The City” for both precincts.
That’s not all however, as Mayor Restaino revealed that a downtown street in Niagara Falls — running between a section of Main Street between Pine and Cedar avenues — has also been temporarily renamed to Gene Simmons Boulevard as an act of acknowledgement toward Simmons’ significant investments in the Niagara Falls-based beverage business Rock Steady Sodas.
Simmons said in a portion of his speech: “The business community in Upstate New York is alive and thriving, and I am honoured to be a part of it. This is the ideal picture of a homegrown family business exemplifying strong values and commitment to quality. The people and their work ethic make Niagara Falls a wonderful place to do business.”
In other Gene Simmons-related news, it was recently confirmed that the rock legend has recorded a cover of ‘Stormy Weather’ for the upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic, Reagan. Also recording music for the film are Bob Dylan, Clint Black and Tanya Tucker.
Earlier this year in April, the global entertainment and music investment firm Pophouse announced that it had concluded an agreement with KISS to acquire their music catalogue, brand name, trademarks and likeness, which includes their signature face paint designs.