Lou Reed Exhibit Lets Fans Take A Walk On The Wild Side

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Lou Reed loved New York City, so it's no surprise that a collection of everything Lou would stay here.

"A will on everybody's part to have Lou's material be in New York, and at the library in particular," Jonathan Hiam told 1010 WINS' Al Jones.

Hiam is the curator of American Music at the New York Library for the Performing Arts.

A small taste of Lou is now on display through the end of the month.

"His business papers such as contracts, there are personal photos, some of Lou Reed's personal recordings that we've featured," he said.

In a year fans and researchers can take a true walk on the wild side in a collection that spans more than 50 years.

Reed died Oct. 27, 2013 of an ailment related to a recent liver transplant. He was 71.

Reed, an aspiring poet, rose to prominence after Andy Warhol encountered The Velvet Underground, the experimental rock band he formed in 1964. Warhol produced the band's first studio album and invited it to perform as part of his recurring multimedia event, The Exploding Plastic Inevitable.

After leaving The Velvet Underground in 1970, Reed enjoyed success as a solo artist.

The punk-rock poet had one top 20 hit with the song, "Walk on the Wild Side," and influenced generations of musicians with the Velvet Underground classics "Heroin," "Sweet Jane," "Pale Blue Eyes," "All Tomorrow's Parties" and "Satellite of Love."

In his solo years, Reed releasing nearly 30 albums and published several volumes of poetry and photography, according to the library.

``He paved the way for the punk and glam rock of the `70s, inspired the use of noise and experimental techniques in pop music, and later explored ambient sound and music for meditation,'' it said in a statement.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)