What do Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” Bob Dylan’s “I Want You,” and Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet” have in common? The songs feature the same 1958 Fender Jazzmaster played by studio musician Wayne Moss, on permanent display at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
As International Guitar Month comes to an end, we’ve gathered some iconic guitars on display across Nashville that have us asking this: If guitars could talk, what stories would they tell?
B.B. King’s Gibson ES-355 guitar
National Museum of African American Music | The blues legend played this specific guitar on display at the NMAAM until the early ‘80s. As the story goes, King named all his guitars “Lucille” after a near-death experience in the late ‘40s.
Taylor Swift’s Taylor GS6
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Swift often played this sparkly guitar during live performances on her debut headlining Fearless tour. The guitar’s decorated in Swarovski crystal rhinestones.
Eddie Willis’ Gibson 335 guitar
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum | A member of the Motown studio band the Funk Brothers, Willis played this guitar on Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” and the Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”
Wayne Moss’ 1958 Fender Jazzmaster
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum | The studio musician played this guitar on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” Bob Dylan’s “I Want You,” Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away,” Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet,” and more.
Garth Brooks’ Takamine
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum | Brooks used this Takamine with a guitar-shaped hole during his solo performances at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.
Glen Campbell’s 12-string Bluebird Ovation
Glen Campbell Museum | Based on Ovation’s Viper guitar, the Bluebird model was created exclusively for Campbell in the late ‘70s. The guitar company later created a limited run of 6- and 12-string replicas.
Maybelle Carter’s Gibson L-5
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | From the age of 19 until her death in 1978, Carter played this guitar on hundreds of recordings + live appearances.
Tom Petty’s 1963 Gibson SG Junior
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum | Petty played this Gibson during rehearsals for his 2012 tour.
Johnny Cash’s guitar
Johnny Cash Museum | A note under this guitar belonging to Cash reads: “My first professional guitar, 1955- ’56.”
Hank Williams’ Martin D-28
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | After Williams’ death in 1953, the guitar was passed down to Hank Jr., who preserved the instrument and occasionally played it at live performances.
John Prine’s David Russell Young custom guitar
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | The late singer-songwriter acquired this guitar in 1971, the year he released his self-titled debut album. Prine’s friend Michael “Moses” Scribner later customized the guitar.
Janice Marie Johnson’s Fender bass
National Museum of African American Music | Johnson, a member of disco-era band A Taste of Honey, used this bass to record the hit, “Boogie Oogie Oogie,” which sold 2 million copies
Buck Owens’ red, white, and blue American guitar
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | This colorful guitar belonging to Owens was made famous on the variety show “Hee-Haw.” It was later replicated and sold by Sears, Roebuck, and Co.
Trisha Yearwood’s Yamaha FG-330
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Yearwood picked out her first guitar at age 14 and replaced the steel strings with nylon. She played it throughout high school and college.
Loretta Lynn’s 1956 Gibson J-50
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Lynn was gifted this Gibson guitar in 1961 by her husband Oliver and later used it during performances and while writing songs.
Kix Brooks’ Les Paul
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Now on display at Brooks & Dunn’s “Kings of Neon” exhibit, this custom-made Gibson Les Paul guitar features carvings of alligators on the front and back as well as alligator scales on the sides.
Tom T. Hall’s Gibson
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Hall bought this refurbished guitar from songwriter Merle Kilgore in the 1960s and later used it to write “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” “The Ballad of Forty Dollars,” and more hits.
Various
Gallery of Iconic Guitars at Belmont University | Temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the GIG features hundreds of rare guitars, including a 1939 Martin D-45, a 1887 Martin 0-28, and a 1923 Gibson F-5 Mandolin signed by designer Lloyd Loar.
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