FEATURE
THE ROMAN RED STRATOCASTER Rick King
out from Oklahoma to promote the California
“World” Guitar Shows in the Bay Area and the
Los Angeles region.
Some of the shows that Larry promoted took
place at the “World Famous” Santa Monica
Civic Auditorium. This is the venue that hosted
the T.A.M.I. Show in 1964, where Chuck Berry,
James Brown, The Beach Boys, The Rolling
Stones and many others, played to a packed
house of crazy teenagers. In 1975, Steely Dan
played a memorable show and in 1977 Van
Halen played with The Runaways. I did not
attend any of these concerts, but they are still
burned in my memory. You can feel the history
in that place, and many dealers have shared
this sentiment. Larry no longer uses this venue
and it may just be sitting dormant, which is
truly a shame.
It was at a show at The Civic, sometime in
the mid-90’s; I decided to take a break in the
middle of the day and go outside, enjoy the
sun, and get some fresh air. As I walked by the
payphones, I overheard my friend Chris Hartz
speaking on the phone to my other friend Phil
Lang about finding a buyer for his exceptionally
clean 1961 Burgundy Mist Metallic Fender
Stratocaster. Yes, that’s right, the same
Stratocaster I wrote about in Volume 1 Issue
1 of Collectible Guitar magazine. I asked Chris
if Phil was selling the guitar and he handed me
the phone. Phil informed me that he was selling
it and that he would sell it back to me if I wanted
it. I said that I needed to clear my head with
fresh air and I would call him back within a half
hour.
I talk a lot about guitar shows. Heck, I
Show 30 years ago. Ruth Brinkman is like a
As I sat in contemplation, I had a flashback
romanticize about guitar shows. Some of my
mother to all of us guitar dealers: strong, but
from a guitar show in the Bay Area the week
best finds have been acquired at guitar shows.
fair. I have had the honor of drumming for Larry
before. At the Bay Area show, a friend I hold in
As I sit and write this, I will be leaving tomorrow
Briggs at the Arlington show for the last 10
high regard and one of the coolest guys I know,
at 6am for “Guitarlington” 2016. The promotors
years. I look forward to going to this show every
Bill Richardson, showed me a guitar under the
have been like family to me. Dave Crocker
year and I know most of all my dealer friends
table and told me not to tell anybody about it.
convinced me to go to my first Arlington Guitar
do too. Every winter and summer Larry drives
The guitar Bill showed me was a Red slab board
14
Nov Dec 2016
CollectibleGuitar.com