PROJECT 91
“ MY HOPE WITH PROJECT 91 IS THAT ENOUGH OF THESE GUITARS ACTUALLY GET PLAYED, THAT THEY DON’ T JUST GET SQUIRRELED AWAY IN A VAULT SOMEWHERE.”
lessons to Gene Autry. So maybe that’ s where Gene said,“ Hey Jackie, you need to get one of these.”
When I started reading more about him, I learned he was from the Midwest, and very popular. He must have had a fantastic personality, along with real guitar ability. And he could sing. They said he had a terrific career … until his voice changed. He was 12 years old when he ordered that D-45— during the Depression. Twelve years old. I read that and thought, oh my gosh. People hear“ Gene Autry” and they know exactly who that is. You say“ Jackie Kid Moore,” and people have no idea. Because his voice changed.
Finally, I would think this project isn’ t just about nostalgia; it’ s about raising the bar for what acoustic instruments can be in the present and future— as well as those who can appreciate them as a store of value. Let me go back to your point. I want to agree with it— but I don’ t want to fully agree. Let me answer it this way. I’ m very fortunate; I live next to a country club, and I’ m on what’ s called the Sanctuary Committee. I’ m not a golfer, but I really appreciate the
flora and the fauna. Our committee focuses on stream restoration and things that benefit the golf course, but really, it’ s about stewarding 800 acres of Mother Nature.
They were hosting a gala, and one of the big old trees at the club— hundreds of years old— had to come down. I said,“ I’ ll make a guitar out of that tree, and we’ ll auction it off at the gala.” So we did. We inlaid the club logo on the pickguard. And of course, with any charity auction, the key is to get the audience just well-lubricated enough that they can still pull out their credit cards— but not so far gone that they’ ve passed out.
The guitar came up for auction, and it sold very well. Afterward, I went over to congratulate the buyer. He said,“ Oh, I’ m so excited. I’ m from New Jersey. I come here to play golf once in a while. I’ m going to have a special case built, put it in my den, and show it to my friends.” And I said,“ I’ d really encourage you to take it out of the case and let your friends play it.” He said,“ Oh, I never thought about that. I’ m not a guitar player.”
So, my hope with Project 91 is that enough of these guitars actually get played, that they don’ t just get squirreled away in a vault somewhere.
Let’ s go back to art. You read stories about billionaires who own multimillion-dollar paintings that sit in bonded warehouses so they don’ t have to pay taxes. They’ re not on a wall. They sell them to another billionaire who may have only ever seen the piece at the auction gallery. What’ s the point of that? That’ s not what art is for.
So yes, my hope is that the people who buy these guitars— maybe they’ re not out at three in the morning at a bluegrass festival— but they’ re actually playing them.
88 | SPRING 2026