Happy Birthday Fender Stratocaster!
In May of 1954, MUSIC TRADES MAGAZINE reviewed a brand new instrument that had just come on the market, remarking,
"It actually seems to make the guitar a part of the player, and must be seen and tried to be appreciated." The FENDER
STRATOCASTER originally listed for $249.50, and was quickly favored by 50’s singing star MARY KAYE, who had Top 40 hits
with her songs “You Can't Be True Dear” and “Do You Believe in Dreams”. BUDDY HOLLY also made The Strat his guitar of
choice for the duration of his recording career. JIMI HENDRIX used a '56 Fender Strat on “Axis: Bold as Love” and MARK
KNOPFLER of DIRE STRAITS used a '61 Strat for the majority of his recorded work. Relatively unchanged until 1977, when
Fender introduced the 5 way switch, Fender has released many Custom Shop Signature Models over the years. YNGWIE
MALMSTEEN and STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN are two notable examples of artists honored with their own signature Fender.
Malmsteen's features a scalloped fretboard, alder body, brass nut, synchronized tremolo and Seymour Duncan pickups.
Vaughan's guitar features a pau ferro wood fingerboard on a 60’s-style oval neck, gold-plated hardware and 3 custom-made
Texas Specials. Fender has released a 60th Anniversary Stratocaster--which is a perfect replica of its original 1954 model,
appropriately only producing 1,954 of them available in 2014 only. The guitar lists for $2,499.00--ten times the original price
60 years ago. Fender is also manufacturing a 60th Anniversary Squire Guitar and Classic 50's model. Congratulations, Fender
Guitars and many great years to you ahead!
***
I just finished reading a quote from founding NIRVANA member and Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee DAVE GROHL, which
I felt compelled to comment on. We are the same age roughly, and from the same era of musical landscape. Needless to
elaborate, Mr. Grohl has gone way further than I, however, our opinion on the role of TV talent/singing programs parallels
closely. We are both products of a generation who purchased second hand instruments with our lawn-mowing or dishwashing
money, holed up in a basement or garage with our buddies and bashed out tunes. There was no American Idol, Facebook or
YouTube when we started. We loaded the trunk or van with our gear, and played our gig wherever they let us set up and play.
Whether it was a dump, dive bar, pig roast, gas station parking lot; anywhere conceivable that we thought was advantageous
to play. Mr. Grohl made the observation that today you believe the television talent shows are the conduit to success, a way
to bypass honing your chops onstage, traveling, and otherwise "paying your dues". Well, everyone's motivation for getting
into Rock and Roll is different. A percentage of musicians genuinely have a heart-and-soul connection to the medium, and
follow the “sinking boat” to the bottom of the lake, no matter what. Some are looking for notoriety, chicks, drugs and booze.
Some are a combination of all the variables. The likelihood of making it to the top is exceptionally slim, but some “soldier on”
for the love of music, regardless. My story is atypical, but I stuck with it for 3 reasons--which in my estimation, paid off
ridiculously well. 1. I was not smart enough to get out of it at the end of my 20’s--despite no material evidence of success