control to maintain the vintage instruments for Belmont and has taught there since 1978.
as they should be preserved. If you’re visiting Nashville I highly recommend
that you make the pilgrimage over to The
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher directed Gig and take in this impressive collection of
the ceremony and grand opening with historic instruments. It is open to the public
Gill, student Monday through Saturday 9am-5pm, and
sitting behind him prepared to play pieces
Skaggs,
and
a
Belmont
Sundays 1-5pm. Admission to the Gallery of
from the Shaw collection once cued. The Iconic Guitars is only $5, and children 12 and
Archer Charitable Foundation provided the under enter for free. I must agree with Ricky
endowment to create the best environment Skaggs in that I can think of no better place
for the Shaw collection to be displayed. The than a Christian University such as Belmont
collection and the endowment to show and to oversee, display, and maintain such a
maintain it are valued at $10.5 million. Some historical gathering of instruments. The gift of
of the historical pieces include a 1923 Lloyd Steve Kern Shaw and the Archer Foundation
Loar signed mandolin - $200,000, a 1939 will make these instruments available to the
Martin D-45 - $350,000, ‘60 Gibson Les Paul
public and students that might otherwise only
Standard Burst - $225,000, plus a Lyon &
Bass Student
see these instruments on a computer screen
Healy Trio featuring a mandolin, mandola, and me, the experience of attending the opening or in a book! To learn more about the The Gig
a mandocello. was that much sweeter as I got to stand next at Belmont University visit their website below.
to my guitar instructor, and noted past guitarist
To say that the security at The Gig is tight is to for Dolly Parton and numerous other artists, Dr.
put it mildly, with security guards and electronic John Pell, who is Coordinator of Guitar Studies
sensors
keeping
TheGigAtBelmont.com
watch
over the instruments, but
that doesn’t deter from the
enjoyment of the facility at
all.
As
Ricky
Skaggs
held
the Lloyd Loar mandolin
preparing to play it he
said, “There’s not a better
place
Belmont
on
earth
University
than
for
these instruments to be.
Students, open your ears
to these great instruments.”
During their performance,
Gill utilized the ’39 Martin
D-45, and hearing such
masters of their art play
and sing in this venue was
very moving for everyone
there. More performances
and exhibits will be planned
at the Gallery of Iconic
Guitars going forward. For
Vince Gill
July 2017
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