Petersen Museum and Fender Create "Cars & Guitars" Exhibit
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| Fender Custom Shop's Mike Eldred, Billy Gibbons of
ZZ Top and Fender's Dan Smith. |
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| Fender's Del Breckenfeld and Museum Drector
Richard Messer |
June 19, 2001
The famed Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles,
California, recently teamed up with Fender Musical Instruments
Corporation (FMIC) to create the museum's latest exhibit, "Cars &
Guitars". The exhibit is a marriage of fast cars and electric guitars,
featuring a host of vintage and custom made hot rods and Fender guitars,
including Jimmie Vaughan's classic Cadillac and a number of guitars from
Fender CEO Bill Schultz's private collection.
The museum officially opened the exhibit on Thursday evening, June 14th,
as part of their largest annual fundraiser, "Cars & Stars". Celebrities
such as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, actors Robert Stack and Debbie Reynolds
and Anne Miller were among the attendees to the event, which featured a
silent and live auction hosted by Jay Leno. All proceeds from the
auction will go to benefit the Petersen Auto Museum's educational
programs.
Many of the cars and guitars at the exhibit were on loan from their
famous owners, including Jeff Beck's roadster and matching Stratocaster,
the Cadillac featured on the cover of Eric Clapton and B.B. King's
recent album "Riding With The King" along with a Clapton Signature Model
Stratocaster, and Jimmie Vaughan's famous 1960 Cadillac.
Among the guitars on loan from Fender and private collectors were Bill
Schultz's personal Harley Davidson chrome plated Stratocaster and 50th
Anniversary Stratocaster, both with serial numbers 001. Also featured
was the Fender Custom Shop's famed "Jaguar" Stratocaster alongside Jan
and Dean's "Deadman's Curve" Jaguar, a Stratocaster that was once owned
and burned by Jimi Hendrix, and an entire wall of vintage Sonic Blue
Fender's.
Says Del Breckenfeld, director of market development for Fender,
"Working with the Petersen Museum on this project is a natural fit for
us - hot rods and rock 'n' roll just go hand in hand. It's a wonderful
idea, a wonderful exhibit, and all the proceeds go towards the museum's
educational programs."
The "Cars & Guitars" exhibit will be on display from June 15th through
December 31st, 2001. For more information on the "Cars & Guitars"
exhibit at the Petersen Auto Museum, call (323) 930-CARS, or visit
www.petersen.org. |
