Joe Bonamassa has bought his own sunburst Fender Strat in preparation for his Rory Gallagher tribute gigs
New week, Joe Bonamassa will be playing a trio of Rory Gallagher tribute concerts in Cork. It’s a feat he’s called “the biggest honour and challenge of my musical life”, and he’s taking it very seriously – he’s even copped his own Fender Stratocaster from the exact shop that sold Gallagher his in 1963.
Bonamassa shared the news on Instagram, showing off his new sunburst Strat as he poses with the Crowley’s Music Store team. “I’ve always wanted to buy a sunburst Fender Stratocaster from Crowley’s Music Centre in Cork,” he writes. “Today I did. Big thanks to Sheena [Crowley] and all the great folks I met today.”
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Hopefully, the guitar will help Bonamassa capture Gallagher’s sound onstage. The blues rock legend originally bought his own sunburst Strat for just £100. It was worth every penny; Gallagher used the ‘61 Strat until the finish had mostly worn away, the combination of sunburst and exposed dark alder wood giving it an almost rusted look.
While Bonamassa wasn’t sold his Strat by the man that sold Gallagher his, he was sold it by his daughter, Sheena Crowley.
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Sheena was one of the first to respond to Gallagher’s Strat infamously being put up for auction last year. She launched a petition to raise $1 million to buy the guitar and have it permanently displayed in a local museum.
The Irish government also responded to the infamous auction, instantly plotting to attain the guitar and keep it in its home of Cork. They noted that the ‘61 Strat was “an important item culturally”.
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle, who saw Gallagher play Cork City Hall several times in the early 1980s, also backed the plans. “Rory was one of the first to put Irish rock on the international stage,” he told the Irish Times. “I think it’s important that it should be kept in the State.”
In October, it was confirmed that the guitar would stay in its rightful home of Cork. It was purchased by Live Nation Gaiety Ltd for $1.16 million, with the company planning to donate it to the National Museum of Ireland.
Image: Bonhams
Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, expressed her appreciation: “I am absolutely delighted that Rory’s guitar is coming home to Ireland,” she said. “I look forward to hearing more of the museum’s plans to showcase the famous Strat, which I understand will include Cork, where the legendary musician grew up.”
Thankfully, Bonamassa wont be making that faux pas. He’ll have his new sunburst Strat to honour Gallagher’s legacy on 1, 2, and 3 July at his tribute gigs. The guitarist will be joined by British drummer Jeremy Stacey, bassist Aongus Ralston, and keyboardist Lachy Doley.
Earlier this year, a statue commemorating Rory Gallagher – who died in 1995 – was unveiled in Belfast, but it drew a few notes of criticism from fans. “I so confidently assumed it was Weird Al,” one person wrote.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
