Signed Guitar

This acoustic guitar is a very unique instrument because of the signatures on its front and its overall construction. It’s one of the original folding guitars created by Jeff Cohen, who founded and currently runs the folding guitar company Voyage-Air Guitar. The guitar’s neck has a screw that attaches to the body when opened up. In order to fold it up, the guitarist unscrews the screw, folds the neck forward over the front, and tucks the loose strings into the round soundhole in the guitar’s body. It can then be neatly fitted in a backpack, and even put in the overhead storage on a plane.

 

This folding guitar was signed by both musicians and representatives of musicians inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2012. A very special signature is that of the late Bobby “Blue” Bland. He was born north of Memphis and moved into the city in 1947. In 1951, Ike Turner discovered Bland’s talent and helped him record his first song. Bobby “Blue” Bland became a great storyteller with powerfully emotional music. Unlike many other blues musicians, he sang but never played an instrument. His style mixed Gospel music with Blues and Rhythm and Blues. Many of his songs were top hits, like “Turn On Your Love Light,” which was the second most popular Rhythm and Blues song in the United States for 15 weeks.

 

Bland rarely signed guitars, but he was fascinated by the design of this folding guitar. Memphis businesswoman Marie V. Pizano, who is the owner of MVP3 Entertainment Group and is friends with the founder of the Voyage-Air Guitar company, convinced him to sign the instrument. This guitar is a special remembrance of Bobby “Blue” Bland who passed away in 2013.

 

Other signatures on the guitar include Jazz saxophonist George Coleman, guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper, the wife of rock and roll pianist Jerry Lee Lewis, songwriter and producer Isaac Hayes's children, ZZ Top bassist and singer Dusty Hill, Dexter Redding the son of singer, songwriter and producer Otis Redding, disk jockey and rapper DJ Paul, and Marvel Thomas son of multi-talented artist Rufus Thomas.