Diary of a Heart Strings Guitar

My main purpose for going down to Austin during SXSW was to take one of our Heart Strings guitars with me and get it signed by some awesome musicians – with the help of Yours Truly, who were there to capture it on film, we got Gary Clark Jr., Lee Fields and the Alabama Shakes to sign the guitar that will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the charity Music For a Cure.
I can’t thank Your Truly or these artists enough for helping us make this guitar extra special. I’ll admit, I was pretty sad to leave it behind at our Austin store… but I know someone out there will give this guitar a good home :) Here’s a little diary of the guitar’s journey at SXSW – and stay tuned for the video!

I arrived in Austin on Wednesday afternoon and went straight to the house Yours Truly had rented, where Gary Clark Jr. was playing an intimate set as part of their series In My Room. He played my favorite of his songs, “When My Train Pulls In” as well as “Bright Lights.”

The next morning I went back to the house bright and early, where I found Yours Truly making breakfast for Lee Fields & The Expressions – who I must say I was not familiar with prior to this, but they blew me away. They set up in the house’s dining room and we all gathered around sleepy eyed as they ran through a practice take of the song “Faithful Man.” By the time he finished we were all staring, wide eyed, jaws open, completely floored by the incredible sound of his voice backed by guitar and horns. It was a pretty magical morning.

The final band to sign our guitar is one of my current favorites, the Alabama Shakes, who I was pretty excited to see live. They arrived at the house around 1pm on Friday, where they played a short set that included a new song as well as the title track from their upcoming debut album, “Boys & Girls” (such a beautiful song). Afterwards, the small crowd cleared out and we got to hang out with the band for a little bit while they answered some questions for Yours Truly, signed our guitar, and played with the chickens :)

Yours Truly passed out pens and paper for people to write notes and questions to the band, which they read and answered afterwards.

Zac feeding the chickens.

Brittany & Chicken :)

After the Alabama Shakes I took the guitar straight to our FP store where it was reunited with the other Rickenbackers! The guitars are now on their way to Nashville for the next stop of the tour – if you’re in the area stop by and see them, they’re pretty incredible :)

Signatures on our Heart Strings Guitar!

Read more about this guitar and bid on it here.

See all the guitars here.

Thank you: Yours Truly, Gary Clark Jr., Lee Fields, Alabama Shakes
<3

Photos by Julia.