A couple of weeks ago, I visited my daughter in Phoenix1 and got a chance to tour the Musical Instrument Museum2 with my other daughter.3
The museum had an extensive collection of instruments, audio, and video and audio content from all over the world. THE WORLD.
The place is expansive, even overwhelming at times.4 But their interpretation was top-notch in my book, enhancing the visual of thousands of instruments on display with audio tours of folks from those countries using those instruments.
I created a video from my visit and figured some of y’all might enjoy the result. You’ll see some incredible gear, from homemade instruments to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s amp.5
And here’s a sweet Allman Brothers connection: Dickey’s Fender Bassman from Lipham Music in Gainesville, Florida (here’s more on that connection.)6
I’ve got it set to three songs, reflecting my mood as I compiled the footage.7
Lucero “My Best Girl”
Allman Brothers Band “Statesboro Blues” (At Fillmore East outtake)
Nancy Wilson “60B (Etown theme)”
A note on process
There’s very little editing here. I knew I wanted to start with the Lucero song, which played in my head the entire visit.
The videos more or less stayed where I initially placed them before adding music—pay attention to that when you get to the “Statesboro Blues.”
The Nancy Wilson song is from the Cameron Crowe movie Elizabethtown. It mostly fit for length, but something about that drone sound just fit.
Some other highlights
Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Gibson L-5
Charlie Christian’s Gibson ES-250 (maybe?)8
Louis Armstrong’s teacher’s axe
Given Armstrong’s influence on the world, it’s impossible to sum up the importance of this humble instrument.
The one I wrote about here:
Acknowledging that the museum name is wrong in the video.
Also went to the Grand Canyon.
And that’s saying something for this ADHD-addled brain. I LOVE museums packed with artifacts.
With closeup of its settings for my fellow Seekers of Tone.
Lipham’s is also where Dickey first picked up the iconic ‘61 SG that became Duane’s main slide right at the end of his life.
Two of the three are important Southern artists—Lucero and the Allman Brothers Band—and the Nancy Wilson tune is from Cameron Crowe’s movie Elizabethtown, which was his coming to terms with his Southern roots.
I didn’t photo the label, but I distinctly remember Charlie Christian’s guitar in the museum. A quick search says the museum had the guitar on display as early as 2018.
