All photos by Gabriel J. Hernandez
Tuesday, June 24, 2008: the calm after the storm, Gibson corporate offices, 3:37 pm.
Taking a glance this morning inside the fenced-in parking lot at the Gibson Custom Shop—site of the Third Annual Gibson Summer Jam this past weekend—you’d think nothing ever took place. With the exception of a few scattered throw-away items and some yellow “police” line tape, there’s no evidence of the historic, momentous event that took place this past Friday and Saturday night.
Gone are the huge, white canvas tents that housed hundreds of red cloth-covered tables and several thousand attendees. Gone also are the large mobile trailers that were home to the hundreds of Gibson instruments on display for all invited guests to peruse, inspect, and play. And gone is the enormous aluminum main stage that was home to one of the hottest rock and roll shows to EVER take place in Nashville, TN. That’s right, we said “EVER,” and we’re not kidding.
The Gibson Custom Shop’s annual all-star jam session and wing ding for invited friends, fans, and family did not disappoint. How could it? With a lineup that included blues legend Johnny Winter, Slash, Kenny Olson, Whiskey Falls, and various members of the Cult, Alice in Chains, Velvet Revolver, and Janes Addiction—not to mention all the “special” guests that showed up—Summer Jam ’08 clearly lived up to its haughty billing, and then some.
Of course, Gibson Lifestyle was there for the whole shebang, blogging live with updates every couple of hours, trying to stay on top of every special performance, every special guest, and taking pictures left and right. No doubt, it was a tall order, and we gave it our best shot. But we missed a couple of key moments while we were busy posting blogs and doing interviews, so we wanted to catch everyone up on the added bonus moments that made Summer Jam ’08 even more spectacular than we’d previously reported.
Like this one: Long-time Gibson artist and guitarist Johnny A. taking the stage Friday night with Dixie Peach and Lee Roy Parnell for some unbelievable jams on a couple of covers by the Allman Brothers.
Or Saturday night’s blistering set by Kenny Olson’s new band 5 Star Carni (trust us, you’ll be hearing a lot more from this band in the near future), and his “extra” special guest Billy Cox—former Jimi Hendrix bass player—who came up and joined the band for an unforgettable version of Hendrix’s “Red House.” During the same set, Olson and company were joined by the tireless Johnny A., who made his umpteenth trip to the stage for a memorable jam with Olson during which the two guitar slingers played solos with their instruments behind their heads (check the slideshow for more photos).
And then there was the regional competition of the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands. We correctly reported that Strat 5 from the Healthways Corporation had earned the right to move on to the finals in October at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. What we didn’t tell you was that second place winner Looming Larger from GE Healthcare also earned the right to go to the finals.
And kudos to the incomparable Johnny Winter, a true superstar and living legend who despite his advancing age managed to leave no doubts as to his standing as one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time. Everyone in attendance—including Slash and jazz virtuoso Larry Carlton—were in complete awe of the talent before them.
As for Saturday night’s all-star jam … well, let’s just say “you had to be there.”
This type of star-studded gathering doesn’t happen all the time, and when it does it’s usually behind closed doors in some rehearsal space somewhere. But not Saturday night. This was the real deal. Yes, Summer Jam ’08 played host to Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Cult members Billy Duffy and Billy Morrison, former Fuel lead vocalist Brett Scallion, Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, and Janes Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, and a few of their friends.
Playing their own respective hits, along with covers of some of the greatest rock and roll songs of our time, this dazzling lineup thrilled everyone in attendance, leaving the throngs in a breathless heap after an intense 15-song set. Undoubtedly, the highlight was Alice in Chains’ epic powerhouse “Man in The Box,” which launched Cantrell into rage, and the crowd into a massive frenzy.
As far as we know, the stage was still smoking Sunday morning.
It all seemed larger than life. On this weekend, Summer Jam ’08 delivered an extraordinary few moments in time, all of them to be happily remembered for many years to come.
So, now that we’ve been able to finally catch up on our sleep and get some rest for our weary legs, we’d like to share with everyone a few more of the memorable moments of Summer Jam ’08. Check out our exclusive slideshow of photos above, and don’t forget to mark your calendar for next year’s Summer Jam, as we’re sure the Custom Shop will be trying to outdo itself once again.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08: the amazing finale, and the last blog. 1:08 am.
OMG!
And for those that don’t know what OMG stands for, you need to ask your children.
For those that do, it’s the only thing we can think of to describe the end of Gibson Summer Jam ’08.
We don’t have much time before they turn off the lights inside the Gibson Custom Shop, so we’re going to do this as quickly as possible.
Hands down, the Rock Star Jam turned out to be the best rock and roll cover band in the world. Where else can you go see and hear a band comprised of Brett Scallions on lead vocals, Jerry Cantrell on lead guitar, Matt Sorum on drums, Billy Morrison on guitar, Billy Duffy on guitar, and Chris Chaney on bass?
Face it. There’s nowhere else. But it happened on the last night of the Gibson Summer Jam ’08, and it was colossal.
At times, it was even epic.
The first version of this all-star rock and roll cover band hit the stage with Scallions on the lead mike, Morrison and Duffy on guitar, Sorum on the drums and Chaney pumping the bass. They blew through cover’s like the Cult’s “Wildflower,” Aerosmith’s “Draw The Line,” even the Sex Pistol’s “Pretty Vacant,” before introducing Cantrell to the 1000-plus attendees waiting all night to see him.
With guest Abby Gennet of Slunt on lead vocals, the band kicked it into high gear with a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” then ripped it up on “Tonight I’m a Rock and Roll Star” by Oasis.
But it was only the beginning. Seeming tireless, Morrison ripped his shirt off to the cheers of the crowd and called out McQueen’s lead singer Leah Dours, who belted out a searing version of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” Not to be outdone, Morrison himself led the charge and responded with an unbelievable cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.”
Then Scallion, who’s been busy subbing for the late Jim Morrison in the Ray Manzarak-Robbie Kreiger led Riders on the Storm, showed the crowd why they picked him for that gig by hitting all the right chords on the Doors’ classic “Roadhouse Blues.”
And just when you thought they didn’t have any more gas left in the tank, out they roared with a succession of classic covers that included Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever,” Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak,” and the one song everyone in the house was hoping they’d play, Alice in Chain’s monstrous global hit, “Man in the Box,” which was sung to the tee by Leah Dours of McQueen.
With the crowd chanting for one more song, the band didn’t disappoint. With Morrison on lead mike—helped, of course, by every standing, screaming fan in the house—the all-star ensemble launched into the final song of Summer Jam ’08, Iggy Pop and the Stooges raucous, distortion filled, iconic song, “I Wanna Be Your Dog.”
Exhausted and ready for a soda, the band left the stage and headed back to the buses that were ready to take them all back the hotel.
As he left the stage, Duffy probably summed it up best.
“It was like a great big barbeque out there, but without the smell of pork.” Duffy said. “Really, stuff like this is a pleasure, and never a chore.”
Scallion was also teaming with pride at the fun that was just had by everybody on stage. And you can could tell it on the faces of each player.
“Two thousand screaming people out there always makes for a good time,” he said.
On being picked to sing lead vocals for Riders on the Storm, Scallions added, “They’re amazing musicians man. I mean I look to my left and see Robbie, then look to my right and see Ray, and their fingers are still so limber and they play all these beautiful riffs. I really am lucky and fortunate to be able to jam with those guys. I often get so wrapped up in the shows sometimes because it’s such a free for all jam with those guys. There’s always some truly amazing stuff going on at these shows.”
We tried to catch up with Cantrell and Sorum before they split but didn’t have any luck. They looked pretty beat by the end of the set, and ready for the cool air conditioned interior of their tour buses. And they fully earned it. The night was awesome, the music was breathtaking, and the musicians were their usual, amazing selves. Only tonight they were playing just for Gibson, and the lucky few that made it to Nashville for Summer Jam ’08.
Makes you want to know when the registration begins for Summer Jam ’09, doesn’t it?
We’re done here. We’ve had a blast, and we’re going home to sleep in tomorrow. Hopefully, we can do this again real soon. Take care all.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08: Strat 5 wins Battle of Bands, Whiskey Falls and 5 Star Carni rock the house! 9:30 pm
The joint is rockin' now!
As promised, the judges from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum tallied their votes and picked Strat 5 from the Healthways corporation as the regional winner of the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands competition. They'll now go on to compete with the rest of the national field at the Eighth Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio on Oct. 3-4, 2008. Congratulations to all from everyone at Gibson.
Now on to the pros.
Hard Southern rockers Whiskey Falls literally tore it up on the main stage with a seven song set that featured songs for their first CD titled Last Train Running. In an exclusive interview with Gibson Lifestyle after their blistering set, lead guitarist and long time Gibson artist Damon 
Johnson revealed that the band will be very busy over the next year with close to 200 dates already scheduled. Somewhere along the ride they also plan on recording the followup to their very successful debut.
"We also did over 200 dates last year too," Johnson said. "Things are moving pretty fast ever since we moved our homebase from Los Angeles to Nashville. The people here in Nashville have been very good to us. We were hoping that someone would pay attention, and they did."
As for the next record?
"We're like riding a wave right now man," Johnson said. "We've got over 20 songs for the next record right now, and if it was up to us we'd have it out early next year sometime. But we're going on the road right now so it's going to be tough. We'll squeeze some [recording] in when we can."
Whiskey Falls actually will get the opportunity to lay down a few tracks for their next CD tomorrow here in Nashville before taking to the road again first thing Monday morning.
Almost immediately following Whiskey Falls set, Kenny Olson and 5 Star Carni took the stage for the beginning of a blistering set of some serious rock and roll. Olson and his new band are no slouches. It's pretty obvious that their hard brand of rock aims to hit people right in the face, and the opening couple of numbers did just that.
But stay tuned the night's final blog update following the end of the Rock Star Jam featuring Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains, Matt Sorum from Velvet Revolver, Chris Chaney from Janes Addiction, Billy Duffy from the Cult, Bret Scallions from Fuel and Riders on the Storm, and Billy Morrision from Circus Diablo. Hopefully we'll be able to chat with some of the stars and get some updates on their individual projects.
Hang in there ... we'll be back in a flash.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08: A short rain delay, the FORTUNE Battle of the Bands, and Kenny Olson, 7:30 pm.
Like most summer rain showers in Nashville, the one that hit this afternoon didn't last long. But it was enough to set the Summer Jam main stage schedule back almost one hour.
Other than that, no worries here. The show shoulders on with the FORTUNE Battle of the Bands heating up. The last band in the six band competition—from Healthways, called Strat 5—just hit the stage. The judging is being coordinated by officials from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and tonight's distinguished panel consists of Jeff Carlisi, co-founder and lead guitarist of .38 Special, 
Ira Stanley from Dixie Peach (one of last night's bands), and Ian Ruddle, a FORTUNE corporate band veteran. We've been trying to get a "favorite" out of the judges for the last hour, but to no avail. We'll post their final results in the next blog.
We happened to run into Kenny Olson, former lead guitarist for Kid Rock (for 11 years) and devoted Gibson artist, backstage having a little dinner before his set with his new band 5 Star Carni. Olson and his new band just relocated to Nashville from their original hometown of Detroit, and all of them are very excited about taking their new band on the road. Olson told Gibson Lifestyle that tonight's show will mark the band's first performance in their new hometown of Nashville, and all are looking forward to it.
"I've always been very honored to be a part of the Gibson family," Olson said backstage at Summer Jam '08. "We've got a bunch of great guys in this new band, and I couldn't be happier about it. We're going to rock hard tonight, and we've got a couple of surprises for everybody tonight as well."
Olson spilled the beans and told Gibson Lifestyle that former Jimi Hendrix bassist Billy Cox will be joining 5 Star Carni onstage for what promises to be an awesome jam 
on some old Hendrix material. Olson has a long history with the Hendrix family, and even played on last year's Gibson sponsored Experience Hendrix Tour, which featured a host of Hendrix-loving artists, including Robert Randolph, Hubert Sumlin, Mick Taylor, and Buddy Guy. Needless to say, Olson truly cherishes being a part of special nights like tonight.
We've got Whiskey Falls about to take the stage, so we're going to take a few more pictures and get some more interviews. We'll be back with another blog, and the final results of the FORTUNE Battle of the Bands, in just a bit. Hang tight.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08, Saturday afternoon hanging around the Custom Shop, 4:45 pm.
Back again for another wonderful night of guitars and rock and roll.
But even though tonight's bill promises to be just as exciting as last night's, a lot of people around here are still buzzing about last night's late night jam with Johnny Winter, Larry Carlton, and Slash, together on the same stage following 90 minutes of sizzling blues from Winter and his band, which—by the way—consists of Paul Nelson on guitar (who blew through an amazing blues jam before Johnny took the stage), Scott Spray on bass, and Tony Beard on the drums. Amid last night's musical mayhem, Gibson Lifestyle didn't have a chance to get everyone's name, so we wanted to make it up first thing today. So, once again fellas, kudos for a magnificent set of great music that was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in the house. Here's hoping we're all able to do it one more time someday soon.
In the meantime, enjoy a couple more pictures from last night's historic jam session.
People are just now starting to file in at the Gibson Custom Shop, and the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands is currently underway on the main stage. Soul Focus, winners of the 2007 competition, started things off and were followed by the Interstellar Outcasts from the Gaylord Opryland Resort. There's six more bands to follow, so we'll give you a full update in a later blog, as well as post the winner when its announced.
Tonight's rockin' schedule kicks into full gear around 7:45 pm with a set from Southern rockers Whiskey Falls, followed by the band 5 Star Carni with former Kid Rock alum Kenny Olson on lead guitar.
Tonight's featured performance, however, is garnering as much much buzz as last night's jam. Hitting the main stage sometime around 9:45 will be the Gibson Rock Star Jam, featuring Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains, Matt Sorum from Velvet Revolver, Chris Chaney from Janes Addiction, Billy Duffy from the Cult, Bret Scallions from Fuel and Riders on the Storm, and Billy Morrision from Circus Diablo. You can bet there's gonna be some serious rock and roll taking place on that stage tonight. The cool thing is they've also promised to bring along a few additional special guests. So if it's anything like last night's special guest appearance by jazz legend Larry Carlton, you can expect a nice surprise.
And we'll be keeping you posted on everything that happens backstage, front stage, in the crowd, and inside the Gibson Custom Shop, where attendees continue to enjoy Gibson's visual presentation of its entire line of beautiful guitars.
We'll be back in a few with an update on the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands, as well as who might be hangin' around the backstage area.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08, press area in front of the stage, 12:20 am.
The wait is finally over, and ask anyone in attendance and they’ll tell you that it was worth every minute. Blues legend Johnny Winter finally walked onto the stage at Gibson Summer Jam ’08 at approximately 10:45 pm and delivered the kind of scorching blues only he can.
With a backing band featuring guitar player Paul Nelson, Winter and company plowed straight into the Freddie King classic “Hideaway,” and didn’t let up once. For the next 90 minutes, Winter and his band turned in a performance for the ages, taking the crowd of 1000-plus through a blues history lesson that included such classics as Ray Charles’ “Blackjack,” Freddie King’s “Tore Down,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House,”
But the night was all about the collaboration that’s been the talk to the town ever since it was announced a few weeks ago: Slash joining one of his boyhood idols on stage for the very first time for what was sure to be one of the great rock and roll moments of the year.
“I’ve never met him before,” Slash told Gibson Lifestyle just before taking the stage tonight. “Johnny was one of the original guys that turned me on to the electric guitar when I first started out. He was one of my absolute favorite players, and pretty much still is. I’ve gone to a lot of his concerts back in the day, so it’s really, really nice to finally get the chance to meet him and jam.”
And jam they did. Slash took the stage, along with another guitar giant and jazz legend, Larry Carlton, joining Winter and his band for rockin’ version of the Bobby and Shirley Womack classic made famous by the Rolling Stones, “It’s All Over Now.” For five minutes, time seemed to stand still as Winter, Carlton, and then Slash traded licks back and forth while driving the crowd into near frenzy. It was a great moment for music, and a memorable night for the Gibson Summer Jam.
But the night didn’t end there. After the guests left the stage, Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, and Gibson President Dave Berryman, presented Winter with a Gibson Custom Shop version of Winter’s iconic 1963 Firebird, aged to such perfection that many in the audience thought it was Winter’s original.
Winter strapped on the guitar and played his famous “Highway 61” to an adoring crowd that didn’t seem to want the night to end. But it did, as Winter and his band took one final bow and headed back to the bus.
After the show, Gibson Lifestyle finally got the chance to sit down with Winter for a very quick chat (he was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel).
“It was a great show, and I really enjoyed playing with Slash and Larry Carlton,” Winter said. “And that guitar [the Firebird] is a great guitar.”
When told he is one of Slash’s heroes, Winter said, “It’s nice to know. It feels real good to know that someone thinks of you like that. That was a hell of a lot of fun out there tonight. I wish all my nights were like that.”
Don’t we all.
Gibson Lifestyle returns tomorrow night with more blog updates from Gibson Summer Jam 08’. And if it’s anything like tonight, you’ll want to check in and see what you’re missing.
Talk to you then. Goodnight!
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Gibson Summer Jam '08 backstage area, Johnny Winter's bus, 9:15 pm.
It really doesn't get much better than this. Sitting inside Johnny Winter's tour bus with several Gibson executives, and a few of the country's top Gibson dealers, discussing how the Custom Shop Inspired By Johnny Winter Firebird came to fruition. Johnny was sitting in the back of the bus tuning up his guitar, and we didn't have that much time so we didn't get the chance to speak to the legendary blues guitarist, but it was surely good while it lasted.
Meanwhile back on the mainstage, several legendary axemen were showing the now 1000-plus attendees why they earned the honor of playing on the main stage at Gibson Summer Jam '08. Backed by lead guitarist Ira Stanley and his band Dixie Peach, perennial Summer Jammer Lee Roy Parnell took the stage with Gibson artist and former J. Geils Band guitarist Johnny A. They were also joined by New York session ace Anthony Steele. The three of them delivered a rockin' set complete with tons of Allman Brothers covers, including a rousing, crowd-pleasing rendition of "Don't Want You No More" and "It's Not My Cross To Bear."
Continuing with the Allman Brothers theme, Stanley and Dixie Peach introduced former Allman Brothers guitarist Jack Pearson to the stage. The three of them—Stanley, Steele, and Peason—proceeded to deliver an unbelievable version of the 
classic "Stormy Monday," followed by a 15-minute finale of the Allman staple "Statesboro Blues." Needless to say, the crowd (including everyone backstage) was left breathless.
Inside the Green Room, where the artists hang out before they go on, Gibson Lifestyle was able to catch up with Slash, Johnny Winter, Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, and Gibson President Dave Berryman. Also in the picture is tonight's special guest, but you'll have to keep guessing as to who it is. We will tell you that he'll be joining Slash and Johnny Winter for the final song of the night.
It should be one outrageous finale. Once again, stay tuned for one last blog following the conclusion of the night's main event. The hour is almost upon us ... hang in there.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08 main stage and backstage area, 6:55 pm.
Fredericksburg, MO-based Flat River Band just finished tearing up the main stage with their unique brand of country/Southern rock. And while we were mixing it up backstage, who pulls up but Slash's tour bus. It's a nice one too ... check it out.
We're still waiting to interview both Slash and Johnny Winter, and we'll post some comments and general observations as 
soon as we meet and greet with them. In the meantime, the crowd keep growing as we speak.
Johnny Winter has yet to hit the backstage area, but we'll let you know as soon as he does. Hopefully, we can get a picture or two as well.
Check back in a little while for another blog update.
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Gibson Summer Jam '08 main stage and clinic rooms, 5:21 pm.
Already things are starting to heat up on the Summer Jam '08 main stage. Renowned blues guitarist Larry McCray just took the stage with a group 
of musicians performing in the Gibson Players Open Jam hosted by Southern rockers Dixie Peach. McCray, who blasted his way through a couple of blues standards, took a Nashville detour to the Gibson Summer Jam on his way to this weekend's Riverfront Blues Festival in Fort Smith, AK, supporting his yet to be titled new album due to hit stores within the next month.
Also in full swing are the various clinics sponsored by several of Gibson's many divisions, including the Steinberger clinic hosted by noted Nashville session player Sean O'Bryan Smith, the former bassist for Billy Ray Cyrus, whose debut album Tapestry is making serious waves on jazz playlists all around the world.
As usual, the guitars of the famed Gibson Custom Shop are in full display for all to see (or gawk at!). There are over 400 guitars on display, including several new models like the Johnny Winter Firebird, the Slash Custom Shop model, and the brand new (remember, you heard it hear first) Inspired By Joe Bonamassa Les Paul, which promises to be a another best seller.
Everybody, however, is buzzing about the night's main attraction, which is set to hit the stage around 9:30 pm. And if you haven't heard yet (or if you've been hiding under a rock for the 
last couple of weeks), legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter will take the stage at Gibson Summer Jam '08 together with the one and only Slash—one of the most iconic rock and roll guitarists of our time. And, as if that wasn't hot enough, there's also one more very special guest that's going to join them. We know who it is, but we can't tell you just yet. You'll have to check back to find out. I know, it's not fair. But that's the beauty of blogs!
Slash and Johnny Winter are set to arrive at the Gibson Custom Shop around 7 pm and Gibson Lifestyle will be on hand for exclusive pictures and interviews with both artists. Stay tuned.
And check back in a couple of hours for the next exclusive live blog update from the Gibson Summer Jam '08.
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Gibson Custom Shop parking lot, 2:15 pm.
The anticipation is definitely building. The Gibson Custom Shop’s Third Annual Summer Jam just opened its doors to all registered attendees, and already you can feel the eagerness of the crowd in the air as they anticipate a night of rock and roll that’s sure to be talked about for quite some time.
Many of the attendees get caught up in the “WOW” factor as they venture through Gibson’s famed Custom Shop, and it’s easy to see why as they walk past row after row of Gibson Custom Shop Les Pauls, SGs, ES-335s, Firebirds, in addition to the scores of other Gibson instruments set up all around the building, both inside and out.
But the majority of today’s guests are here to see tonight’s main attraction: blues legend Johnny Winter, and the most iconic guitarist of the past 20 years, Slash. These two legends will share the same stage tonight (probably) for the first time (we’ll confirm this with Slash or Johnny when we see them), sometime around 9:30 pm. Make no mistake, it promises to be extraordinary.
There’s an excellent mix of Gibson dealers, invited V.I.P. guests, and die-hard rock and rollers who were lucky enough to hear about it and register in time to attend Gibson’s annual “thank you” to its friends, fans, and family. And Johnny Winter and Slash aren't the only names on the marquee. There's also Southern rockers Dixie Peach with special guest Lee Roy Parnell, followed by rockers McQueen.
For the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, Gibson Lifestyle will be keeping tabs on everything going on at Summer Jam '08 and posting blog-style updates every couple of hours. For those that couldn’t make it, this is definitely the next best thing to being here. Stay tuned for backstage news, exclusive photos, interviews, clinic reviews, updates on who’s in attendance, and who’s jammin’ with whom.
It’s not just an everyday event when two of the biggest names EVER in rock and blues share a stage together. In fact, it’s news that’s meant to be disseminated to the world, and that’s what Gibson Lifestyle is here to do today.
So keep checking back every couple of hours for updates on what’s going on at Gibson Summer Jam ’08. It promises to be one of the most exciting rock and roll nights of the year, if not the decade, and we’ve got it all covered for you from every angle.