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Monday November 20th, 2000

Brad Paisley gets new Dobro and number one honors

Gibson Guitars paid tribute to acclaimed Arista recording artist Brad Paisley to celebrate today's announcement that his latest single, "We Danced," has catapulted to the #1 spot on the Billboard Country Singles Chart this week. In a ceremony being held this morning at the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase at Opry Mills Mall, Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz presented Paisley with a custom-made Dobro®.

Gibson commissioned the instrument-a custom-built, figured maple, cutaway Dobro®, featuring custom paisley-design inlays along the fingerboard and peghead, as well as a paisley soundhole-in recognition of Paisley's incredible achievements to date as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The 28-year-old West Virginia native recently won the prestigious "Horizon Award" at last month's Country Music Awards, and he is the most nominated and most-awarded new artist of 2000. Paisley's critically-acclaimed debut album, "Who Needs Pictures" (Arista Nashville), has been certified Gold by the RIAA and is well on its way to going Platinum.

"We've seen Brad's guitar wizardry on Gibson's Chet Atkins Country Gentleman model," said Juszkiewicz, "so we were especially thrilled to hand-craft an instrument to honor such a major new force in country music."

In a return gesture, Paisley presented Gibson with a signed copy of his Gold record, and autographed an Epiphone acoustic guitar, which was donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at the event. You can make bids to buy the autographed Epiphone guitar at www.bradpaisley.com.

Gibson also presented Paisley's Dobro player, Jim Heffernon, with a custom built quilted-maple 60 D Classic squareneck dobro. Heffernon is a former employee at the Gibson USA factory and is now perfroming full time with Brad Paisley.

Following are exclusive photos from the press conference:

Brad Paisley's new custom built Dobro

Jim Heffernon's new quilted maple 60 D Classic Dobro

Paisley poses with the OAI Dobro team who built his beautiful new instrument.

Paisley presents an autographed gold album to Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz

Paisley presents an autographed Epiphone acoustic
to a representative from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Brad poses with the acoustic.

Jim Heffernon thanks the Gibson staff for his gorgeous new Dobro.

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