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Thursday January 25th, 2001
Gibson named 'Official Guitar of the Nashville Predators'
The Nashville Predators will be making music off the ice - not with hockey sticks, but with a customized, limited-edition Gibson Les Paul Predators guitar.
Considering that they play in Music City, who can be surprised? Gibson USA, a division of Gibson Guitar Corp., 106-year-old, Nashville-based manufacturer, announced today that it is the official guitar of the Nashville Predators.
"Nashville has quite a reputation for being a great sports town," said Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. "Gibson has always been enthusiastic supporters of the Predators so it makes sense for us to have an official relationship that joins both the music and sports aspects of Nashville to rally around our team."
Just a click away. . . Gibson USA
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Blueshawk
Gibson SG SupremeSince the arrival of professional hockey in Nashville in 1997, the Predators and the local music industry have established a deep connection to Music City. Country music artists have embraced the entertainment atmosphere of a Predators game and have been performing the U.S. Anthem and have appeared in advertising campaigns and several charity functions to benefit the Nashville Predators Foundation.
"This is truly a unique and creative musical partnership," said Tom Ward, Executive Vice President of Business Operations. "The Predators have attempted to integrate the Nashville music industry and professional hockey as a unique approach in the South." Gibson USA will be customizing 50 Nashville Predators guitars, complete with an eye-catching, "fangtastic" design on the guitar body. The guitars will be available for sale in the Predators Pro Shop at the Gaylord Entertainment Center (call 615-770-2434 for info). The guitars will sell for $1,850 each, with proceeds to benefit the Nashville Predators Foundation.
See exclusive photos from today's press conference below.
Throughout the remainder of the 2000-01 hockey season, Predators fans will be able to enjoy this new relationship between the Nashville Predators and Gibson USA with exciting in-arena elements through the freshly created guitar-based noisemeter that pumps up Predators fans during the games, to Gibsons participation in entertaining contests.
The Gibson Guitar Jam is a promotion set to take place during six Predators home games. Two contestants from the Predators game audience will be chosen to compete in an "air guitar duel." The winner, determined by the crowd, will receive a $1,400 Gibson Blueshawk guitar. Gibson and the Predators will also reward a lucky fan with a Gibson Blueshawk guitar at three additional home games through the Predators Press. The winners will also receive a Zamboni ride.
Gibson has the distinction of contributing to the birth of every major American musical genre. From the 1890's, when former shoe clerk Orville H. Gibson began crafting world-class instruments in his Kalamazoo, Michigan, workshop to the early 1900's when Gibson mandolins powered the popular orchestras of the day, to the early jazz foundations of Charlie Christian and Les Paul, bluegrass pioneers Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs, country icons Hank Williams and Chet Atkins, Blues royalty B.B. King, rock and roll's early mavericks Elvis Presley and Scotty Moore, the British invasion of the '60s with Beatles' George Harrison and John Lennon, renowned players like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Pete Townsend, hard rock trailblazer Jimmy Page and modern rockers like Sheryl Crow. The list is a who's who of legends. Gibson, now based in Nashville, Tennessee, still carries on the exact same tradition of excellence established by Orville Gibson over a century ago.
Call 1-800-4GIBSON for more information anytime or email Gibson Customer Support.
Following are exclusive photos from the press conference held today at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville.
Tom Ward, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Predators
introduces country music star Joe Diffie and Predators defenseman Cale Hulse
Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz relates Gibson's relationship with the Predators
and commitment to sports marketing, including a new ad campaign starting next week on ESPN and ESPN2
Gibson President and huge Predators fan, Dave Berryman describes the specifications
of the new Nashville Predators Limited Edition Les Paul Special.
Predator's mascot "Gnash" does a double-take as he sees the window display
for the Predators Pro Shop.
Tom Ward, Dave Berryman, Joe Diffie, Gnash, and Cale Hulse pose
for a group photo. Gnash is playing his Gibson SG Supreme.
Local media gather around as Joe Diffie picks a few chords. Meanwhile, Gnash
and Cale take a close look at the new guitar.
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