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Monday June 3rd, 2003

Blues great Larry McCray and Chicago sportscaster Chip Caray unveil Valley Arts guitars at Chicago Blues Fest

Blues guitar master Larry McCray and renowned sportscaster Chip Caray unveiled the new Valley Arts guitar line at the 20th annual Chicago Blues Festival on Friday, May 30. Gibson Guitar officially introduced the Valley Arts line of custom guitars during the popular event.

"Just like the Chicago Blues Festival, Valley Arts guitars represent the highest level of their art form," said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar Corp. "Gibson guitars and Chicago blues have always gone hand-in-hand, and our new Valley Arts models enhanced this tradition of great music and great guitars."

Valley Arts guitars began in the early 1970s in a North Hollywood "pro shop" music store that catered to the special needs of studio guitarists. Clients for their custom-made guitars included such well-known musicians as Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Duane Eddy, Lee Ritenour and Vince Gill. Gibson acquired Valley Arts in 2002 and opened a new facility, which houses manufacturing as well as a new "pro shop" retail store, in Nashville in November 2002.

In addition, Gibson's Custom Shop gave festival-goers a hands-on experience with over 40 guitars on display in the Custom Shop's Traveling Exhibit. One-of-a-kind guitars such as the Dale Earnhardt Custom LP, Indian "Chief" Les Paul, the Playboy SG and CS-356 are only a few that were highlighted. Also included in the exhibit were Gibson Signature Models including the Duane Allman Les Paul, Lenny Kravitz 1967 Flying V, Bob Marley Les Paul Special, Gary Rossington SG and Les Paul models, Zakk Wylde Les Paul and the Dickey Betts Redtop Les Paul. The Gibson Custom Shop Exhibit is housed in a custom-designed interactive showcase and is one of the most comprehensive displays of guitars and guitar information ever. Revelers also had the opportunity to play and see other new Gibson products as well as Gibson USA electric, Montana acoustics, Valley Arts and Epiphone guitars.

Larry McCray is best known for his strong commitment to the tradition and the vision of the blues genre. His 1991 debut album Ambition for Pointblank was a stunning set of hybrid blues, rock and soul. His 1993 encore, Delta Hurricane was a slicker affair produced by veteran British blues maven Mike Vernon. Other releases include 1995's Climbin' Up, Meet Me At the Lake in 1996, and 1998's Born to Play the Blues. Believe It followed in early 2001.

Chip Caray is a third-generation baseball sportscaster who is know nationwide as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs games on superstation WGN. His grandfather Harry Caray was a sports legend as the voice of the Cubs and earlier the St. Louis Cardinals, and his father Skip is the longtime play-by-play man for the Atlanta Braves. Chip Caray is an avid guitarist who makes music on his own Gibson when he's not in a sports setting.