Signature Model
Guitar legends come together for Jerry Donahue auction guitar
Page, Clapton, Beck, Townshend, Gilmour, Knopfler, Iommi and even McCartney… just some of the musicians who have signed a guitar to be auctioned in aid of Jerry Donahue, the former Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and Hellecasters guitarist who suffered a severe stroke in 2016.
The guitar is Jerry’s signature Vintage V58JD donated by John Hornby Skewes Ltd for the auction, which is set to take place at Gardiner Houlgate’s Bath Auction Room in Corsham on 11 December. Other musicians who have added their names include Robert Plant, fellow Led Zepp man John Paul Jones, Brian Wilson and Al Jardine, Steve Winwood, Martin Barre, Joe Brown and Jerry’s old Fairport Convention bandmate Dave Pegg.
Indeed, it was Pegg and another friend of Jerry’s who played a key role in the task of getting these stars aligned: “It started when I had a call from guitarist Matt Worley [Robert Plant’s Saving Grace]. He’d acquired the guitar with the idea of having a few big names sign it so we could raise some money.”
“At first we just asked a handful of people,” Matt Worley says, picking up the story. “And with help from Tony Kelsey – who co-opted the likes of Steve Winwood, Robert Plant, Andy Fairweather Low and Dave Pegg himself – word got out, and we were swamped!”
“To have so many signatures on this guitar is fantastic,” adds Pegg. “We know that the guitar will raise thousands and all the money will go towards Jerry’s rehabilitation in the USA.” For more information, visit https://guitar-auctions.co.uk