Nancy Wilson’s Telecaster guitar stolen
Last summer, Nancy Wilson faced the unfortunate theft of her custom Telecaster-inspired baritone guitar right before her band Heart was set to embark on a tour across the US. The guitar, with its unique Purple finish matching Wilson’s signature purple boots, was a special creation by her “guitar butler” Nathan McMurdo and his wife, who worked on the painting of the headstock.
The guitar’s theft left Wilson devastated as she had yet to even play it before it was stolen from the stage at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Along with the guitar, an old mandolin from the 1920s was also taken, prompting Wilson to reach out to local news outlets, utilize social media, and work closely with the city’s police department to recover the stolen instruments. Fortunately, the culprit, 57-year-old Garfield Bennett of Pleasantville, was caught on city-wide CCTV trying to sell the stolen guitar on the streets surrounding the area.
After weeks of uncertainty, the guitar was successfully retrieved and ready to make its debut at a live performance. Wilson humorously recalls how the guitar already had a story to tell even before being played for the first time. The guitar’s first public appearance was alongside pop star Chappell Roan in New York, where Wilson was invited to perform Heart’s iconic 1997 hit “Barracuda” with a twist – using the baritone guitar due to the lower key Roan performed the song in.
The performance was a stellar one, with both Heart and Roan delivering an unforgettable show that showcased the musical prowess of both artists. Roan’s band, in particular, helped elevate the performance by bringing guitar solos back to the mainstream, breathing fresh life into the classic rock vibes of Heart’s music. The stolen guitar, equipped with Fishman Fluence single-coil pickups and an Evertune bridge, delivered a remarkable performance on stage, living up to and surpassing the expectations set for it.
In the end, Wilson’s stolen guitar found its way back to her, capturing the spotlight at a memorable concert and proving that even in the face of adversity, the power of music and artistry prevails. The guitar’s journey from theft to recovery and ultimately its triumphant debut serve as a testament to the resilience and passion of artists like Nancy Wilson, who continue to create and inspire despite the challenges they may face along the way.