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Washburn Commissioned to Create Custom Parlor Guitar
Press Release
2003-05-02

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Washburn Guitars, a division of U.S. Music Corp. was recently commissioned by House of Blues to create a one-of -a-kind custom parlor guitar for Dolly Parton. The V.P. of Entertainment for House of Blues, Kevin Morrow, approached Washburn about creating a special gift for Dolly since she is one of their favorite performers to work with. They decided on a parlor-sized guitar that was to be very unique and “very Dolly”. House of Blues also selected the vibrant indigo color and requested that they be tastefully represented on the headstock.

Comprised of AAA solid Spruce and Indian Rosewood, this guitar is made of the finest of materials available. It features Dolly’s name inlaid in pearl script on the fingerboard and a special pick guard ornamented with a floral abalone pattern. As a finishing touch, Washburn fashioned this guitar with a unique label commemorating their 120 years of business and noting the guitar’s exclusivity for Dolly from House of Blues.

Dolly Parton’s entertainment career has spanned over 35 years. From her humble beginnings as one of 12 children growing up poor in Locust Ridge, TN, Dolly built her career from the ground up. After struggling for many years to make it in Nashville, she was awarded a recording contract with RCA Records and her first major success came in 1974 with the number one single “Jolene.” Two years later, she had her first major crossover hit with “Here You Come Again” in 1977, establishing her as a bona-fide superstar. In the early 1980s, she had three number one hits in a row followed by her acting debut in “Nine To Five”. Dolly’s superb performance in Nine To Five led to other film roles and a short-lived television variety show of her own. Parton hit paydirt in 1987 with an album entitled “Trio” featuring her along with renowned singer/songwriters Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. Dolly continues to produce eclectic country albums which feature her stellar songwriting and production input to this day including a second and third edition of “Trios” and most recently, “Halos and Horns” on Sugar Hill Records. Dolly Parton is an endorser of the Oscar Schmidt Auto Harp.

The U.S. Music Corp. headquarters is just north of Chicago in Mundelein, Illinois. A leading music gear company in the industry, U.S. Music Corp. is the manufacturer and distributor of Washburn Guitars, Randall Amplifiers, Eden Electronics, Oscar Schmidt Guitars, SoundTech Pro Audio Systems, and Vinci Strings. U.S. Music Corp. is dedicated to providing quality instruments to musicians worldwide, and at the same time, continuing its legacy through the 21st century.

For additional information about U.S. Music Corp., visit the company on the web at www.usmusiccorp.com, or call 800.877.6863.