Highlights from the Dallas Guitar Show 2009 in Dallas, TX

April 2009 - From its humble beginnings in a small meeting room of a Dallas hotel in 1978, to 140,000 square feet of display space at Dallas Market Hall today, the Dallas International Music Festival celebrates 30 years of bringing musicians, guitar makers, collectors, celebrities and music enthusiasts together.

Today there are more than 2,000 guitar shows and festivals staged around the world, but the guitar show phenomenon actually began in Texas with the vision of Dallas guitar shop owner Charley Wirz. Charley conceived the idea of establishing and promoting a vintage guitar show similar to other collectible shows, with booths leased to dealers and collectors. Build it and they will come, he thought. And they did. And they still do. The Dallas Guitar show may have spawned many other guitar shows, but the original still remains THE guitar event of the year.

DHR Music had a large booth where we displayed a wide range of archtop, solidbody, semi-hollow, and acoustic guitars from Benedetto, Breedlove, Collings, and Hamer guitars. We had a number of great guitarists playing at the booth - Dillon Hodges (DHR Music Endorser and Left Handed National Spokesman), Tim May (Breedlove Endorser), Howard Paul (CEO and President of Benedetto Guitars), Dan Faehnle (Benedetto Endorser), Bill Neale (DHR Music Director of Client and Artist Relations) and Dave McCombs who drew a crowd. In addition, we had Hammond Keyboard setup, which our keyboard specialist, Pat Kelly demonstrated.

The booth was constantly full with well known and lesser known artists alike stopping by to check out our latest line up of exquisite instruments. It also became a popular hang for guitar enthusiasts to test out the guitars and amps on display as well as jam with our artists.

DHR Music was invited to perform both jazz and blue grass on stage at the show. Dillon Hodges and Tim May played the bluegrass segment on their Breedlove guitars. Our keyboard specialist, Pat Kelly, played a Hammond XK3 organ/keyboard along with Howard Paul and Dan Faehnle on their Benedetto archtop guitars for the jazz performance.

World reknown Jeff Baxter was conducting a guitar clinic at the show and after spotting Bill Neale in the audience, called him up on stage to play and demonstrate some techniques that he was teaching since they have known each other for a number of years. It was a great honor and pleasure for Bill to play alongside Jeff during the clinic.

We also held a drawing for two free accessories packages valued at approximately $150. Congratulations to our winners - Paul Bullock of Allen, TX and Roger Heitzman of Dallas, TX

Photos:

Top: DHR Music booth & gathered crowd;
Second (from left to right): Dillon Hodges & Tim May;
Third (from left to right): Pat Kelly, Howard Paul & Dan Faehnle;
Fourth (left to right): Pat Kelly &  ;
Fifth (from left to right): Dan Faehnle & Pat Kelly;
Sixth (from left to right): Bill Neale & Dillon Hodges;
Seventh (from left to right): Jeff Baxter & Bill Neale;
Eight: Dan Faehnle;
Ninth (from left to right): Dillon Hodges & Tim May;
Tenth (from left to right): Dan Faehnle & Joel Cross

More Photos

Created: 04/20/09
Tags: Events, Musicians

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