A Rare Look at Joe Walsh

JOE WALSH

We go way back with Joe. He's really a personable and crazy guy! We first met him in the early 1970's when Joe was with the James Gang. They had played at the Memphis Shell, an outdoor amphitheater. The shell had seen the best, like the Allman Brothers, Mountain, ZZ Top of early fame, and Trapeze, who featured their shell concert on the cover of their live album.

Joe came by the store to check out some axes. He played around for a while and then he signed the bathroom door and a Les Paul Jr. of mine! We talked for a while and then he had to move on to the next city. As it turns out, Joe would have a long term and multifacted relationship with Strings and Things and Memphis.

We saw Joe many times over the next several years. We built him the Bluescaster shown here and worked on several other guitars of his. Joe set up a recording studio in Memphis and has spent a lot of time here in Memphis doing various projects.

Here's a story for the books. When Albert King died, Joe attended his funeral here in Memphis. On the way to the service, Joe stopped by the store and asked if he could borrow a guitar and amp. We loaned him a SG and a Vibrolux and off he went in the limo. When he returned, I asked him what he used the guitar for and he told me that he played Amazing Grace on slide at the funeral service.

There was a young man standing behind Joe while we were talking and he was soaking all the conversation up. Joe left and we put the gear back on display and the young man asked "Can I buy that guitar and amp Joe Walsh just brought back?" The salesman said "yes!"

He bought the rig and off he went, one super happy dude. I came back out front when I saw the kid leave with the gear and thought to myself "What have I done?" We just sold the rig that Joe Walsh used to play Amazing Grace at Albert King's funeral!!!! DAA!!! Oh well.

Lisa, my secretary at that time became Joe's girlfriend for the next several years and eventually moved to L.A. with him. For that reason we were able to stay in touch with Joe on a regular basis. His studio in Memphis keeps him in and out of Memphis too.

Joe Walsh is a truely fine individual and has always been kind to me and my kids. Whenever Joe would come in and my kids were there, he'd joke around with them. Joe seemed to like kids a lot. Life's been good to him so far....

--Chris Lovell