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News From Vintage Guitar
The lattest guitar news.

• Johnson Launches JG-608
  For the beginning player with a professional's ear for tone, the spruce top Johnson JG-608 acoustic guitar offers an excellent combination of quality and value from the company known for putting great-sounding instruments in the hands of entry-level players. The JG-608 Dreadnaught features a spruce top, a rosewood bridge and fretboard and sealed die-cast tuners. The body and headstock are bound for a classic look. The JG-608 is also available in a treble-side cutaway with pickup. The JG-608 comes in redburst, blueburst or natural high gloss lacquer finish. It is available in full, 3/4 and 1/2 sizes. For more, visit johnsongtr.com.
• The Loar Offers New LH-650
  The Loar releases an exceptional archtop cutaway guitar exquisitely hand-carved by their select team of expert luthiers at The Loar Hand Carved Workshop. The Loar's new hand carved, nitrocellulose-finished archtop cutaway guitar (LH-650) offers an excellent option for traditional jazz guitarists who want to make the classic archtop sound heard clearly for ensemble playing. The Kent Armstrong floating pickup amplifies the sweet natural tone of the hand-carved spruce top, while the Florentine cutaway allows unrestricted access to the upper frets, making the LH-650 perfect for either soloing or accompaniment. The Loar Hand Carved Archtop Cutaway Guitar is assembled with a solid hand carved spruce top and solid figured maple back, sides and neck. The bone nut and compensated adjustable ebony bridge let the sound of the select tonewoods resonate clearly, and the bound ebony fretboard is both beautiful and durable. The bound pickguard with a single volume knob adds to the vintage look and feel. The archtop is finished with a meticulously inlaid mother-of-pearl "Fleur-de-Lys" headstock design and a hand-buffed nitrocellulose lacquer tobacco sunburst finish to stay true to classic design and style. The LH-650 comes standard with a Loar logo-embroidered featherweight case. For more, visit theloar.com.
• Recording King Introduces Gospel Songstress
  Recording King introduces the uniquely styled Gospel Songstress for modern acoustic guitar players who want to be noticed. The newest model in the Recording King Contemporary Series, the Gospel Songstress is built with the same care and attention to detail as all Recording King guitars. To achieve the now legendary Recording King tone, the top is made of solid Sitka spruce and supported with fully scalloped forward x-bracing. The back and sides are solid African Mahogany, and the neck is also made from a single piece of solid mahogany. The Gospel Songstress stands out from other acoustics thanks to appointments like the Celtic Trinity fretboard inlay and the carefully inlaid Gospel Dove on the headstock. Half moon shaped Grover tuners help to add modern style and performance. The Gospel Songstress is available in either Dreadnought or 000-Style body shapes. It will also be available with a Sitka spruce top and laminate mahogany back and sides. For more, visit recordingking.com.
• Industry Veteran Bud Prager Passes
  Bud Prager, President of E.S.P. Management, Inc., lost his year-plus long battle with Esophageal Cancer at his home in Montauk, N.Y. on December 22nd. Born In New York City on January 16, 1929, he was a graduate of Stuyvesant High School, where he was the recipient of the school music award. He attended Hartwick College and New York University. On his return from active duty in the U.S. Army in Korea, he began attending law school at night while working full time, receiving his LL.B. from New York Law School. He started his music industry career working for SESAC, one of three performing-rights organizations in the U.S., attaining the position of General Manager. During this period, he was also one of the founding members of the Country Music Association in Nashville. From there, he went to Warner Bros. Records as an independent producer, then to Warner Bros. Music as an independent publishing affiliate, setting up their original Gospel Music division. In the 1960's, Bud formed an independent label, Windfall Records, distributed by CBS Records (now Sony). Windfall was a partnership with Felix Pappalardi, the producer of Cream (Disraeli Gears, Wheels of Fire, the first double album to be certified platinum, and Goodbye). The record company grew into Windfall Music Enterprises, which included, at various times, artist management, publishing, production and recording divisions. Pappalardi and Prager helped bring together and managed Mountain who would go on to write "Mississippi Queen" and perform at Woodstock. After Mountain disbanded, guitarist Leslie West and Cream bassist Jack Bruce were brought together by Prager and became West, Bruce & Laing. Later, Prager founded Phantom Records, distributed by RCA Records, and eventually, ESP Management Inc. In 1976 he helped form and began a 17-year management affiliation with the group Foreigner. After repeatedly being turned by all the major record labels, Prager was able to secure a deal with Atlantic Records. The "group that couldn't find a label" went on to sell in excess of 50 million albums, and tours successfully to this day. Along with a co-manager, in 1986 Prager helped "resurrect" Bad Company (Atco/EastWest Records.) With a new line-up, they went on to have enormous radio success, sell millions of albums, and tour the world. The group Damn Yankees, featuring Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw (Styx) and Jack Blades (Night Ranger) (Warner Bros. Records), which burst onto the hard rock scene in 1989, was another hugely successful band co-managed by Prager. He co-managed Megadeth from 1995 to 2001, helping them to their first major commercial radio success and co-writing a number of songs. Between his record label, publishing and management interests, Bud was variously involved with Dann Huff, Frank Filipetti, Gary Kurfirst, Mike Renault, Whitesnake, Corky Laing, the Youngbloods, the Chambers Brothers, Free, Mylon, Mitch Ryder and others. He was mentor throughout his career to many dozens of artists, songwriters, producers, managers and entertainment industry professionals. At his death, he was advisor to, and on the Board of Directors of MRD, a Toronto-based royalty recovery service. In addition to his career, he was an avid golfer, bridge player, and sports fan. He leaves behind his wife of 42 years, the former Gloria Mahaney, son Evan S. (ESP II), daughter-in-law DJ, two grandsons, Ethan S. (ESP III) and Liam, and brother Harold of Arkansas. A memorial service will be planned for early '09.
• Leo Fender Among Recording Academy Special Merit Honorees
  The Recording Academy has named Gene Autry, the Blind Boys Of Alabama, the Four Tops, Hank Jones,Brenda Lee, Dean Martin, and Tom Paxton as recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award. George Avakian, Elliott Carter, and Allen Toussaint are honored with the Trustees Award. Clarence "Leo" Fender and Universal Audio will receive the Technical GrammyAward. The invitation-only ceremony will be held February 7 and formal acknowledgment will be made during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards telecast February 8. "This year's recipients are a prestigious group of legendary performers, creative architects and technical visionaries who have made lasting contributions to the music and global communities," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "Their outstanding accomplishments, legendary passion and artistry have positively affected our culture and will continue to influence and inspire generations to come." The Lifetime Achievement Award honors lifelong artistic contributions to the recording medium while the Trustees Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the industry in a non-performing capacity. Both awards are determined by vote of The Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. Technical GRAMMY Award recipients are determined by vote of The Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing Advisory Council and Chapter Committees as well as The Academy's Trustees. The award is presented to individuals and companies who have made contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field. With more than 300 recordings, 90 films and a groundbreaking radio program, Gene Autry remains country music's first genuine "multimedia" star, earning five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one each for radio, television, film, recording and live theatre). His recordings have sold more than 100 million copies, receiving more than a dozen gold and platinum records. Additionally, he has been recognized with numerous honors and awards. Autry's timeless classics include "Back In The Saddle Again," "Ghost Riders In The Sky," "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)," "Peter Cottontail," and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer." Grammy winners the Blind Boys Of Alabama (Clarence Fountain, George Scott*, Johnny Fields, Jimmy Carter, Eric "Ricky" McKinney, and Joey Williams) have spread th