Gibson Guitars

The founding guitarist of the band Journey shared a song on social media and praised the skills of the guitar builder who works at Heritage Guitar in Kalamazoo.

Here's is a woman who is literally "living history." 'Kalamazoo Gal' Irene Stearns turns 100 years old on Sunday, January 30th. The Kalamazoo Gals made history.

There are small habits which I find amusing that only people from the city can claim, and also do. What's the most Kalamazoo thing to do in your opinion?

The Gibson Goldtop, i.e., "Les Paul Number 1", not because it was the first Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, but because it was his "go to" guitar in the 1950's, sold this week at Christie's Auction House for $930,000. It was also, according to Gene Paul, Les Paul's son, the guitar "the legendarily inventive guitarist continued to tweak and modify after receiving (it) from Gibson".

I know it's hard to believe, but at one time auto designers, stylists if you wish, were rock stars. Names like Harley Earl, Ferdinand Porsche, Dick Teague, Carroll Shelby, and Raymond Loewy, and many, many more, designed and molded so much sheet metal into shapes that made our hearts race. And one of those rock stars had a connection to Kalamazoo and also to rock and roll history. And chances are you've never even ever heard of him.

This 1939 Gibson guitar made in Kalamazoo is a beauty, and may be the ticket to stardom for a Youngstown, Ohio musician who plays his grandfather's old six-string.

Many things about the legendary bluesman are still a mystery. A scholar may have just uncovered where Robert Johnson bought his Gibson guitar made in Kalamazoo.

Scott Napier, who plays and teaches mandolin professionally, made a recent visit to the Gibson Guitar factory in Kalamazoo to play his vintage mandolin at the place it was crafted and first strung.

Turning quarantine time into creative time, Steve Earle has a YouTube series called "Guitar Town," where he plays his favorite axes- some made here in Kalamazoo.

One woman survives today to tell her story of making Gibson guitars at the Kalamazoo factory after all the men had gone off to war.