In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Telecaster guitar, Fender returned to Nashville, the heart of country music and home to generations of legendary Tele players, for a once-in-a-lifetime evening at the historic Ryman Auditorium. ‘Tele Town’ united legendary artists, modern torchbearers and rising talent to celebrate ‘the one that started it all’ — the guitar that has shaped the sound of modern music.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
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Renowned Nashville guitarist and living Tele historian Zac Childs hosted the evening, leading the audience through performances that celebrated the Telecaster’s pioneering design and role in shaping Music City’s legacy and beyond
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Fender CEO Edward “Bud” Cole opened the evening by paying tribute to the Telecaster’s lasting impact on music and the artists who helped define its legacy
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QUOTE: “75 years ago, Leo Fender had a pretty simple idea: to build a guitar that worked for players. Great tone. Reliable. Zero fuss. What came out of that was the Fender Telecaster. And it ended up shaping the sound of modern music. From James Burton to George Harrison to Sheryl Crow and the incredible artists on this stage tonight – generations have picked it up and made it their own. And there’s no better place to celebrate that than right here in Nashville. This city didn’t just embrace the Telecaster. It helped define it,” said Fender CEO Edward “Bud” Cole
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Musical director Derek Wells led the evening’s dedicated house band, providing the musical backbone for the night’s all-star performances and collaborations
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The Telecaster’s ‘next generation’ of players took the stage with standout sets from Nate Gregory and Mateus Canteri who tore up the “Country Blues Shuffle”, followed by Luke McQueary tribute to Johnny Cash’s “Orange Blossom Special”
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Andrea Benz and Maggie Baugh covered Sheryl Crow’s hit “Soak Up The Sun” while Emma Zinck paid tribute to Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders with a performance of ‘Back of The Chain Gang’
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The spotlight then turned to the Telecaster’s deep roots in session and touring culture with Fender signature artist and acclaimed session guitarist Brent Mason who played “Blowing Smoke” and “Gator Bite”
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Guthrie Trapp and John Oates performed “Please Send Me Someone To Love”
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The evening then turned to the Telecaster’s modern torchbearers with Zach Top performing his hit single “I Never Lie” alongside Brent Mason
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Fender signature artist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram brought his signature soul and intensity to ‘Fresh Out’ and Prince’s ‘Cream’
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Jessie James Decker debuted a one-night-only rendition of “Luxury Liner” alongside guests Ricky Skaggs, Trey Hensley and Tommy Emmanuel
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Hard-hitting duo Brothers Osborne, including Fender signature artist John Osborne, tore through “Muskrat Greene” and “Deadman’s Curve”
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Sister duo Larkin Poe captivated the audience with a performance of “Bad Spell” alongside surprise guest, legendary Billy Gibbons
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The evening then honored icons and architects of the Telecaster sound, including Tommy Emmanuel who took the stage with “Hearts Grow Fonder”
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In a tribute to country music pioneer Waylon Jennings, Ricky Skaggs performs “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line” and ends with his original song, “Heartbroke”
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Fender signature artist, Jack White, made a stand-out special appearance with an electrifying performance of the White Stripe’s “Ball and Biscuit”
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A true piece of Tele history, Zac Childs surprised the audience by bringing out James Burton’s iconic red Telecaster, offering fans and guitar enthusiasts a rare up-close look at one of Burton’s most storied instruments. Burton’s primary guitar from 1952 to 1969, it was purchased by his parents when he was just 13 years old. Originally finished in Butterscotch Blonde, Burton later had the guitar refinished at the Fender factory in a custom shade he called ‘Coronado Red,’ matched to his red Cadillac at the time
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Fender signature artist and Tele legend Brad Paisley closed the evening by welcoming pioneering Telecaster player James Burton to the stage for a tribute performance joined by many of the night’s artists
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Burton wore the same jacket he appeared in while performing with Elvis Presley during the icon’s final tour in 1977
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Paisley went on to lead a tribute to Burton, with a rendition of “Working Man Blues,” as well asPaisley’s own original “The Nervous Breakdown” and “Alcohol”
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As a tribute to the man that made Paisley Telecasters cool, Paisley gifted Burton the 001 prototype of the Brad Paisley’s 1967 “Lost Paisley” Telecaster® that Brad hand built and painted
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Full list of ‘Tele Town’ performers included (alphabetical order): Andrea Benz, Billy Gibbons, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, Brothers Osborne, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Derek Wells, Emma Zink, Guthrie Trapp, Jack White, James Burton, Jessie James Decker, John Oates, Larkin Poe, Luke McQueary, Maggie Baugh, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Tommy Emmanuel, Trey Hensley, and Zach Top
