Local Musician Gets Surprise After His Guitar Was Stolen
Venice singer-songwriter Clayton Joseph Scott lives for music, which is why he was devastated when his prized Gibson J-45 was stolen during a photo shoot in the Venice Canals back in June. What he received in return was a gift he could not have expected.
By Jessica Asher | August 31, 2011
“Wow, I feel like I lost a loved one,” Clayton wrote in a mass email to dozens of local music and guitar repair shops, searching for any sign of his beloved instrument hopeful that the thief might have sold or traded it.
Bill Asher, master guitar builder, repair guru and owner of Asher Guitars responded to Scott’s email. “I hadn’t come across his stolen guitar, but know how that is. To lose a guitar, your only guitar, when you are a working musician can be devastating,” Asher said, before offering him some practical tips about where else he could search.
Scott’s story actually worsens. After placing an ad in craigslist lost and found section alerting people about his stolen guitar, someone responded claiming that he had purchased Scott’s guitar from a shop in Northern California. This supposed buyer told Scott if Scott sent him the money to cover what he had paid for the guitar, that it would be returned.
With high hopes, Scott shelled out the money and waited. The guitar never came.
Although deflated, Scott continued performing on borrowed instruments - with the hopes of saving enough money to one day buy a replacement.
Months later, Asher and Scott reconnected. After hearing about Scott being swindled out of money on top of having his guitar stolen, Asher felt compelled to help. He called his long time client and friend Jackson Browne and told him about Scott’s unfortunate luck. Jackson sympathized and without hesitation, offered to donate a recently built Gibson J-45 from his collection.
“I was in disbelief,” Scott said after receiving the guitar. “It’s powerful to receive a material item like that from anyone, but for a singer-songwriter to receive a guitar from such a well respected musician as Jackson Browne, is amazing.”
Scott’s new guitar will enable him to complete his latest independently funded record, which is expected to be released later this year. Scott is also part of the Indie label Sweet Mercy Records and has a maxi-single titled “Heavy Rest” on the radio.
For more on Scott's music:
www.claytonjosephscott.com Watch Clayton perform his song “Lift You Up” Live at Agape.
http://claytonjosephscott.bandcamp.com/track/lift-you-up-live-agape For more on Asher:
www.asherguitars.com
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