How a Haunted Guitar Transformed Lives and Wrote an Album
By Angus Thomson
Music connects people across time, and in the case of Shakey Graves and Jay Manley, it was a weathered guitar that forged a profound bond. This is how a 1932 Gibson L-7 guitar found its way into Shakey Graves' hands, breathing life into forgotten melodies and leaving an enduring impact on both musicians. It's a tale of deep emotion and the transformative power of music.
Jay Manley, a jazz musician and World War II veteran, discovered solace and inspiration in music during the perils of war. His nimble fingers created melodies that lifted the spirits of his fellow soldiers, offering glimpses of hope amidst the darkness. Music became a language that transcended the horrors of war, providing a respite from the chaos and a reminder of a world beyond. After the war, Jay Manley returned to Kansas City, where the vibrant jazz scene welcomed him with open arms. His performances became a conduit for raw emotion, transporting audiences to a realm where time stood still and the language of jazz resonated deeply. Each note he played carried the weight of his experiences, painting vivid sonic landscapes that stirred the hearts of listeners.
The owner of the guitar and friend of Shakey Graves, who initially tells the story of the passion the guitar incites within people during a recording included on the album 'The Haunted Guitar (interlude), "I think he ended up hitting the beach in Normandy the day after his birthday He just saw major action. Uh, the Band of Brothers was kind of what he did. He was just in the thick of it. [He] Ended up getting wounded and, um, ended up in the hospital and then, you know, as fate have it, the hospital catches on fire, just one by one, taking, you know, as the place is burning. He's getting burned taking one by one all these different, uh, injured soldiers out, carrying them out, dragging them out. So, he ended up saving thirty guys, um, and screwing up his hands. So, in order to even play again, he had to break the cartilage in his fingers every day just so he could play again, so it was a big struggle for him, but you know, I guess he was always fighting to get back to playing. His prized possession."
The 1932 Gibson L-7 is a guitar etched with history, debatable whether this history is fact or fiction, furthering its folk roots and giving a hint of mystery to the instrument. The guitar became a tangible link between Jay Manley and Shakey Graves. Passed down from the seasoned musician to the emerging artist, it carried the fingerprints of countless jazz riffs and whispered tales of a bygone era. It is worn appearance, and seasoned strings became a vessel through which Manley's spirit resonated, infusing Shakey Graves' music with a touch of his passion and unwavering dedication. As Shakey Graves cradled the 1932 Gibson L-7, he felt a surge of forgotten melodies coursing through his veins.
"[I wrote] six different songs, essentially, that all have sort of become synonymous with my guitar-playing style, and are the songs that have taken me the farthest in my career, and are the ones that I would carry into a room and be like, 'This is the weird song that I play,'" Shakey Graves said in an interview with 'The Boot' "Those are all written off of this guitar."
Each strum and pluck transported him to the smoky jazz clubs of Kansas City, evoking the bittersweet emotions that permeated the music of that era. The guitar became more than an instrument; it became a portal through which Shakey Graves embarked on a musical pilgrimage, bridging the gap between past and present.
The resonant tones of the 1932 Gibson L-7 weaved a tapestry of emotion in Shakey Graves' album, Roll the Bones X. With each track, the guitar painted vivid vignettes of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of artistic expression. It became an extension of Shakey Graves' being, allowing him to channel his deepest emotions and tell stories that echoed with both Jay Manley's spirit and his creative voice. The connection between Shakey Graves and Jay Manley's guitar transcended time, leaving an indelible mark on both musicians' lives. The weathered instrument was a constant reminder of the power of music to heal, inspire, and connect. Forgotten melodies found new life through their strings, carrying the stories of two artists from different generations. This story serves as a testament to the profound impact that a single guitar can have on the emotional journey of musicians and the way music bridges the gaps between past, present, and future.
