Eddie Prather’s first true love was his 1963 Fender Stratocaster (pre-CBS) that he got in junior high. While growing up in West Virginia, his grandfather — a coal miner by day, a musician by night — introduced him to the beauty of music. It stuck.
Flash forward decades later: Prather, who owns Minor Prophet Studio in Avon, still gets pumped about guitars and all things music. He’s the promoter behind the upcoming Indiana Guitar Show at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds this Sunday.
Prather took over the show six years ago with promotion partner Doug Spencer. Last year, they moved the event to the fairgrounds complex in Danville after outgrowing previous spaces.
“It’s the biggest single musical event in the state of Indiana,” Prather said. “It’s like putting on a party for 900 of your closest musician friends. There’s food, instruments. You see guys all over the room playing instruments and getting out instruments. It is a free-for-all party for five hours.”
The show will include 75 dealers from New York to Arizona. Visitors can buy, sell and trade instruments and accessories ranging from basic amps to vintage guitars priced at more than $10,000. Prather said it goes beyond just guitars (although, he did casually mention the appearance of a 1952 Gibson Les Paul, which comes from the first year the famous guitar was promoted) and will include recording equipment, fiddles, accessories, vintage instruments and signed records from artists like James Taylor and more. Guests can browse and buy all the products.
“You get to see some of the most exotic instruments in one stop,” Prather said. “You couldn’t go to a music store and see this many different instruments in one place. It would take you 10 years.”
Organizers encourage anyone with unused equipment at home to bring it for appraisal and sale, noting transactions are done inside within tight security.
Door prizes will be given away to a few lucky visitors and include autographed instruments from Paul McCartney and Tom Petty.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 14.
Hendricks Co 4-H Fairgrounds & Conference Complex, 1900 E. Main St., Danville.
Cost: $8, free parking.
Event T-shirts: $20 and includes free admission.
More information: Visit the Indiana Guitar Show Facebook page.
Dizzy Izzy’s Food truck will sell food.
