Guitar Walk at Cavenaugh Park
What to know
A 115-foot-long Epiphone Casino guitar, complete with frets, strings and unbelievable detail honors the early legends that gave birth to Rock ‘n’ Roll while playing venues along the Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 that runs through the area. Guitar Walk pays tribute to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Conway Twitty and others. Audio narration on the free walk is by legendary Sun Studio recording artist, Sonny Burgess.
Why the Epiphone Casino?
Guitar Walk’s signature component is based on the Epiphone Casino played by John Lennon. The Epiphone Casino wasn’t invented until the early 1960’s and was seldom, if ever, used by the early Rockabilly artists so why use the Casino as a tribute to those who helped develop rockabilly and birthed rock n’ roll? When the mountain music of the Ozarks met the sound of Delta Blues their marriage gave birth to a unique blend of music known as rockabilly. Many of the Sun Studio artists performed in gymnasiums and honkytonks along Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 as they honed their musical skills. At that same time rockabilly sounds were popular across the pond in cities like Liverpool.
There is a strong connection tying The Beatles to many of the early rockabilly legends and the music they birthed. John Lennon once said, “Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis.” As the lads from Liverpool expanded the music that influenced them, Paul McCartney was first to play an Epiphone Casino. After hearing the guitars unique sound, John and George acquired a pair of Epiphone Casinos, with the sunburst pattern chosen for this tribute. With a better understanding about early rock ‘n’ roll and the musicians that birthed it, we think you’ll find it fitting that we chose a guitar made famous by the world’s most popular rock band to honor the rockabilly legends who performed along Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67.