Paul Reed Smith has a street named after him in Maryland
It’s a tribute to his company’s work with the local community.
Credit: PRS Guitars
Last week, Paul Reed Smith had a road named after him in his home state of Maryland.
The founder of PRS Guitars was in attendance as Schooner Parkway in Stevensville, Maryland, was renamed to Paul Reed Smith Parkway. It’s a tribute to both Smith and the company, and its contributions to Queen Anne’s County, per a post on the PRS Guitars website.
County Commissioner Chris Corchiarino said about the name change, “We are excited to officially rename this road Paul Reed Smith Parkway to recognise the contributions Paul Reed Smith and PRS Guitars has made in Queen Anne’s County. Paul Reed Smith exemplifies ‘pay it forward’ with his passion for giving back and teaching others, demonstrated through his support of local charities and the community.”
“I am honoured that the county has acknowledged our business with this gesture. Maryland has been my home my whole life, and to be recognised as a positive force for the local community is awesome,” said Smith. “I am very proud of what we have all built here.”
Almost three decades ago, he moved the PRS factory from the Maryland city of Annapolis to the Chesapeake Bay Business Park, as the park’s first major manufacturing tenant. And PRS currently employs almost 500 people, making it the largest full-time private employer in the county.
And PRS are involved with the local community, with initiatives including food, toy and blood drives and fundraisers for the Johns Hopkins Caner Centre in Baltimore.
Meanwhile, PRS has expanded its SE Series for 2024 with a range of new models, including an “elevated” Custom 24, the first CE model in the series, and a Swamp Ash Special.
And Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti said last month that Paul Reed Smith once tried to give him a PRS guitar made for Lady Gaga. “It was a pink guitar that shot out in all four directions and the case was as big as that drum riser,” he said.