Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, David Gilmour sign guitar in aid of stroke victim Jerry Donahue

Some of the biggest names in rock have signed a guitar, which will be auctioned to support stroke victim Jerry Donahue’s rehabilitation.

In 2016, Donahue suffered a stroke, almost certainly ending his career as a guitarist. He was known as a skilled session player and as the guitarist of The former Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and Hellecasters. Noted for his unique approach to bending, (Danny Gatton once referred to Jerry Donahue as “The string-bending king of the planet”), Donahue was always in demand as a session guitarist.

The guitar has been donated by John Hornby Skewes Ltd. It is Jerry Donahue’s own Vintage Signature V58, built to his own specifications with Trevor Wilkinson and John Hornby Skewes Managing Director Dennis Drumm.

Friend of Donahue and Fairport Convention bassist Dave Pegg said about the guitar, “To have so many famous signatures on this guitar is a fantastic achievement. We know that the guitar will raise many thousands of pounds and all the money raised from the auction will go towards Jerry’s rehabilitation in the USA.”

Matt Worley, another friend, notes that they have been “swamped with some of the biggest names in the music business” – so many that the guitar is full, and they’re having to move on to the guitar case.

The auction is to be held at Gardiner Houlgate’s Bath Auction rooms, on 11 December 2019.

Just some of the names who have signed the guitar include Sir Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Mark Knopfler, Pete Townshend, Albert Lee, David Gilmour, Joe Brown, Richard Thomson, Tony Iommi, Jeff Lynn, Martin Barre, John Paul Jones, Brian Wilson,Al Jardine and Dave Pegg.

Find out more at gardinerhoulgate.co.uk.