In the 75 years since the Fender Telecaster went on the market, there have been lots of great updates to the formula, but Fender landed on something special right out of the gate. An early variation was the first solid-body electric guitar to be mass produced, yet it remains the bedrock of the company’s offerings and the fundamental idea of “an electric guitar.” Its frills are minimal, but the variety of tones you can get out of a Telecaster is staggering, and it’s been a go-to for players as diverse as Steve Cropper, PJ Harvey, Bruce Springsteen, Jonny Greenwood, Prince (OK, so his was a Hohner brand copy), Susan Tedeschi, Pops Staples, Joe Strummer, Syd Barrett — and on and on. Telecasters lean toward a crisp and twangy sound that made them a hit with country musicians, and country and country-adjacent players make up a majority of the performers set to join in Monday’s celebration at the Ryman. Musician and historian Zac Childs will host the program, and Nashville picker Derek Wells will lead the house band. Wells also curated the lineup of guests, which includes country stars Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs and Brothers Osborne; session hero Brent Mason; multifaceted Nashville fixture Guthrie Trapp; and country and rock legend James Burton. Proceeds are slated to benefit a group of Nashville charitable organizations.
7:30 p.m. at the Ryman
116 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
