Luther Allison

At circa 1969-1970 Ann Arbor, Luther is using a Fender Jaguar in this photo by Willa Davis.

In 1961, he was playing a nightclub called Walton’s Corner, in Chicago, and the club owner told him he needed some decent equipment. The owner fronted Luther a piggyback Fender amp and a white Stratocaster. That Strat was later loaned to Magic Sam, who made it famous.

“Magic Sam took my Stratocaster to Europe and all around,” Luther reminisces. “He used it and finally he gave it back to me. I had it refinished and then it got stolen and I ain’t seen it since.”

Luther has a prized black ’62 Strat that became a victim of his performing excesses.

“I split it down the middle acting the fool,” he says, recounting the time he was standing on his own cord doing some fancy tricks, and the guitar body literally split in half. He has since had it repaired.