The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum welcomed Dick Boak to open the Museum's new exhibit America at the Crossroads: The GUITAR and A Changing Nation. As an author, historian, and guitar builder for Martin guitars, Dick Boak brought these instruments to life. A Martin isn’t just a guitar. It’s playable history; part of a long line of legendary instruments stretching back to the company’s beginnings in 1833.
Dick Boak nearly lost his eyesight at the age of six and ever since, has concerned himself with visual details. Unable to surpass his older brothers in the sports arena, he focused instead on drawing, woodworking, writing, and music. In his teens, he self-published two booklets of poetry, immersed himself in technical drafting, and began to experiment with musical instrument design and construction. He became an art teacher, lathe-turner, performing musician, and luthier. In 1973, he discovered C. F. Martin & Co. and in 1976 was hired as a design draftsman. Since then and throughout his 42-year career, he held many diverse and creative positions at Martin, leading to the formation of Martin’s Artist Relations Department and the conception of more than one hundred signature guitar collaborations with the top musical talents of our time. His six acclaimed books tell the stories of those collaborations as well as his extensive archive research and museum work at Martin.
About the exhibit: America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation looks at America’s evolution through the lens of its most popular instrument—an instrument that has been part of our cultural heritage since the country’s founding. The guitar has been a symbol for everything from generational differences and racial divides to politics, consumer marketing, and fashionable relevance. This exhibit is a touring exhibition of The National GUITAR Museum.
Watch the Program Here
When
January 27, 2023
Program Supporters
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum
