In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Telecaster® guitar, Fender turned to Nashville, the heart of country music and home to generations of legendary Tele players, for a once-in-a-lifetime evening at the historic Ryman Auditorium. ‘Tele Town’ united legendary artists, modern torch bearers, and rising talent to celebrate ‘the one that started it all,’ the Telecaster, a guitar that helped shape the sound of modern music.
Hosted by multi-instrumentalist Zac Childs, ‘Tele Town’ brought country and rock royalty, session slingers, and rising stars, where the full story of the Telecaster was relayed on one historic evening. The legend who did it first, James Burton, was in attendance, as were guitar greats like Billy Gibbons, Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, and Brad Paisley. But so were many of the session aces who are the backbone of Nashville’s booming music industry. We were wowed by the finesse of the Nashville Cats like Brent Mason, Nate Gregory, Matheus Canteri, Luke McQueary, Trey Hensley, and Guthrie Trapp.
The female tele-slingers were well-represented by Grammy-winners Larkin Poe, alongside Maggie Baugh, Andrea Benz, and the amazing Emma Zinck.
Producer and house band leader Derek Wells tore it up, with him and his band backing up each artist as if they played together daily.
Bluegrass and mandolin virtuoso Ricky Skaggs was there. He played his mandolin to accompany Jesse James Decker as she sang “Luxury Liner” with help from Tommy Emmanuel and Trey Hensley. Later, he performed on his Telecaster. He told us, “Early on, my guitar player quit. I couldn’t afford to hire another one. My wife told me that I could learn the guitar, and so I practiced every night after the kids went to bed.”
I have seen Ricky Skaggs numerous times and even did a feature on his Bluegrass Nights. I have often seen him play the acoustic guitar, but this evening he showed he could hang with the big cats, holding his own with his Telecaster solo. In a tribute to country music pioneer Waylon Jennings, Skaggs performed “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line” and ended with his original song, “Heartbroke.”
I was also reminded of Fender’s long history with the Blues’ sound when their signature artist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram brought his searing soul and intensity to “Fresh Out” and Prince’s “Cream.”
Nate Gregory and Mateus Canteri tore up the “Country Blues Shuffle,” while Luke McQueary paid tribute to Johnny Cash’s “Orange Blossom Special.” Guthrie Trapp and John Oates performed “Please Send Me Someone To Love.” The hard-hitting duo, Brothers Osborne, including Fender signature artist John Osborne, wailed through “Muskrat Greene” and “Deadman’s Curve.” Sister duo rockers Larkin Poe captivated the audience with a performance of “Bad Spell” alongside surprise guest, legendary Billy Gibbons.
Zach Top’s longtime session player, Brent Mason, joined him as he thrilled the younger set singing his mega-hit “I Never Lie.” But where the pair really shone was in their rendition of Top’s “Guitar,” which they performed as a hat tip to the Fender corporation.
The evening honored more icons and architects of the Telecaster® sound, including Tommy Emmanuel, who took the stage to perform “Hearts Grow Fonder.” Towards the end of the show, Fender signature artist, Jack White, made a stand-out special appearance with an electrifying performance of the White Stripes’ “Ball and Biscuit.”
Another Fender signature artist, Brad Paisley, concluded the evening by jamming out to his original “The Nervous Breakdown” and “Alcohol.” But the highlight of the evening was when Paisley led a tribute to James Burton, with a rendition of “Working Man Blues,” accompanied by many of the evening’s performers. Because Burton was the one who made Fender’s Paisley Telecasters cool when he played one in Elvis’ TCB band, Brad Paisley gifted him with the 001 prototype of Brad Paisley’s 1967 “Lost Paisley” blue Telecaster® that Paisley hand-built and painted. See the ‘Tele Town’ picture gallery here.
Fender CEO Bud Cole talked about the Telecaster’s lasting impact on music and the artists who helped define its legacy. He stated, “Right now, [Nashville] is the most exciting music market in the entire country, I would argue, the world. Fender has been supporting artists here in Nashville since the 1950s, especially with the onset of the Telecaster, which was adopted by so many country players at the time.”
While the Telecaster has often been one of the staples of the rock community, i.e., the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, etc., Cole explained, “Without the adoption by the country players, James Burton and Buck Owens, the Telecaster would not be what it is today. We have been supporting those players and other country players throughout our entire history.”
Cole shared the reason they held the 75th Anniversary of the Telecaster in Nashville. “When the Telecaster first launched, there were people who didn’t understand it, but it was the working musicians and predominantly country musicians in Nashville who picked it up. They loved the sound, the tonality, and the snap. The country players helped define what the Telecaster would become.” If you branded Nashville with pictures, it would be boots, a cowboy hat, and a Telecaster.
The biggest Fender showroom in the world is now in Nashville, Tennessee. Not only is it a showroom, but guitars are also made here, where much of the research and development comes directly from the artists who play in Nashville. When guitar legends like John Osborne, Brad Paisley, and Brent Mason want to try something, Fender listens. When these aces develop a new prototype, rising guitarists also want to be a part of their heroes’ innovations. That’s how the Fender Corporation stays fresh and relevant. They build upon their majestic past while experimenting and exploring what else is possible.
The thing I loved most about the ‘Tele Town’ show is that it highlighted the tremendously talented session players. These hired guns are rarely at a loss for work, but they often do not get the credit they deserve. Most of the rising singer/songwriters I interview cannot believe the level of talent on any given day in any recording studio in Nashville. There’s nothing like it anywhere. They are one of the main reasons why Nashville deserves to be called “Music City.”
The ‘Tele Town’ concert on May 4th, 2026, was possibly the best event I have ever attended in Nashville. Because of the success of this event and the Fender Experience in Tokyo, Japan, Fender is likely to host more events in the future. Keep up with everything Fender and Telecaster on their website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X.
VIEW THE ‘TELE TOWN’ CELEBRATION PICTURE GALLERY HERE.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and TikTok.
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