Fender’s Diamond Anniversary By Brian Berk
There is no question about it — Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender’s creation of the Fender Electric Instrument Co. changed the trajectory of modern music forever. Now known as Fender Musical Instruments Corp., the company celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. In this 75-year period, Fender has become a household name, and several of its products have also reached this level of fame, including its Stratocaster and Telecaster, commonly known as the Strat and Tele, respectively. “Fender is 75 years young because we are constantly reinventing and pushing forward,” Justin Norvell, executive vice president, Fender Products, told the Music & Sound Retailer. “Whether it was the Esquire, Telecaster, P-Bass and Stratocaster, Leo did not stop with just the Telecaster. That is the charter we are still running with. We have a lot of new product introductions and models we are still coming out with. We always
look to continuously improve and stay relevant. Even though we are 75 years old, we are not a nostalgiabased company that is always looking over its shoulder at the past.” Fender has remained a trusted partner for artists around the globe to connect with music fans, and as a result, the company has influenced how the art of music has evolved over the decades. Fender instruments have been a part of iconic moments in music history, from Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock (played on a Stratocaster) to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video (with Kurt Cobain playing a left-handed Mustang) and H.E.R.’s unforgettable performance at the 2019 Grammys (which featured a custom-made clear acrylic Stratocaster). From the invention of the electric bass guitar in 1951 to producing the world’s first commercially mass36
APRIL 2021
