A guitar that members of Lady Antebellum autographed and Dave Haywood used in the trio's encore at the Florida Strawberry Festival will be auctioned for charity.
The guitar, with a body that looks like a strawberry complete with green top, will be sold to benefit Redlands Christian Migrant Association. The association helps farm workers and the rural poor.
Festival General Manager Paul Davis said he went backstage before the concert and asked if Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott could autograph the guitar.
All three signed and Haywood and Kelley sweetened the deal.
"They said, 'since it's for charity how about if we play it on stage,'" Davis said.
Davis made the autograph request on behalf of Gary Wishnatzki, chief executive officer of Wish Farms and a member of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association board. Wishnatzki said the group's offer to play it on stage was "beyond my wildest dreams."
Wishnatzki, whose company is the title sponsor of the festival's sound stage, said he hopes the guitar will bring in several thousand dollars on eBay, since it was both autographed and played in concert by the trio, one of the hottest acts in country music.
"We were offered $3,000 on the spot for it," he said. "I'm hoping it will go for something north of that."
Wishnatzki said the money will go for classrooms at charter schools operated by the charity.
He didn't have an exact date on when the auction would take place, but it will probably be next month. He said he'll post the information on his company's website, www.wishfarms.com.
He can be contacted at
Haywood used the guitar to accompany, "Our Kind of Love," one of the biggest hits of the trio that recently won five Grammy Awards.
dnicholson@tampatrib.com
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