Watch Steve Miller, John Mayer, Jorma Kaukonen and More Play “The Joker” at Martin Guitar Celebration
On Saturday night, the State Theatre in Easton, PA, hosted a special night of music in celebration of longtime Martin Guitars employee Dick Boak, who retired after 41 years as the company’s artist relations director, and the event was capped off with a rendition of Steve Miller Band’s classic “The Joker,” led by Miller himself and featuring a number of guitarists including John Mayer, Hot Tuna/Jefferson Airplane’s Jorma Kaukonen and more.
As Pennsylvania’s The Morning Call reports, the celebration, dubbed Boak’s Bash and held near Martin Guitars’ Nazareth, PA, headquarters, featured performances from former Paul McCartney and Wings guitarist Laurence Juber, David Bromberg, Kaukonen, Miller and more, including a headlining solo acoustic set by Mayer (on a Martin guitar, as with all the night’s performers) which saw the singer-songwriter run though a few of his own tunes plus a cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” and Bromberg’s “Tongue” featuring Bromberg on vocals.
Like many of these sorts of all-star tributes, the night’s finale featured all the performers on stage together, collaborating on Miller’s “The Joker” and Dr. John’s “Such a Night,” partly in reference to the song’s placement at The Band’s Last Waltz. Mayer shared a fan-shot video clip of the former tune. Watch below, along with a clip of Mayer’s solo set.
Well, that was unreal. I got to play with Steve Miller (and some other incredible guitarists) on one of the greatest rock songs of all time, “The Joker.” Retirement concert for the incomparable #dickboak who worked many years at @martinguitar putting the best acoustic guitars in the hands of artists all around the world. Love ya Dick, happy trails. ♥️#Repost @mandeemcevoy
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