When Wayne Henderson heard about the flooding that the nearby Rugby Volunteer Fire and Rescue sustained when the remnants of Hurricane Helene blew through Southwest Virginia in late September, he wanted to help.
The department has always been a big part of the small Grayson County community, so the famed guitar maker and player decided to auction one of his prized instruments and give 100% of the proceeds to the department.
“I thought, well, I’m old and I can’t work and do much,” said Henderson, who is 77. “But what I can do is work in my shop. And I thought, I’m just going to make them a guitar, and if it makes big money like they do sometimes, that might be the best way I could help them.”
He didn’t sell one he’d already made, and it wasn’t exactly a basic guitar. He wanted it to be “rare and special.”
Over the course of about two weeks in October, he crafted the D-42 instrument by hand. It features abalone shell trim on the front and a top made from a rare European wood called moon spruce. The wood, which he bought from a dealer, is only cut during a certain phase of the moon, Henderson said.
The back and sides were made of Brazilian rosewood, which he said is almost impossible to find these days.
Most of the guitars he makes are inspired by antique Martins, which are highly respected. But Martin quit using the Brazilian rosewood in 1969 because it became so scarce and Brazil then put an embargo on it. “Stashes” of it can be found in this country, though the cost is dear, he added.
“The wood is real rare and hard to come by, and it makes the best instruments,” said Henderson.
The guitar also features a curly mahogany fingerboard and bridge, an ebony peghead and a torch with white mother-of-pearl.
Considered one of the most skilled luthiers in this country and beyond, Henderson is perhaps best known for making a guitar for the legendary Eric Clapton, one of the top guitarists in rock music. The creation of that guitar was such a big deal that a book was written about its making.
Henderson has been crafting instruments for more than 60 years, and his goal is to create at least 1,000 guitars. The guitar that was auctioned was No. 939.
But he’s also a gifted musician who has played at Carnegie Hall and hundreds of other venues and has toured Europe, Asia and Africa. He was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship for his contributions to Appalachian music as a musician and guitar-builder.
Some of his guitars have brought good money when sold secondhand, and he thought he might be able to get as much as $40,000 for this one.
The auction was conducted by the Swicegood Group, a real estate and auction company based in North Carolina. It ended Saturday when the guitar sold for $59,000; the buyer’s premium, a fee paid by the winning bidder that normally goes to the auction house, also was donated.
That means a total of $67,850 will go to the fire and rescue squad, whose volunteer members are so dedicated that no one missed a beat helping those who needed it during the flooding, although they were experiencing their own devastation, Henderson said. The members are always there for the community, and he said he knows he can count on them if he’s sick or injured.
The agency also has a special place in his heart because, many years ago, his shop was near the department, and he remains friends with many of its older members, he said.
Phillip Adams, captain of the rescue squad, said Wednesday that the heavy rain from Helene flooded Big Wilson Creek, which runs beside the station. The water washed away much of the parking lot, making it difficult to get vehicles in and out safely, and 4 to 6 inches of water rose into the building.
One of the department’s utility trailers was washed downstream, and its well was flooded. Most of the fire and rescue vehicles were out on calls, so the department didn’t lose any of them, he said.
Overall, the damage is estimated at more than $500,000, according to Adams.
What also hurt the department was that one of its major fundraisers, the Grayson-Highlands Fall Festival, had been scheduled for that weekend but had to be canceled. The department had already paid out $15,000 to $20,000 for food and other items for the festival, plus it lost out on the $20,000 to $30,000 it likely would have raised.
The food, however, did not go to waste. The department used it to feed residents impacted by the storm.
Adams, who has been with the fire and rescue squad for 18 years, said Henderson has always been a friend to the agency, often playing at its events. All the members of the department, who total about 30, are grateful for his generosity and kindness, he said.
Henderson also helped arrange a recent fundraiser held for the squad by a Nashville radio station, the captain said.
Henderson is a big part of the community and a good neighbor, Adams said.
“He’s a down-to-earth, good guy and we’re very thankful to have him and everybody else in the community who helped us,” he said.
How to help
To donate to Rugby Volunteer Fire and Rescue, visit its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rugbyvolunteerfirerescue.
Mitchell Cornett is a Rugby native and a member of the Grayson County Board of Supervisors. He said Rugby and Whitetop were two of the hardest-hit areas in the western part of the county, which sustained the worst damage. The county also had $61 million worth of agricultural damage, he said.
Henderson is the reason most people know about Rugby, according to Cornett, who praised him for his kindness and for stepping up to help.
“This story showcases what I and so many others know about Wayne Henderson: He’s not only one of the best luthiers in the world, he’s also an extraordinarily genuine and thoughtful person,” he said.