Renowned gear collector Jim Irsay, who spent millions assembling and exhibiting quite possibly the greatest collection of historically and culturally significant electric guitars, has died aged 65.
The entrepreneur and billionaire philanthropist became the CEO of NFL club Indianapolis Colts in 1997, and it was the club that broke the news of Irsay's passing, confirming he passed in his sleep while at home.
He became the youngest owner of an NFL team at 37 when he inherited the club following his father's passing, and while he's celebrated for his longtime custodianship of the Colts, his legacy and the mark he has left in the guitar world is just as notable.
Indeed, the legendary collection of world-changing instruments he collected over his lifetime is one of the most famous assortments of guitar gear ever curated – and in terms of cultural and financial value, it has no equal.
In July 2023, he was offered $1 billion for the collection, which would have seen it be relocated to Dubai – but Irsay stood fast and continued to exhibit the instruments to the public instead.
When you appraise just some of the instruments in The Jim Irsay Collection, it’s no surprise that such a lofty figure was proposed. It features David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster, Jerry Garcia’s Tiger, the ‘Bob Dylan goes electric’ Strat from his iconic Newport Folk Festival appearance, Kurt Cobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit Fender Mustang, and many, many others.
Another of his distinguished buys was Eric Clapton’s psychedelic ‘The Fool’ SG, which Slowhand used religiously through his Cream days, particularly on Disraeli Gears. It’s also the guitar that Clapton cultivated his famous ‘woman’ tone on and was later owned and restored by Todd Rundgren. He bought the guitar at auction for over $1 million.
The Black Strat and Cobain’s Mustang are currently number two and three on the list of the most expensive guitars sold at auction, with only Cobain’s MTV Unplugged Martin D-18E – which went for an eye-watering $6.1 million in 2020 – topping the two legendary Fenders.
Vitally, Irsay didn’t buy the guitars to simply store in a vault. Oftentimes, he’d loan the guitars out for big-name stars to play and add to their legacy. Blues great Kenny Wayne Shepherd was one such recipient, and played Comfortably Numb on Gilmour’s Black Strat for a special showcase to kick off the Colts’ season in 2022.
The world-famous collection is currently on display at an exhibition hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington, which runs until September. Irsay wanted to exhibition to “highlight the history of the modern guitar.”
Later in his career, Irsay also formed the Jim Irsay band, billed as “a traveling museum of rock music.” It featured incredible talents including Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who played the historically significant electrics on stage.
Reacting to the news on Instagram, Kenny Wayne Shepherd said: “I really just don’t have the words right now to express the loss of such a special man. A social media tribute post won’t do him justice. Truly one of a kind. Love you, Jim. RIP.”
Irsay had struggled with health issues in his later years and consequently made fewer public appearances. But the collection of instruments and memorabilia he’s amassed – which also includes the $6.18 million acquisition of Muhammed Ali's Rumble in the Jungle championship belt – is quite the legacy to leave behind.
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