The 1959 Gibson Les Paul, with its eye-catching sunburst finish, mahogany body, and maple top, is nothing short of an artifact for music historians and fans alike. It made its debut on United States television on The Ed Sullivan Show, where it was played by none other than Keith Richards, earning its nickname: the Keithburst. Today, the guitar is in the hands of New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, but whether or not it belongs there is the subject of great dispute.
According to Taylor, the Keithburst was stolen in 1971, along with seven other guitars, while the band was in France recording Exile On Main St. So, how it made its way to The Met is nothing short of perplexing— at least for Taylor. The guitarist, who was surprised to discover the guitar's latest whereabouts, maintains that the instrument is his rightful property and that it should be returned to him.
However, The Met remains adamant that Taylor never officially owned the guitar, and that his claim to it holds no merit. The museum's provenance for the instrument states that the guitar was owned by Adrian Miller in 1971. Miller died in 2006, and there's no record explaining how he came to own it.
Despite playing guitar in one of the biggest bands in rock and roll, Taylor has always been a bit of an enigma. His voluntary departure from The Rolling Stones in 1974 left fellow bandmates offended and audiences stunned.
Taylor's choice to leave was a loss that rippled through the band. Though Ronnie Wood, who has become a household name over the years, replaced the guitarist, something in the band shifted and has never quite shifted back.
Taylor has yet to make an official statement, though Damming has issued a seemingly simple request to the museum by way of the The New York Times. "“We would like the Metropolitan Museum to make the guitar available so that we can inspect it, and confirm its provenance one way or the other.”
According to the Met, no one has heard directly from Taylor or his representation.
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