Cowtown Guitars was a
vintage guitar
A vintage guitar is an older guitar usually sought after and maintained by avid collectors or musicians. The term may indicate either that an instrument is merely old, or that is sought after for its tonal quality, cosmetic appearance, or hist ...
shop located in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, owned by husband and wife, Jesse and Roxie Amoroso. The shop was well known having one of the largest collection of vintage guitars in North America and boasted a client list of celebrities, which includes
Carlos Santana and
Imagine Dragons.
Owner Jesse Amoroso has appeared several times as the vintage guitar expert on the
History Channel's hit reality television series ''
Pawn Stars
''Pawn Stars'' is an American reality television series shown on History and produced by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24 ...
''. The shop closed in 2019 following a prolonged decline in other business ventures run by the Amorosos.
History
Cowtown was opened in 1990 by Mark Chatfield in the Shapter Center strip mall at the corner of Rt. 161 and N. Meadows Blvd on the north side of
Columbus, Ohio, a city sometimes called "Cowtown". The store was operated by Chatfield, who also toured as
Bob Seger's guitarist, until he sold the business to longtime employees Jesse and Roxie Amoroso in 2011.
After owning the store for less than a year, Jesse and Roxie Amoroso moved Cowtown to a new location in the
arts district of downtown Las Vegas. The shop was now closer to the
Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, where Amoroso continues to do appraisals for ''
Pawn Stars
''Pawn Stars'' is an American reality television series shown on History and produced by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24 ...
''.
With the success of shows like ''Pawn Stars'', and ''
American Restoration
''American Restoration'' is an American reality television series airing on the History channel. Produced by Leftfield Pictures, the first six seasons were recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicled the daily activities at ''Rick's Res ...
'', both of which are filmed in downtown Las Vegas, there have also been rumors of Cowtown Guitars acquiring their own reality television series.
In 2012, Cowtown became the official broker of a 1963
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuousl ...
once owned by
Jimi Hendrix. Jesse Amoroso was one of three vintage guitar experts to appraise the guitar, after which was authenticated by the specific modifications made by Hendrix personally, its unusual green pickguard, and a telltale black mark on the inside of the electronics compartment. These details were confirmed by Amoroso along with Hendrix's brother, Leon, who remembered seeing the guitar around the apartment he shared with Jimi in the 1960s. The guitar originally belonged to studio head
Henry "Juggy" Murray at Juggy Sound. It is believed that Hendrix used the guitar to record ''Blues in ¾"'' and ''My Friend'' for a
Noel Redding
David Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress.
Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 ...
solo album.
![Amoroso Duncan Jimi Strat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Amoroso_Duncan_Jimi_Strat.jpg)
When Cowtown Guitars relocated in early 2012, guitarist
Jake E. Lee
Jake E. Lee (born Jakey Lou Williams, February 15, 1957) is an American musician best known as lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne between 1982 and 1987 and later as a member of the band Badlands with Ray Gillen. He formed the band Red Dragon Car ...
agreed to cut the ribbon at the grand reopening ceremony.
In June 2013, Jesse and the Stratocaster visited
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan is an American company best known for manufacturing guitar and bass pickups. They also manufacture effects pedals which are designed and assembled in America. Guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and Cathy Carter Duncan found ...
who had originally custom wound the pickups for Hendrix in the 1960s. Duncan authenticated the pickups and pickguard.
Owners
Jesse and Roxie Amoroso are musicians who have performed together in the Las Vegas based
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
bands
Crazy Chief, Pigasus, and The Loud Pipes. They were married in the home of Roxie's parents on June 6, 2006. Together, they have three children, one of whom is named Gibson Felix after
the famous guitar manufacturer.
Self-proclaimed "soul-mates," the couple have been known to dress similarly in public while together.
In 2019, the couple are headed toward divorce.
In October 2005 Jesse and Roxie opened The Clubhouse, a large rehearsal facility that was run by the couple's production company Revenge Therapy Productions.
The 3 story building contained eight rehearsal rooms of varying sizes, with a single large rehearsal room on the top floor equipped with a considerable amount of amenities and a view of the
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city ...
.
Epic Records band
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over six million records worldwide, including nearly three millio ...
was a client of The Clubhouse before it eventually closed when a partner of the Amoroso's pulled out.
Jesse Amoroso is a guitarist, formerly of Crazy Chief, The Loud Pipes, Cyanide Blues, and Pigasus, a band Jesse once described as sounding like "God screaming at the top of his lungs". Jesse is also co-owner of Cowtown Guitars with wife Roxie. His main expertise lies in vintage stringed instruments and amplifiers, which he frequently appraises for the reality television series Pawn Stars on the History Channel. When asked by the
Las Vegas Sun to comment on his marriage, Jesse said, "It's kind of a blessing and a curse, because you’re in a relationship with someone who's a musician and understands being in a band and stuff, but you also don’t have that voice of reason that some people do."
Jennifer "Roxie" Amoroso moved to Las Vegas from
Death Valley, CA when she was 18 and began designing costumes for casinos around town before starting a
screen printing business.
She became well known as a
live music promoter who has booked for several local venues around Las Vegas, which include Boomers Bar, East Bonanza Theatre, Texas Station Casino's South Padre Lounge, The Roadhouse Casino, Squiggy's Bar, The Las Vegas Country Saloon, and The Clubhouse.
Her colorful personality earned her a reputation among her peers in Las Vegas. In January 2006, Roxie made Las Vegas CityLife's top 5 list of "Women in the Local Music Scene You Definitely Don't Want to Piss Off". Roxie was also Vice Chair of the Clark County Animal Control Advisory Committee in Las Vegas.
In April 2018, Roxie Amoroso became part owner and managing member of Beauty Bar Las Vegas, a popular bar and music venue in Downtown Las Vegas. This change in ownership was announced in the press the following August. The announcement delay can be attributed to a number of issues plaguing the bar, including the death of
Pantera/
Hellyeah drummer
Vinnie Paul
Vincent Paul Abbott (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018) was an American musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal band Pantera. He also co-founded Damageplan in 2003 with his younger brother, 'Dimebag' Darrell ...
who was seen partying at Beauty Bar Las Vegas hours prior to his passing.
In March 2019, Beauty Bar Las Vegas was served an eviction notice citing "lewd activity" and "disorder". Las Vegas Metropolitan Police confirmed several visits to Beauty Bar Las Vegas, with one investigation revealing an employee selling drugs from within the business. On April 1, 2019, a second eviction notice was posted on Beauty Bar Las Vegas, effectively shuttering the business.
On April 3, 2019, Las Vegas City Council met to discuss possible action regarding the approval of Beauty Bar Las Vegas's tavern-limited license, which governs alcohol beverage sales. The Council voted to revoke Roxie Amoroso's temporary license and deny her application for a permanent license based on several city and county violations. In the meeting, City of Las Vegas Deputy Planning Director Mary McElhone remarked:
In the eight short months that this operation has been open, the Beauty Bar has had problems with the security staff and general management obeying laws and regulations, including incidences that have involved as Vegas Metropolitan Policeand have included lack of cooperation. Ms. Amoroso has not demonstrated that she is capable of operating a night club with a Tavern-Limited License.
Staff
* Davis – Onsite Guitar Repair/Luthier
Crazy Chief
Along with the Amorosos, Crazy Chief, now defunct, included members of previous notable bands, prompting the press to refer to them as a local "super group". Singer Drew Johnson also fronts Mojo Rising, a Doors cover band, while drummer Dan Conway performed on tour with
Warrant and rhythm guitarist Nick Thompson performed in Dirty Somethings, which became known as Red Feather shortly before disbanding.
In November 2012,
Las Vegas CityLife
''Las Vegas CityLife'', founded in August 1996, was the oldest alternative weekly newspaper in Southern Nevada and covered news about the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas. Coverage included news, politics, arts, and culture reporting in prin ...
announced plans for
Black Camaro's
Brian Garth to move out of
Chrome Werewolf, his studio of two years, and into the Amoroso's house to record Crazy Chief's debut album.
Events
![Ribbon Cutting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Ribbon_Cutting.jpg)
When Cowtown Guitars relocated in early 2012, guitarist
Jake E. Lee
Jake E. Lee (born Jakey Lou Williams, February 15, 1957) is an American musician best known as lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne between 1982 and 1987 and later as a member of the band Badlands with Ray Gillen. He formed the band Red Dragon Car ...
agreed to cut the ribbon at the grand reopening ceremony.
On June 1, 2012, Cowtown participated in the monthly First Friday event held in the arts district of Las Vegas. The event featured Echopark guitars by guitar builder
Gabriel Currie. The hand crafted guitars were made famous by artists such as
Jakob Dylan
Jakob Luke Dylan (born December 9, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter. He rose to fame as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the rock band the Wallflowers.
Born in New York City to musician Bob Dylan and model Sara Lownds, Dylan be ...
,
Brad Whitford
Bradley Ernest Whitford (born February 23, 1952)Putterford, Mark (1991) ''The Fall and Rise of Aerosmith'', Omnibus Press, Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discography'' (2nd edn.), MOJO Books, , p. 11-13 is an American musician who i ...
, and
Joe Perry of
Aerosmith, and
Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham of
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...
.The success of this event spurred the idea of bringing in more guitar makers to future events as owner Jesse Amoroso tells a reporter for Symphony Park, "It was great to have Gabriel here in person for a meet and greet, and we’re excited to continue hosting new guests at Cowtown every First Friday.”
On December 7, 2012, Cowtown hosted an event to celebrate the premiere of their episode of
Sailor Jerry
Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 – June 12, 1973), known popularly as Sailor Jerry, was a prominent American tattoo artist in Hawaii who was well known for his sailor tattoos.
Biography
Norman Keith Collins was born on January 14, 19 ...
's ''Hold Fast'' artist documentary series. According to Las Vegas Weekly, the project seeks out “individuals and businesses who have dedicated themselves to mastering their field and then fearlessly pursued its innovation like Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins did with tattooing.” The event featured Las Vegas' Pick Your Poison Bake Shop, Studio 21 Tattoo, and Cowtown Guitars. Cowtown also served as the donation center for used bicycles at this event.
Exile On Main Street
On June 6, 2014 Roxie and Jesse opened a vintage clothing and accessory boutique in the suite next to Cowtown. Exile On Main Street borrows its name from the
Rolling Stones album of the same name, and is a
pun
A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...
on its location on Main St. in Las Vegas. The opening night event was sponsored by
Sailor Jerry
Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 – June 12, 1973), known popularly as Sailor Jerry, was a prominent American tattoo artist in Hawaii who was well known for his sailor tattoos.
Biography
Norman Keith Collins was born on January 14, 19 ...
Rum with musical guest
Jonny “2 Bags” Wickersham of
socal
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ag ...
punk bands
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...
and
U.S. Bombs performing a live set. In 2018, Exile On Main Street shuttered its doors.
Philanthropy
In January 2011, a friend inspired Roxie to host a fundraising event of which the proceeds would go towards building a well in Africa. Amoroso said in an interview, “It only takes $2,000 to build a well that will
rovide900 people—900 babies, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers—with water...So, I was like, Hey...I want to build a well.” Along with the help of her sister at Northwest Nazarene University, the event helped Amoroso raise a total of $2500 toward the Compassion for Africa organization.
In August 2011, Cowtown teamed up with
Title I Hope and
Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse is an American chain of Australian-themed casual dining restaurants, serving American cuisine, based in Tampa, Florida. The chain has over 1,000 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America, Asia, and Australi ...
for a food and hygiene products drive to benefit the
Vegas Valley's homeless youth. Jesse was featured in an interview on Las Vegas'
Channel 8 news
8world News is a department which produces news, current affairs, and info-ed programmes for two Mediacorp channels aired in Mandarin, Channels 8 and U.
Prior to 2010, the news were presented in three timeslots - ''News 8 At One'' ( Chinese:1 ...
promoting the cause.
In a partnership between shop owners in the 18b Las Vegas Arts District Neighborhood Association and Autism Community Trust, In June 2012, Jesse appeared on
Las Vegas Channel 13's Morning Blend in an interview with
Donny Osmond to promote Guitars For Autism, a charity that benefits children with autism. Cowtown serves as a drop off location for both guitar and cash donations for the charity. When asked in the interview how Cowtown became involved in the charity, Jesse tells Osmond, "It's something we're passionate about at the shop, we have a lot of friends with kids who have autism."
Roxie later told the Las Vegas Business Press, "we're determined to collect 100 guitars...Whether we have to use guitars from my husband's collection or raise money to purchase additional guitars, we'll get them."
Awards
* Best Music Shop 2012 – Vegas SEVEN
* Best Restaurant to Blow Your Paycheck – Las Vegas Weekly
* In July 2016, Exile received a Best of The City award from Vegas Seven Magazine.
* In February 2017, Exile was awarded "best vintage store" in
Nevada Public Radio
Nevada Public Radio was founded in 1980 as a public corporation to operate publicly funded radio in southern Nevada. NPR operates six stations in Nevada and five retransmitters.
History
Nevada Public Radio was first incorporated in 1975. Five y ...
publication ''Desert Companion's'' 2016 Best of the City.
Pawn Stars episodes
*''No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service'' (October 24, 2013)
[''"No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service"'' ('']Pawn Stars
''Pawn Stars'' is an American reality television series shown on History and produced by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24 ...
'' Episode 7.30)
*''Hot Air Buffoon'' (Episode 2.5)
*''Chumdog Millionaire'' (Episode 3.22)
*''Strike a Chord'' (Episode 4.10)
*''Honor They Father'' (Episode 4.34)
*''Face the Music'' (Episode 4.38)
*''Buyer Beware'' (Episode 5.5)
*''Les is More'' (Episode 5.18)
*''Kick the Can'' (Episode 5.51)
*''On Guard'' (Episode 6.7)
*''Little Pawn Shop of Horrors'' (Episode 6.17)
*''Book 'Em Rick'' (Episode 6.31)
*''Tee'd Off'' (Episode 8.50)
*''Ponies and Phonies'' (Episode 8.55)
References
External links
*
Sailor Jerry's Hold Fast featuring Cowtown Guitars*
ttp://www.onethirtyeight.org/10/post/2012/04/cowtown-guitars-grand-reopening-party.html/ Cowtown grand reopening at Onethirtyeight.orgbr>
Echopark GuitarsJesse at LA Amp Show with Echopark GuitarsPawn Stars Experts
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Retail companies established in 1990
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