The Texas A&M University Music Performance program was recently gifted professional-grade guitars from former student Shelley Eubanks Potter, with instruments curated by her husband, fellow Aggie Jeff Potter.
The Potters, both members of the Class of 1978, have strong ties to Texas A&M and wanted to make a generous contribution to the program, according to Toby Pipes, music industry relations coordinator for the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts.
“Jeff definitely wants to make sure that this is credited as Shelley’s gift to the college,” Pipes said. “He is passionate about guitars and wanted to help out with the donation in any way that he could.”
Pipes said he and Jeff Potter visited Tone Shop Guitars in Dallas during the spring semester to pick out several electric Fender guitars.
“We were able to try out all types of guitars with their incredible staff and had the best day sorting through these amazing instruments,” Pipes said.
Students in Guitar Interarts and Guitar Heroes courses led by Jon Yerby, D.M.A., assistant professor, were the first to test out the new guitars. Yerby said the donation is “nothing short of incredible,” as the guitars are “some of the finest models in Fender’s lineup.” He emphasized that these guitars would broaden learning opportunities for students.
“Access to instruments like these is truly a blessing and a rare opportunity,” Yerby said. “Oftentimes, student instruments have limitations that might never occur to the student until they play a professional-grade instrument. The quality and playability of these guitars expose new horizons for students, both sonically and technically, on their musical journey.”
