Sid Lapworth talks about Luther Perkins - Nov. 8, 2003

This is a portion of one of several interviews/conversations I had with Sid Lapworth for Scotty Moore's website. In the '50s Sid was the instrument manager at OK Houcks in Memphis and sold many of the area musicians their guitars and such, including Scotty, Elvis, Bill, Johnny Cash and Luther Perkins. This was recorded with permission over the phone on November 8, 2003 and it seemed easier to present using photos found online. More info about Sid and the store can be found at www.scottymoore...

[@JamesVRoy]

Someone commented, and since deleted, "As I understand it, that guitar was a red Esquire. This guitar was stolen from a Cash show in 1956. Marty Stuart owns several of Luther’s guitars, but not that one."
That may in fact be true. The picture of the Esquire in the video I took while on display at the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville in August of 2013. When I was speaking with Sid in 2003 that guitar I had formerly seen on display in the CMHOF, in 2001, credited as part of Marty's collection. I guessed at the time that it might be the one he said he sold Luther that was repossessed. It went up for auction at Christie's in 2009 I believe selling for in excess of $70k. Who owns it now I'm not sure but it is currently being used on tour with Ry Cooder and Rosanne Cash.
The earliest Esquire I've seen pictures of with Luther was a blackguard one, its in the video. The red one, possibly the one sold by Sid is not pictured but a blonde one with some decorative cover is. That may be the one in question but when and how Marty got it if he in fact did I've no idea. There was a interview in '95 with Marty in Vintage Guitar where he said he had a '52 that belonged to Mick Ronson and a '55 he bought from Dave Schafer at Overland Guitars in Kansas City, but no mention of Luther. In '99 after his Pilgrim album there is an other interview where he said, among other guitars, he used Luther's '55 Esquire on it.
That's about the extent of my knowledge pertaining to this Esquire and its association with Marty, essentially though the pictures are just meant to help the audio of the conversation with Sid flowing.
Thanks

[@jonkern9503]

I just wrote out a whole story and then read your post. I actually spoke with Sid a few years before he died and had a near identical conversation. I was always going to post my conversation, but am too shy to do it. What you've detailed is pretty much right on the dot. The red Esquire is the one Sid sold Luther. It was seldom seen, but a couple color photos exist of Luther using it.

[@OstaraBooks]

I dont think I ever saw Luther smile.