This may be the most badass guitar strap I’ve ever seen.
Ward Davis recently headlined the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the second time in his career. And he may have thought he wasn’t going to cry this time around, but that all changed when he was given a special gift before the show.
Before he took the stage, Ward was given a custom guitar strap made from a rattlesnake that was skinned by his late father, who passed away last year.
According to Robyn Adkins of Soapy Cow Custom Leather, who made the special strap, Ward had contacted them about making the guitar strap in honor of his father, who was a wildlife biologist and had a collection of snakes that he had skinned.
“In August Ward Davis brought me a sack of rattle snake skins. He wanted a special guitar strap made. Ward’s dad was a Wildlife Biologist and had a small collection of snakes he had skinned. Ward lost his father December 24th last year and wanted a guitar strap made of the rattle snake his dad had skinned.
No Pressure!!
If you’ve lost a parent you’ll understand how special this was for Ward. I was thrilled he chose me to do this for him. Ward wore that strap for the first time on the stage of Ryman Auditorium. I never dreamed or expected the gift Ward gave me that night. He said my name on the Ryman stage!!!! Really? I’m a nobody but he made me feel special.”
And when he saw the finished product, Ward couldn’t help but tear up.
“It’s beautiful. Stop giving me f*cking sh*t that makes me cry.
That is perfect. I’ll be wearing it.”
And sure enough, Ward wore the guitar strap during his Ryman performance, even giving a shoutout to his friend who made it from the stage:
“My friend Robyn Adkins gave me this guitar strap today. I will tell you, I don’t know if my dad killed that rattlesnake but he definitely skinned it.”
There was also something special for Ward on the inside of the guitar strap in honor of his father, though Adkins wouldn’t reveal what it was.
Talk about a special gift – and something that will surely remind Ward of his dad every time he puts on his guitar.
