Marcus King performed with Rory Gallagher's iconic Fender Telecaster from the Isle of Wight festival, with King returning the instrument afterward, expressing his admiration for the guitar.
The iconic white Fender Telecaster, a cherished instrument of the late Rory Gallagher, has been brought back to life on stage by blues-rock musician Marcus King. The guitar, which Gallagher famously used during his performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, was recently acquired by French vintage guitar dealer Matthieu Lucas.
During a concert in Belgium on July 10, 2025, King played a selection of tracks on Gallagher's white Telecaster, including Rita is Gone, Homesick, and Save Me. The performance was arranged with Lucas, who shared the story of how the white Telecaster ended up in King's hands.
King, known for playing historically significant guitars such as Jeff Beck’s Yardburst Les Paul, is no stranger to performing on iconic instruments. His recent use of Gallagher's white Telecaster continues its legacy in contemporary blues-rock performance.
Lucas, who previously owned another one of Gallagher's iconic single-cut guitars, the Black Esquire, has a philosophy of having iconic instruments being played on stage as much as possible. He does not believe in locking guitars in glass boxes but rather in passing them on to active musicians.
After King's performance, he told Lucas that the white Telecaster was a "good one". Lucas, who believes Marcus King is one of the best guitar players in the world's history, expressed interest in facilitating King's acquisition of Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton's Cream 1955 Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty.
Lucas is known for facilitating high-profile guitar link-ups, including entrusting Steve Jones' Sex Pistols Les Paul to Yungblud and Deryck Whibley. The white Telecaster was bought by Lucas after the auction, making it a part of his collection before being passed on to King.
The white Telecaster and Gallagher's 1961 Stratocaster were auctioned off earlier this year, marking a new chapter in their storied histories. As King continues to perform with the white Telecaster, he is keeping Gallagher's iconic guitar alive for a new generation of blues-rock fans.
[1] Source: Personal communication with Matthieu Lucas and eyewitness accounts of the concert.
- Marcus King played Gallagher's iconic white Fender Telecaster during a concert in Belgium on July 10, 2025, performing tracks like Rita is Gone, Homesick, and Save Me.
- King, who has a history of playing significant guitars such as Jeff Beck’s Yardburst Les Paul, is continuing the legacy of Gallagher's white Telecaster in contemporary blues-rock performance.
- Lucas, the French vintage guitar dealer who acquired Gallagher's white Telecaster, has a philosophy of passing on iconic instruments to active musicians rather than keeping them in glass boxes.
- After King's performance, Lucas expressed interest in facilitating King's acquisition of Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton's Cream 1955 Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty.
- Lucas is known for facilitating guitar link-ups, having entrusted Steve Jones' Sex Pistols Les Paul to Yungblud and Deryck Whibley in the past.
- The white Telecaster was bought by Lucas after the auction, making it a part of his collection before being passed on to King, keeping Gallagher's iconic guitar alive for a new generation of blues-rock fans.
