In the late fall of 2014, Harry Teuting, owner of Harry’s Guitar shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, approached Marathon Jam founder and president John Santa with a proposition.

It seems Harry had acquired a Martin guitar, something not at all unusual for the owner of a music store. What made THIS guitar unique was that it was a special limited edition instrument made by Veterans at the CF Martin shop in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in honor of the POW and MIA soldiers of the United States military.

A solemn, and very striking, solid black instrument bearing the POW/MIA logo on the head stock, Harry could think of no better home for this fine instrument than with musicians who work so hard to serve Veterans.

John, of course, gratefully and enthusiastically ACCEPTED that guitar and the two set out to brain storm how to best put the guitar to USE within the group. It didn’t take them long to hit upon the idea of awarding the guitar to a worthy musician who best exemplified service to Veterans and the ideals of the Marathon Jam unit motto, Curatus Per Musica.

Healing Through Music.

Beginning at the annual 2015 Marathon Jam Fisher House fund raiser, and every year since, the POW/MIA guitar has been awarded to a deserving musician. That musician is tasked with being as visible as possible so Veterans all over the state have a chance to see, hold and PLAY that Special Edition guitar that was made for THEM.

At the end of year, the guitar RETURNS to the Marathon Jam Fisher House fund raiser and, with great ceremony, is respectfully passed on to the NEXT musician for another year of service.