The Laureate is the third guitar in the History of Rock & Roll series—a tribute to the lyricist as philosopher, prophet, and cultural architect. While the fusion of words and music predates rock & roll, it is within this genre that lyrics became a defining force: shaping identity, inciting rebellion, and giving voice to entire generations.

The front of the guitar features hieroglyphics—an homage to the ancient oral traditions that carried history, myth, and philosophy long before literacy. These symbols echo the roots of songwriting as aural transmission: a way to encode meaning in melody, to preserve truth in rhythm. Over time, poetry emerged as its own vessel of thought, but in the 20th century, music reclaimed the lyric as a primary mode of social expression.

Rock & roll became a platform for personal conviction and political critique. Through radio, records, and public performance, artists reached audiences far beyond their immediate communities. The words of Lennon, Dylan, Morrison—and countless others—transcended entertainment. They became literature. They became legacy.

The back of The Laureate features a hand holding a pen, surrounded by blooming florals—sunflowers, roses, and ornamental vines. It is a portrait of creation: the act of writing as both labor and bloom. The pen is not just a tool—it is a weapon, a wand, a witness. The floral motifs suggest that lyricism, like music, is organic—growing, evolving, and rooted in lived experience.

Embedded rhinestones shimmer like punctuation marks—each one a glint of sonic clarity. The architectural columns on the front evoke classical authority, framing the lyricist as a modern-day poet laureate: not crowned by institutions, but by the people who sing their words.

The Laureate is not just a guitar—it’s a monument. A playable ode to the writers who shaped our century with melody and meaning.