The Graphic Guitar Guys began in 2011 as a simple idea in the merchandise booth of a Texas-based singer/songwriter just getting started in the business. His road manager/merch guy/close friend was traveling with him because that friend's wife worked weekend nights anyway and it was a good way to supplement his income. That friend made a keen observation: Autographed guitars weren't all that unusual, but they all looked pretty much the same --- like a guitar with some writing on it. You couldn't even tell who signed it without taking a close look.

Why not, he thought, make it obvious who was signing that guitar? Why not put a picture, a name, something interesting on that guitar you wanted autographed? So he decided to try it.

His first three guitars were for his friend, Ryan Beaver, and they sold quickly. In 2012 Beaver was opening for Gary Allan, so that merch guy approached Allan's merchandise manager with a deal. He'd give him 4 guitars to sell; if they didn't sell, he didn't have to pay for them. They sold out in 20 minutes. And Allan's merchandise manager ordered some more of the hot commodity.

Things moved slowly as the word spread and more Texas musicians started to give what now was The Graphic Guitar Guys a chance to make some more money for them. Then, in 2014, George Strait had a bit of a problem. He was about to wrap up his "Cowboy Rides Away" tour and guitars that had been ordered for his merchandise booth got held up in customs. His merchandise manager found out about GGG and called to see how quickly this fledgling business could produce 432 wrapped guitars.

One very deep breath later, the deal was done and it was full speed ahead to have those guitars ready for the June 7, 2014 final concert of the tour in Arlington, Texas. A shot of that wrapped guitar was included in the story "Rolling Stone" featured about "King George's" concert.

A week later Merle Haggard's people called.

And the rest, as they say, is history.