It’s an Honor to Sign Willie Nelson’s Guitar ‘Trigger’

Trigger has been Willie's partner throughout most of his career and during that time has picked up a number of autographs from musical legends.

Willie bought the Martin N-20 in 1969 and named it “Trigger” after Roy Rogers’ horse. Trigger has been a big part of Nelson’s unmistakable sound ever since.

When Nelson’s Tennessee home burned many years ago, Nelson was only able to save one possession...Trigger. He hid the guitar from the IRS in the early 1990s when he was having problems with the IRS, worried they’d repossess it and auction it off to pay his debts.

Over the years Nelson has collected signatures on the guitar from numerous artist like Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and others. The last signatures on Trigger was in 2013, when Nelson asked Jack White and Jamey Johnson to sign the guitar.

A couple of weeks ago, while hosting an Austin City Limits show called Other Voices, Austin’s own Alejandro Rose-Garcia met Nelson. They were filming at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales studio for the show. After interviewing Nelson, Willie asked Rose to initial Trigger. “Obviously, I’m not worthy,” Rose-Garcia said. “I’m still trying to process it.”

It truly is an honor when Willie ask someone to sign Trigger!