Heavy metal guitarist Mark Wood found a deeply personal way to honor his late father, Keith, by having his ashes inlaid into the fretboard of his Fender Telecaster guitar.
Keith, a retired schoolteacher and devoted supporter of his son’s music, passed away from a heart attack on Christmas Day, 2022 so Mark partnered with a friend from Sam’s Guitars to mix the ashes with special glue and form the guitar’s dot inlays.
Though it took Mark some time to feel ready to play the guitar, he eventually picked it up and played “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent, a favorite he learned from his dad. The unique tribute not only brought Mark a sense of closure, but also a lasting connection to his father, allowing Keith to symbolically join him at every performance.