Gary Cooper, luthier and guitar guru, passed away in January 2001.

First is information about how you can help Gary's family.

Contributions to Gary's family may be made to the 
Gary Cooper Memorial Fund at Cal Fed Bank
5610 Sunrise Blvd.
 Citrus Heights, CA 95610
account number 9204245303

Contributions may also be made at the
Skip's Music Sacramento store. 

I first learned how to play the guitar on my Aunt Char's Stella.
When I decided I wanted to keep  playing  guitar, I wanted a real good one. I went
to the music store in downtown Sacramento. I can't remember whether it was Lew's or
maybe just the Sacramento Music Store, but there was this skinny guy there who
showed me some guitars. One was a Gibson Hummingbird. It was hand made back in 1971
and it was the most beautiful looking and sounding thing I ever encountered. The skinny guy
with the glasses was Gary Cooper. He let me play it and others for hours. I would often come by
the store in between shows or rehearsals at the Eaglet or Music Circus and sit and play. He never
kicked me out or told me when to stop.
 I told my Dad I wanted a guitar for my 18th birthday. He aksed me what was the best.
I told him about the Hummingbird. I also told him it cost $500 and it was too expensive. I went
back to Gary and he showed me some cheaper alternatives, including a Lyle copy. He let me
check them out and told me all about them. I told my Dad about a couple of these and I told him
about Gary. On my 18th birthday to my surprise I got the Hummingbird. By then it was 1972
and it was the last year Gibson made the Hummingbirds by hand. Somehow I know Gary helped
me obtain the guitar that would change my life forever.
I decided I wanted to learn how to really play. I felt I couldn't let the guitar or my Dad or
Gary down. At some point around there I know Gary was at Lew's Music, because he was making his
own guitars there. I seem to remember they were called Oasis guitars. I was interested in
electric then and, of course, I once again consulted Gary about what I should get.
Gary always had time for me.
When Lew's went out of business and I returned to Sacramento from traveling around a few years,
I sought out Gary once again and found him at Skip's. I think  the store  was on Florin Road
next to Alpine Bowling Alley back then. I had an L6S I wanted him to check out.
Gary remembered me and checked out my find. As he always did, he would tell me whether
I found crap or gold.  Gary was always straight and fair. Sometimes he might tell you
what you didn't want to hear, but that's because he was honest.
Over the years, I would bring my guitars in for this or that. He often did small repairs for
me or he would give me parts I needed. He never charged me and he always had a minute
to chat.  The last time I saw Gary, just a couple months ago, someone happened to bring in
a fifties model electric hollow body  Gibson. I went over to where Gary was standing over it and
we were both looking at it, there, on the floor,  in it's case.  Like so many times before, he just shook
his head, and turned to me and said, "Isn't that something? You don't see many of these anymore."
I didn't know Gary as well as most. I didn't see him everyday of my life. I knew he had 
married, but didn't know about his family. Like most people, I knew Gary as the
guy who knew most about guitars in Sacramento. Even though I was only one of  hundreds
of guitar players who Gary dealt with, he was a part of one of the
most influential events of my life. If he hadn't turned me on to that Hummingbird, if I hadn't
got that Hummingbird, who knows if I would have become serious about my music at all. 
Maybe I would have anyway, but then, maybe not.
The point I want to make here is
Gary probably touched a lot of lives and he was as good as they come, both in his
profession and as a person. Maybe at the time Gary sold my father that Hummingbird
it might have been just another sale, but I know I'll always remember him everytime I
open the case and take it out to play. I think if a person is remembered like that, even
by just one out of hundreds, he did good. Gary did great.

William Mylar