The Artist Award was Guild’s Johnny Smith Award model, but only for a brief period.

Guild was founded in 1952, the same year Smith released “Moonlight in Vermont”, the record that brought him fame for his lush “chord melody” jazz style. In 1955, Guild tapped him for a signature model, and the Johnny Smith Award debuted in 1956, by which time Smith was one of the most influencial and respected guitarists in jazz (although he never considered himself a true jazz musician). Though not as flamboyant as Gibson’s Les Paul, Smith brought an impeccable reputation to the Guild line.

Unfortunately, the Johnny Smith Award was not the guitar Smith had specified. Guild had altered it in order to make it easier to produce, and Guild’s production head refused to change it back to Smith’s specs. Smith ended the relationship, and Guild simply renamed the model the Artist Award.

It remained the most prestigious model in Guild’s archtop line through several Guild ownership changes, but was discontinued – along with all other Guild electrics – in 2007.