June 1, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of musical instrument and sound equipment innovator Peavey® Electronics. Founded by Hartley Peavey in 1965 as a one-man shop, today Peavey Electronics Corporation is one of the largest and most celebrated makers and suppliers of musical instruments, amplifiers and professional audio systems in the world—distributing more than 2,000 products to more than 130 countries.

“It’s quite a trick to survive in this industry for 50 years, and I feel lucky to have been able to do that,” said Peavey founder and CEO Hartley Peavey. “I’m looking toward the future; I’m looking to continue our legacy of innovation and trying to be the best by being different.”

Peavey Electronics kicked off its yearlong anniversary celebration with an exclusive party at the 2015 Winter NAMM Show featuring appearances and performances by special friends and lifelong Peavey users, including Gary Rossington, Rickey Medlocke, and Peter Keys of Lynyrd Skynyrd; Blue Öyster Cult; Michael Anthony; Rudy Sarzo; Robert Randolph; and Kenny Aronoff. The musical emcee for the evening was DJ Keith Shocklee of Public Enemy.

The company’s golden anniversary sees the announcement of groundbreaking products like the revolutionary Dark Matter™ speaker enclosures and the VYPYR® Pro guitar amplifier, both a testament to Hartley Peavey’s ongoing commitment to continuously introducing innovative new products to the market.

Peavey is also celebrating its anniversary with limited-edition releases of some of its most iconic products. The 50th anniversary commemorative 6505® Plus head and Classic® 30 112 combo feature a 50th anniversary emblem and include a certificate of authenticity signed by Hartley Peavey. These models are produced in limited quantities, and are only available in 2015.