THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GUITAR TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF MUSICAL TRADITIONS IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Six String Nation Guitar

While the guitar was rarely heard in Newfoundland and Labrador until the 1940s, by now it has become an integral component of much traditional musical performance and it is the most popular musical instrument in the province. As part of this theme we are fortunate to be able to include the ‘Six String Nation Guitar’ at the Festival, a project initiated by CBC Radio's Jowi Taylor. This unique guitar has been crafted using more than eighty pieces of historically significant wood from across the country. It includes wood from Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle, and from Paul Henderson's hockey stick, as well as wood from the lighthouse at Cape Race and labradorite from Nain. A quintessentially Canadian instrument, it will be at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa, and other folk and community festivals this summer. The guitar has been played by everyone from Bruce Cockburn to FEIST, Duane Andrews, Ron Sexsmith and MIGHTY POPO. This will be the guitar's first appearance in Newfoundland, and we are delighted to be involved in bringing it here.