A collection of stories about musicians’ first guitars is the focus of book written by Kapuskasing native Sean Barrette. “Heart Strings — First Guitars” features more than 200 short stories from local guitar players and even famous ones like the late Gordon Lightfoot. He says there’s even a submission from his dad, Guy Barrette who played with the local band Sabotaj.
“I ended up talking to Flo Rouleau who played in that band who is a magnificent guitar player,” he said. “My dad has a guitar story that kind of ties into Gordon Lightfoot a little bit. Kurtis Edwards who’s a guy that plays around town with regularity is also in the book.”
Sean Barrette has been a Sudbury musician for many years and is also a former announcer with Moose FM, then CKAP AM58.
He says you don’t have to be a guitar player to enjoy the book and hopes it will be inspiring for some.
“I hope maybe my story and some of the other ones you know evolve into someone picking up guitars later in life,” he said. “It might inspire somebody who always wanted to be just a strummer or a campfire player or whatever to go out and pick up a guitar.”
He says he first thought about writing the book a few years ago during the pandemic.
Advance sales of the book are available now through the Kickstarter website. The book launches in August.
Here is the complete interview with Sean Barrette.
