Hey Blue Rodeoeans (??!!)
Welcome to a late night edition of What The!! Wednesday. As hinted at last week, today's What The!! Wednesday is one that I will likely never top! "Why's that, Dave?" I'm so glad you asked. This past weekend I had the opportunity to meet and spend a bit of time with the newest member of Blue Rodeo, Jimmy Bowskill!
Jimmy (center) with Colin Cripps (left) and Greg Keelor (right).
Here's Jimmy and Colin doing their thing on "You're Everywhere"...just wow!
Roooooaaaadd Trip!
My friend Blair, who is a Gretsch guitars enthusiast, and I made the two hour trip from the western side of the GTA out to Cobourg Ontario to meet Jimmy at his new studio. Jimmy is a super nice guy, and spent nearly an hour with us showing us around the studio, and showing us a few of his favourite guitars, including his #1 above, a 1958 Gretsch Anniversary, model 6118, a 1965 Fender Esquire from Greg Keelor, and a 1968 Fender Telecaster. We talked guitars and Jimmy graciously allowed us to play them! Then he played them too and I wanted to go home and sell all my guitars!! Wow! Jimmy is an incredible player! It was an afternoon we'll never forget!
"How'd this happen, Dave?
This is the part of the story that I still can't believe...I bought a guitar from Jimmy! That's right, I am now the proud owner of a 2013 Gretsch Professional Series 6119 Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose electric guitar that Jimmy played on a tour of Western Canada with Blue Rodeo a while back! A Blue Rodeo tour gigged guitar of Jimmy Bowskills' is gonna be mine? Am I dreaming??
Many musicians use social media sites to buy and sell gear and Blair happened upon a post from Jimmy selling this particular guitar. I contacted Jimmy and we arranged for me to drive out to see the guitar in person. Here it is...
What a beauty!
I currently have a Gretsch G5420T Electromatic guitar - Electromatics being the mid level series of guitars that Gretsch makes, and it's great - that I've been playing for the past two years with True Rodeo, but to have the opportunity to own one of Jimmy's guitars and to make it my main guitar just couldn't be passed up!
(L) The 6119 Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose (R) G5420T Electromatic in Candy Apple Red Metallic
A Dream Come True!
So, a monumental thank you to you, Jimmy Bowskill, for your hospitality, graciousness, friendliness, and for allowing me to be the next custodian of this world class instrument! I look forward to playing it with True Rodeo at our shows this year and for many more years to come.
-Dave Brinton, True Rodeo.
Sources; Youtube, Gretsch Guitars, Fender Guitars, and others as linked to.
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