'It's very humbling': Sask. fiddler inducted into hall of fame

Saskatoon -

Growing up in Lintlaw, fiddler JJ Guy never thought he would make enough noise to grab the attention of people in New York.

On Thursday Guy was inducted into the North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame (HOF) and Museum in Redfield, New York.

"It was a shock for sure," said Guy. "It's very humbling and very, very prestigious."

Every year the HOF inducts one fiddler from the state of New York and one from the rest of North America.

"I hardly feel old enough to be in the Hall of Fame. I feel like I have a big career left in front of me."

The committee had several applicants to sift through, searching for the best applicant who promotes, perpetuates and preserves old time fiddling.

“When you're inducted, you're one of less than 50 people that are considered worthy of that within the whole entire North America,” said Jackie Hobbs, president of the New York State Old Time Fiddlers Association.

Fiddling has been part of Guy's life since the age of seven and currently, it's his full-time occupation. During the COVID-19 pandemic he performed online, launching his "Jamming with JJ" page.

"It took off and gathered people from a whole bunch of different communities," said Guy.

He says between his Jamming with JJ page, touring within his duet Twin Fiddlers and other workshops, his name has become more known in the fiddling community, helping him get to the HOF. For him, fiddling has always been his passion.

"It's an expression of a wide variety of emotions. You have tunes that can tug on your heartstrings and tunes that can make you want to get up and dance, make you happy, and I just love it," Guy told CTV News.

Guy joins the other half of the Twin Fiddlers, Gordon Stobbe who was inducted into the HOF in 2019. Stobbe also has roots in Saskatchewan growing up in Mayfair and Melfort.

"He's a stalwart in the fiddle community, he's actually has received the Order of Canada for his work up north (with fiddling)."

The two are currently on tour throughout Western Canada. Guy plans to back in Saskatoon to play at the John Arcand Fiddle Festival held on August 13.