'It's very humbling': Sask. fiddler inducted into hall of fame
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.