I was very fortunate to have been gifted a Claude St. Denis guitar a few years ago. My partner Paul surprised me when I went to pickup what I thought was an old guitar that I had Claude put a pickup in. I opened the guitar case and there she was! I was absolutely thrilled! It wasn’t soon after that I named her Claudette. I have never really been a “guitar person”. My strength has always been singing but I knew I had to get better at strumming so I could accompany myself. When I spent more time with Claudette and started growing musically I realized the bond that I had started to build with.. yes… my guitar!! Over the years while building my repertoire, Claudette and I have travelled coast to coast across Canada playing on the VIA RAIL, I have introduced her to such artists as Rita Chiarelli, Jon Brooks, Paul Reddick, Katherine Wheatley, and many more, she has been what I hold when I’m homesick and on the road, she’s what I cling to when I’m nervous, she gives me confidence as her rich sound is always something I can count on, and she never fails to impress the heart of the beholder.

What I love the most is that my guitar was built by a man that puts every ounce of passion into his art and my guitar will forever carry that energy from Claude.

I play her with pride.