Folk Fest, July 11 2013

I started early in the morn at the Fairmont to say Hi to the Transpo Crew and then headed out to the Campsite where the sun was hot hot hot!

In 1991 Lorne Collie was in a coma for 9 days and all the doctors were telling his wife that the end was near. But he survived, and woke up on the tenth day; and he calls it “recovering from a bad case of death”. So now he was bored. He beat the grim reaper but was forced to retire from being a “General Machinist” for a Mine in Lynn Lake. He had always liked and collected stringed instruments, so he decided to build one, from a shovel. Sounds like fun! He built more. Violins from hatchets, baseball bats and candy tins. Guitars from Pitchforks and Moose and Elk Antlers. And a Mandolin from a frying pan. A Panjolin?

His little trailer was set up in the parking lot and he was waiting to get into the Campground to share the sounds. He has been coming to the Folk Fest for four years and says he gets to meet the most amazing people that come by and try out his fantastical creations. That is the real joy he says. Hearing people make music and watching them ooh and ahh over the instruments. Hopefully he will be back next year and for many more, but in between Fests you could vist him in the little hamlet of Hilbre Manitoba. Our very own Canadian Harry Partch, Lorne Collie will gladly let you strum away on the Blue Shovel guitar but won’t sell it to you for any price. The real worth is in the music.