April Wine frontman Myles Goodwyn has a lot of catching up to do with his 1962 Gibson Melody Maker.

The beloved guitar B次元官网网址� heard on the Halifax-based bandB次元官网网址檚 1972 hit B次元官网网址淵ou Could Have Been a LadyB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� was stolen that same year.

But on New YearB次元官网网址檚 Eve, Goodwyn got it back.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a chunk of life to lose, and all the records and all the success and 20 million records and all the things that we did B次元官网网址� the great tours and the great recording moment B次元官网网址� she missed them all,B次元官网网址� said Goodwyn in an interview.

B次元官网网址淪o for this thing to come out of nowhere is unbelievable. How could that be kept a secret for 46 years? ItB次元官网网址檚 remarkable.B次元官网网址�

The 70-year-old musician and songwriter purchased the Melody Maker in 1968 in Cape Breton, and played it on the bandB次元官网网址檚 debut self-titled record B次元官网网址淎pril WineB次元官网网址� and on their sophomore album B次元官网网址淥n Record.B次元官网网址�

In 1972, Goodwyn learned that a truck carrying the bandB次元官网网址檚 equipment crashed in Montreal.

B次元官网网址淚 was told there was a lot of damage, that my guitar was destroyed. I wanted that guitar back. I wanted the pieces to see if I could fix it, salvage it, but I kept getting the run-around,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎fter a few weeks of that, they said look, itB次元官网网址檚 not here. It was thrown out along with other things that were demolished. And I had to accept that.B次元官网网址�

Goodwyn said he only had a few photos with the guitar that helped launch the iconic Canadian rock bandB次元官网网址檚 illustrious and enduring career. One photo shows the rocker with long curly hair and wearing a white bejewelled shirt that was open, exposing his bare chest and a loosened tie.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e openly lamented that guitar for years,B次元官网网址� he said.

It was one of a kind B次元官网网址� Goodwyn had modified it to change the sound to suit his musical ear.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a terrible feeling to think itB次元官网网址檚 gone, because you become really attached to it,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to say itB次元官网网址檚 like a child or a loved one. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a little bit extreme. But itB次元官网网址檚 kind of like that B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 losing something that was very, very important to you that meant something to you more than to anybody else, and it hurts, and thereB次元官网网址檚 grieving.B次元官网网址�

Fellow band member Brian Greenway, who had a look at the bandB次元官网网址檚 damaged equipment at the time of the crash, had even validated the claim that the Melody Maker was demolished, saying that he thought he saw it amongst the wreckage.

B次元官网网址淚 was convinced that the guitar was destroyed,B次元官网网址� said Goodwyn.

Flash forward to this Christmas Eve, a man named Doug from Victoria reached out to him on Facebook, saying he thought he had the cherished instrument.

B次元官网网址淚 followed up on it and sure enough, the guitar was mine. They sent me a picture of it and thereB次元官网网址檚 no question, itB次元官网网址檚 a very unique guitar after what I had done to it,B次元官网网址� he said.

Doug sold it to Goodwyn, and it arrived on New YearB次元官网网址檚 Eve.

He said the first thing he did was check the neck and electronics, and then plugged it in and strummed its six strings for the first time in more than four decades.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like I put it in the case yesterday,B次元官网网址� said Goodwyn, surmising that it had not been played for all those years, given its pristine condition.

B次元官网网址淚t sounds the same B次元官网网址� The last fella had it in his house as a conversation piece. ThatB次元官网网址檚 like putting an animal in a cage.B次元官网网址�

Goodwyn said he hopes to learn more about the 1962 Gibson Melody MakerB次元官网网址檚 46-year journey, saying thereB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渁 story that needs to be told.B次元官网网址�

He also had a message to second-hand retailers and people using buy and sell websites across the country: If you suspect something has been stolen, report it.

Goodwyn is the last original member of April Wine, marking its 50th anniversary this year.

He plans to use the 1962 Gibson Melody Maker during the recording of his new album, a follow up to B次元官网网址淢yles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues.B次元官网网址�

But donB次元官网网址檛 expect to see the guitar at one of his upcoming shows B次元官网网址� unless heB次元官网网址檚 close to home.

B次元官网网址淚 can drive around the Maritimes and use it and I will if April Wine comes to town,B次元官网网址� said Goodwyn, who also has a home in Montreal.

B次元官网网址淏ut I am not putting it on a plane. I will never risk letting that guitar get away from me again. Never, ever.B次元官网网址�

(Canadian Press)

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