“The Guitar Is the Most Personal Instrument of Them All”: Randy Bachman Teams With National Music Centre for Epic Guitar Exhibition at Calgary’s Studio Bell

“The guitar is the most personal instrument of them all,” says Randy Bachman. “It’s right against your heart and soul.”

What’s more, every guitar tells a story. And with over 80 of the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive founder’s instruments on display at Calgary’s Studio Bell from May 5, fans and six-string aficionados are in for a treat.

“This exhibition will give my fans a sense of how my love – and obsession – for guitars began and evolved,” continues Bachman. “Since I picked up a guitar for the first time, it’s been hard to put down. 

"This is the largest exhibition from my personal collection that I’ve ever shared, and I’m so happy to bring it to Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre.”

“We have been calling 2023 ‘The Year of the Guitar’ at National Music Centre and this exhibition is the centerpiece of everything,” said Andrew Mosker, NMC’s President and CEO. “National Music Centre has been collaborating with Randy for many years to bring this exhibition to life, so to see his vision finally realized is just fantastic.

“Randy’s insightful storytelling, legendary status as a Hall of Fame artist, and the sheer magnitude of his collection is really going to blow our visitors away.”

Throughout the exhibition, Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame member Bachman tells his story of a life in music.

From his earliest guitar-playing endeavors to the height of rock stardom with the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the stories behind this epic collection are as compelling as the instruments themselves.

Some of the highlights from the Randy Bachman: Every Guitar Tells a Story exhibition include a pair of Fender Stratocasters that were used on numerous Bachman-Turner Overdrive recordings.

Bachman connected with the rosewood ‘board 1968 model pictured above (referred to as “the B.T.O. Guitar” or "old reliable" by the guitarist) when his chiropractor recommended getting a lighter alternative to his ten-pound 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard.

Along with Bachman’s 1954 Stratocaster (also pictured above) this helped him achieve his distinctive sound. Speaking of the ’54 Strat, he said, “Playing this with the ’68 Strat gave ‘Let It Ride’ that incredible jingle jangle that just lifted it off the turntable.”

Also on display is Bachman’s iconic “American Woman” Gibson Les Paul Standard that was acquired in the early days of the Guess Who and famously features on the band’s 1970 number one Billboard smash.

So the story goes, Bachman obtained the guitar at a Guess Who basement gig in Nanaimo, B.C. when a fan offered him a trade. Before long, the ‘Burst became his favorite guitar of all, appearing on a number of the Guess Who tracks including “These Eyes” and “No Time.”

Also featured in the Randy Bachman: Every Guitar Tells a Story exhibition is Bachman’s infamous 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body that was stolen in 1976 from a hotel in the Toronto area and miraculously recovered several decades later (in Tokyo, Japan!)

Kicking off this historic event with a truly personal touch, NMC are due to host a live conversation with Randy Bachman on May 4 at 7:30pm.

Click here to purchase tickets.