Rocker Randy Bachman reunited with guitar 45 years after it vanished
This year, Randy Bachman found two very important things: his rare Gretsch guitar that was stolen in 1976, and a new friend.
Bachman, the Canadian musician and member of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, bought the 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins guitar when he was 18, after saving every penny he earned working odd jobs. He wrote the songs "Takin' Care of Business" and "American Woman" on the guitar, and when it was stolen from a Toronto hotel in 1976, "part of me was lost," Bachman told CNN.
Bachman discussed the missing guitar in a video he posted on YouTube, and fan William Long, who enjoys investigating unsolved mysteries, started searching for it online. Over the course of three weeks, he looked at countless images of orange Gretsch guitars and scoured the classifieds. Bachman's guitar had a very distinctive pattern in the wood grain, and Long finally tracked it down to a vintage guitar shop in Tokyo, which had sold the guitar to Japanese musician Takeshi.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When Bachman watched a video of Takeshi playing the guitar, it was "unbelievable," he said, and it felt "like somebody hit me in the face with a shovel." Takeshi agreed to give Bachman back his guitar, but asked for his assistance tracking down something similar. An Ohio shop helped Bachman find the guitar's sister, which based on the serial numbers was likely made during the same week.
In a statement, Takeshi said he is "honored and proud" to be the one to return the guitar to Bachman. Once travel restrictions are lifted, Bachman told CNN he plans on flying to Japan, where he will perform with Takeshi. "This guy is my guitar brother," Bachman said. "Takeshi is my brother. I can't even talk to him because he's Japanese, he doesn't understand me, but when we play the guitar together on Zoom, there's this connection."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeys
Cartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published