‘Music is universal’: B.C. man walks for hours while playing his guitar

“You just want to jump up and dance.” Adam finds out why a B.C. man regularly walks for hours while playing an acoustic guitar.

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Before he brought his guitar outside on this day, Drew had been feeling stuck inside for a few days.

“I’m trying to get some energy,” Drew says while tuning his instrument. “I’ve been feeling sort of burnt out.”

Perhaps it was the weather, perhaps it was his arthritis, perhaps it was because all the other stuff one must worry about.

“I go out and I look for stuff,” Drew says what he does when he’s not carrying his guitar. “Cans, food, clothing.”

But today, Drew isn’t looking for anything specific because he’s already found something priceless.

“The sunshine draws me out to play,” Drew says.

And on the sunniest of days, Drew will play a repertoire of his favourites from the ‘70s and ‘80s on his guitar, while walking countless kilometres across multiple neighbourhoods.

“I don’t have a dog. I’m more into cats,” Drew says. “I sort of walk my guitar.”

And like people walking dogs inevitably stop and talk with other people who have dogs, Drew usually meets other people who play music or at least appreciate it.

“Music is universal. It’s transformative,” Drew says. “It just gives your life some meaning.”

By the time he reaches a park at the midpoint in his walk, instead of throwing a dog a ball, Drew will try playing something equally energizing.

“You just feel it,” Drew smiles. “You just want to jump up and dance.”

And like walking a dog on nice day can make you feel good, by the time he and his guitar return home, Drew has no doubt he will be feeling even better.