Theyí¢â‚¬â„¢re entering the first truly adult phase of their lives, that part where, sooner than they imagined it, thereí¢â‚¬â„¢s another generation behind them, ready to hog the spotlight. What to do? Resent these gate-crashing barbarians because they personify the ravages of time, or tap into their energy and help them to find their way?

If youí¢â‚¬â„¢re female, or otherwise blessed with the maternal instinct, odds are youí¢â‚¬â„¢re going to go for the latter. If youí¢â‚¬â„¢re Sue Foley, thereí¢â‚¬â„¢s an additional incentive: the perpetuation of the musical species known as The Female Guitar Player.

í¢â‚¬Å“Thereí¢â‚¬â„¢s been something missing from our lives,í¢â‚¬  she admits, referring to the Honor Roll grads of the take-no-prisoners school of the six-string that includes herself, slide siren Rachelle van Zanten, and Gatineau guitar goddess Roxanne Potvin. í¢â‚¬Å“Female role models. Thatí¢â‚¬â„¢s why what weí¢â‚¬â„¢re doing is important. Girls doní¢â‚¬â„¢t know that this kind of life is a real possibility for them. If you doní¢â‚¬â„¢t see it done, then you doní¢â‚¬â„¢t think it can be done.í¢â‚¬ 

Pay attention, girls, all you whammy-wielding wannabes still stuck in the Rolling Stones-old notion that rock or the blues are a musical mení¢â‚¬â„¢s club. Thereí¢â‚¬â„¢s a paradigm shift coming featuring four of Canadaí¢â‚¬â„¢s finest Fenderized feminists: the aforementioned three, along with one of the first women ever to plant the flag on Planet Blues, Ellen MacIlwaine.

Theyí¢â‚¬â„¢ll be arranged into more configurations than the doll collection you gave up after you heard your first Bonnie Raitt record: duos, trios, solos and en masse, part of a catch-as-catch-can tour that began last year and will wow í¢â‚¬Ëœem again through í¢â‚¬â„¢07.

The gigs are a living extension of Sueí¢â‚¬â„¢s pet project, a book sheí¢â‚¬â„¢s writing on contemporary female guitar practitioners. This magnum opus, due out late in the year, will boast interviews with over 75 players from around the world. Expect tips, quips, lip and plenty of the stuff non-musical, testosterone-infected hacks like me can never pretend to give you. í¢â‚¬Å“These women tell me things that they wouldní¢â‚¬â„¢t say to a standard interviewer.í¢â‚¬  Scooped by Sue Foley? The shame! í¢â‚¬Å“Thatí¢â‚¬â„¢s because they know that Ií¢â‚¬â„¢ve been there.í¢â‚¬ 

And indeed she has. Sueí¢â‚¬â„¢s paid more dues than a union man whoí¢â‚¬â„¢s bad at math. Playiní¢â‚¬â„¢ and touriní¢â‚¬â„¢ is a hard life, even for one as talented and tough as she. So why not tell todayí¢â‚¬â„¢s prospective guitar gals to trade in their axes? í¢â‚¬Å“This generation can benefit from something ours never had. So many of us felt isolated for so long, because we were always with guys. But the bookí¢â‚¬â„¢s made me realize that thereí¢â‚¬â„¢s this big community of female guitar players out there, and that community can make it so much easier for people.í¢â‚¬ 

Ití¢â‚¬â„¢s a sense of oneness fostered not only by Foleyí¢â‚¬â„¢s book í¢â‚¬“ prospectively titled í¢â‚¬Å“Guitar Womení¢â‚¬  - but initiatives like van Zantení¢â‚¬â„¢s newly created Western rock camp for girls, a first, and the support of community partners like Rogers Television and The Ottawa Folklore Centre. Under Sueí¢â‚¬â„¢s guidance, Rogers and the OFC have devised a bursary for budding musical talent: a whopping $1,000 for lessons or gear to whomever deems to dub herself the next Sue Foley.

í¢â‚¬Å“Before this book and these gigs, I used to think of all of these women, young and old, as competition. Now I recommend them instead of talking about me.í¢â‚¬ 

Chicks with picks, coming soon to a venue near you.

Image from Sue Foley taken by Alen Messer.