Torrance Farmers' Market musician still working on getting a new guitar

I drove over to the Torrance Farmers' Market at Wilson Park today to check up on guitarman Hisao Shinagawa, the so-called "Japanese Bob Dylan."

Last week, I wrote about how Shinagawa's prized guitar given to him 28 years ago by songwriter Townes Van Zandt was crushed when a vendor at the Hollywood Farmers' Market accidentally drove over it.

The story ran in the Daily Breeze, the Long Beach Press-Telegram and was followed by Channel 7, which sent its Eyewitness News reporter out to tell his story.

Well, Shinagawa told me today some people have tossed a few extra bucks into his guitar case since the articles and TV spot, but he is far from having enough cash to buy a new one. He continues to use a guitar he's borrowed from a friend.

The money he received, he said, will help pay the rent, which is the title of one of his signature songs.

In the meantime, he's heard nothing from the vendor who drove over the instrument or his car insurance company.

"Why do I have to ask twice?" he said.

Still, he's questioning his own principles about whether he should even buy a new guitar because it's his philosophy to not own anything. But, as I told him, if he doesn't get himself a new guitar, he won't be able to make music, which is his passion in life and way to earn a living.

Anyway, he'll be playing the Cerritos Farmers Market on Saturday and will be back in Hollywood on Sunday. You can see him again in Torrance next Tuesday.