The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library

05/25/2026

Donate here: instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton

What an incredible evening celebrating the life and legacy of John Hutton. 🎶

We are honoured to be partnering with Caron Hawco and John’s bandmates to raise funds to establish The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated in John’s memory. Your support will help provide instruments to young people across Newfoundland & Labrador who may otherwise not have the opportunity to join their school band or learn music.

Music changes lives - and through this initiative, John’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of young musicians.

If you would still like to contribute, donations can be made here:
instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton

05/25/2026

What an incredible evening last night at the Celebration of Life for John Hutton.

To donate and learn more:
https://instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton/

We were honoured to attend and witness the outpouring of love, music, stories, and community spirit that filled the room. It was a beautiful tribute to a man whose impact on Newfoundland and Labrador’s music community will never be forgotten.

We are especially honoured to be partnering with Caron Hawco and John’s bandmates to establish The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians — a lasting way to continue John’s legacy of mentorship, generosity, and helping others succeed.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who has already donated in John’s memory. Your support will help purchase musical instruments for young people across Newfoundland and Labrador who may otherwise never have the opportunity to play music or join their school band.

Music education changes lives. It builds confidence, creativity, friendships, discipline, and belonging. Through this initiative, John’s legacy will live on in every student who gets the chance to pick up an instrument and discover the joy of music.

While last night’s event was an incredible success, we’re making one final push for donations to help grow this collection and maximize the impact we can make for young musicians in John’s memory.

To donate and learn more:
https://instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton/

Thank you for helping us honour John Hutton in such a meaningful and lasting way.

The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young MusiciansThe Katie Sullivan Instrument Library is honoured to announce the creation of The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians, a dedicated collection of instruments established in memory of John Hutton and his extraordinary contribut...

05/20/2026

The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library is honoured to announce the creation of The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians — a dedicated collection established in memory of John Hutton and his extraordinary contribution to music in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Learn more: https://instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton/

This initiative was developed in partnership with John’s wife, Caron Hawco, as a meaningful way to honour John’s lifelong commitment to music, mentorship, community, and helping others succeed.

With a career spanning more than 57 years, John Hutton was a force in Newfoundland and Labrador’s music, entertainment, and business communities. Best known as lead guitarist and singer with Billy and the Bruisers, John was also a passionate advocate, mentor, entrepreneur, promoter, and community builder whose influence reached generations of musicians and artists throughout the province.

Through this special collection within The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library, John’s legacy will continue by helping young people across Newfoundland and Labrador access the instruments they need to participate fully in school music programs.

Instruments purchased through this initiative will become part of a special subset within our Library inventory and will be specially marked in John’s memory as they are loaned to future generations of young musicians.

🎶 A Celebration of Life for John Hutton will be held:

📍 Jag Soundhouse
📅 Sunday, May 24
🕗 8:00 PM

Proceeds from the Celebration of Life will support the creation of The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians within The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library.

To learn more or donate in John’s memory: https://instrumentlibrary.ca/johnhutton/

The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young MusiciansThe Katie Sullivan Instrument Library is honoured to announce the creation of The John Hutton Instrument Collection for Young Musicians, a dedicated collection of instruments established in memory of John Hutton and his extraordinary contribut...

05/07/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to announce that The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library has received a $1,500 Community Grant from the City of St. John’s!

Thank you to St. John’s City Council for approving this funding and for recognizing the importance of accessible music education in our community.

As we continue building our collection of instruments and preparing to launch our loan program for students across Newfoundland and Labrador, this funding will help us purchase and maintain quality instruments for students who otherwise may not have access to them.

For many families, the cost of renting or purchasing an instrument can place music education out of reach. This grant helps us move closer to a future where every child who wants to participate in school music programs has the opportunity to do so.

We’re proud to have the support of the City of St. John’s as we work to make music education more accessible, inclusive, and equitable for young people in our communities.

Thank you again to the City of St. John’s for investing in students, arts education, and community wellbeing. 🎶

05/02/2026

🎶 Behind the scenes at the Instrument Library 🎶

After an incredible response to our Used Instrument Drive, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work, or Ken did at least!

We were thrilled to bring in instrument repair technician Ken, who spent a week restoring our donated instruments. From minor fixes to major tune-ups, 70+ instruments have now been brought back to life and are getting ready for their next chapter.

A huge thanks to Sable Building & Design for allowing us to use space in their workshop for this repair work!

Every instrument we repair is another opportunity for a student to participate fully in their school music and band programs. This work is a key part of how we build and maintain a high-quality collection for students across Newfoundland and Labrador .

We’re getting closer every day to launching our loan program in September, when these instruments will be placed into the hands of students who need them most.

Thank you to everyone who donated and supported this effort—it’s making a real difference. 💛

04/26/2026

Thanks again to Saltwater Brass for performing at our recent Used Instrument Drive at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.

04/25/2026

Back on March 8th, we hosted a Used Instrument Drive at the Sheraton, and we’re so grateful for the incredible support from our community. 💛

Because of your generosity, we’ve added more instruments to our growing collection, helping us move closer to our goal of ensuring every student in Newfoundland & Labrador has access to music education.

To everyone who donated, shared, or stopped by—thank you. Your support will help put instruments into the hands of students who need them most.

Stay tuned as we continue building our collection and preparing to launch our loan program in 2026!

03/08/2026

03/06/2026

Music teacher Chris Miller from Admiral’s Academy knows firsthand how important access to instruments can be. When he was a student, he was able to borrow an instrument from his school — an opportunity that helped launch his musical journey.

Today, that option isn’t always available. Many schools have limited instruments, and many families simply can’t afford to buy or rent one.

That’s why The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library exists — to make sure every student has the chance to participate in music education, regardless of financial barriers. The library works directly with music teachers to place instruments in the hands of students who need them so they can take part fully in their school music programs.

🎺 You can help!
Join us at our Used Instrument Drive this Sunday, March 8
📍 Sheraton Hotel – Main Lobby
⏰ 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

If you have a gently used instrument, consider donating it and helping the next generation of musicians get their start.

03/05/2026

Music Education Changes Lives.
Hear from one of this province's music teachers, Sarah Comerford, on the importance of our efforts here at The Katie Sullivan Instrument Library.