P.E.I.'s Rose Cousins overwhelmed with support after instruments stolen

P.E.I. bornsinger-songwriter Rose Cousins was getting ready for atour of the U.S. West Coast last Friday.

Right before 8 a.m. in Los Angeles she walked up to her parked rental car to feed the meter, but when she approachedCousins saw it was damaged.

Two windows were smashed out. Her ukulele and guitar were gone.

Cousins said her first thought was, "That is it."

It was a small crime in a big city, she knew she had to file a police report, but it was such a small incident she wasn't convinced anyone was going to look for the instruments, Cousins said.

She owned both instruments for about seven years.

"It's hard to describe the relationship," Cousins said. "Relationships you have with an instrument, it's like you create things together. They're like my friends."

She was supposed to fly out the next day to kick off her tour.

I'm heading to San Francisco tonight and I probably have like 15 offers. It's like I can't keep up with the incredibleness. It's completely overwhelming. Rose Cousins

So, Cousins posted on social media asking if anyone in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco might be willing to lend instruments for a show.

"I couldn't even believe how many people responded and shared the post."

Lending instruments

A friend of hers who also plays music reached out to a fan who supplied Cousins with a guitar for a show in Seattle, she said.

"I got this beautiful Martin guitar to play in Seattle and another fellow knew another fellow who had a baritone uke and he brought it. Just these people blindly giving me their instruments."

It's a beautiful spirit lifting affirmation that I am doing something that is important and that I should keep going. That people care about it, it's really overwhelming in the best way. Rose Cousins

Two nights ago in Portland, local musician Tony Furtado lent her his ukulele and someone else lent a guitar.

"I'm heading to San Francisco tonight and I probably have like 15 offers. It's like I can't keep up with the incredibleness. It's completely overwhelming."

'Beautiful blanket of support'

Sometimes, with the amount of support she has received it makes her think less about the incident and her missing instruments, she said.

"It's just like I've had this beautiful blanket of supportand the feeling is incredible."

Cousins said she hasn't experienced a hardship like this before.

"Just the fact this post was shared almost 1,000 times by people that I don't know trying to help me. It's a beautiful spirit lifting affirmation that I am doing something that is important and that I should keep going. That people care about it, it's really overwhelming in the best way."

Cousins plans to check pawn shops for her instruments, but is keeping her expectations low.

She will be stopping off on P.E.I. to perform at the Indian River Festival June 28.

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