Brian May Helps Young Artist Find Missing Guitar

For those of you looking for a feel-good narrative here’s something quite heartfelt. A young 8-year-old schoolboy has been reunited with his guitar after initially losing it at a metro station, thanks to a collaborative effort that included Queen guitarist Brian May.

According to the account, Emerson Liu Bancroft misplaced his Alhambra classical guitar while riding the bus, and it was subsequently recovered by U.K. West End star Mazz Murray, who sought to search down the owner after learning that it was most likely a child who had misplaced the instrument.

“Someone (a child) has lost this. I found this guitar outside Edgware Tube station. Some poor kid getting royally bollocked right now. Let’s try reunite them,” wrote Murray, then tagging Queen’s Brian May in her post.

May then used his social media to help spread the word. “Did anyone out there lose an acoustic guitar – in a case like this – outside #edgware (sorry – not Edgware Road ) tube station?” wrote May, then asking questions about the contents inside the case, May aimed to see if he had a query that made sense.

May’s post was the means by which word reached Bancroft, who was able to accurately identify his sheet music for the Harry Potter and Star Wars soundtracks. The guitar was then returned to the appreciative young musician when Bancroft encountered Murray at the Novello Theatre, where Murray is presently starring in Mamma Mia!

May updated his social media accounts with an update on the guitar’s voyage, explaining, “We DID manage to reunite the lost guitar with its owner – a young man called Emerson – who one day will surprise us all!! Thanks Evening Standard for this write-up. Thanks to the redoubtable @mazzmurray for actually powering this happy story – and thanks to all of you who helped spread the word. Social Media as a thing DOES have its good points.”

May has been preparing for his acting debut on an upcoming episode of the BBC kids TV program Andy and the Band when he isn’t doing good on social media. Yes, he still has a day job ahead of him, since Queen will resume touring in late May. Check out tickets and dates here!