Point Edward virtuoso harmonica player Mike Stevens is among 83 people appointed to the prestigious Order of Canada.
Governor General Mary Simon made the announcement Monday.
Stevens, who is also a composer and author, has entertained audiences nationally and abroad for over 40 years.
The 67-year-old began playing the instrument when he was just 12 years of age.
According to his biography, he has won acclaim at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
His music tours in Canada’s north are the subject of three documentaries that showcase his philanthropy and prodigious musical gifts.
Stevens released his first solo album in 1990, and his 2022 record 'Breathe In The World, Breathe Out Music' features a single titled 'Living in Sarnia'.
In a video to his YouTube channel, Stevens reflected on what it was like to get the call last month.
"I'd love to tell you that I was really cool and handled it really well, I wasn't," said Stevens. "I lost it, I cried. I thought about my parents. I instantly reverted back to a 10-year-old trying to make his parents proud. What's really amazing to me is that I've spent the past 50 years being the most comfortable I can be, hiding behind this four inch piece of tin. It's beyond belief to me that the country saw me and awarded me this."
He went on to say he's incredibly grateful and humbled by the honor, followed by a rendition of O' Canada on the harmonica.
More than 8,200 people from all sectors of society have been appointed to the Order of Canada since its creation in 1967.
The government said the contributions of these trailblazers are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country.
- With files from Stephanie Chaves