We all knew - his family, his friends and bandmates and fans - that his death would come soon.
It was almost as if Downie knew that we all needed that moment to prepare for the inevitable. I remember mouthing the words “Oh my God.” It was all that I could say or do. Throughout the song, my wife and I sat, breathless as we watched at home.
It was a guttural, intimate, private and public all at the same time. Standing starkly in his silver lamé outfit, tears streaming down his face, Downie literally howled with emotion for several minutes. Canada's History Youth Committee MembersĪmid an evening of unforgettable moments, none was more powerful or emotionally wrenching than the performance of “Grace, Too,” where, near the end, the emotional and physical and mental weight of Downie’s cancer threatened to engulf him on stage.This article was originally published at 10 a.m. ‘Project Runway’ contestant and fashion designer Mychael Knight diesĢ:25 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the history of the Tragically Hip. Johnson, a former UCLA football player and teammate of Jackie Robinson, dies at 96 ‘Trailer Park Boys’ star John Dunsworth dies at 71 Our identity and culture are richer because of his music, which was always raw and honest - like Gord himself.”įor breaking music news, follow on Twitter. “When he spoke, he gave us goosebumps and made us proud to be Canadian. He painted landscapes with his words, elevating Canadian geography, historical figures and myths,” Trudeau continued. “Gord’s command of language was profound. He was the frontman of one of Canada’s most iconic bands, a rock star, artist, and poet whose evocative lyrics came to define a country.” Read more.Ĭanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, at the edge of tears, read a statement after Downie’s death, saying, “For almost five decades, Gord Downie uncovered and told the stories of Canada.
Above, she talks with her lawyer, Arjen Greydanus, on Nov.
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In his last months, he remained an outspoken advocate for indigenous rights, addressing injustices in songs like “Now the Struggle Has a Name.”įrancine Hughes Wilson, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity after setting her abusive ex-husband on fire as he slept in 1977, a story dramatized in the TV film “The Burning Bed,” died on March 22, 2017, of complications from pneumonia in Alabama. The group was a favorite across Canada for its mix of hard-swinging rock and Downie’s allusive lyrics that remained focused on Canadian identity and issues even as the band saw international success. Singing as if soaring in the clouds, he adds, “We get to feel small/From high up above/And after a glimpse/Over the top/The rest of the world/Becomes a gift shop.” “Gift Shop” views the world from above, a macroscopic ode to what he describes as “the beautiful lull, the dangerous tug” of life. As with most of his lyrics, Downie on “Henhouse” found beauty in the tiny wonders of life while exploring big questions of existence. The band’s multiplatinum 1996 album, “Trouble at the Henhouse,” earned them their first album of the year Juno. Unlike chart-busting Juno Award winners of the time including Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, Rush and Alanis Morrisette, while the Tragically Hip was earning Junos - its first was as most promising band in 1990 - Downie and company waited until they were established up north before dipping down to test the waters.
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