Gordon Edgar Downie was one of the most riveting and mystifying performers in rocknroll history. Yet, with the exception of certain, mostly border cities in the U.S. and pockets of support in western Europe, the Hip rarely made an impact outside Canada, continuing to play smaller venues like the House of Blues stateside while they sold out hockey arenas north of the border. Editors picks More recently, he and other members of the band appeared in the episode of Trailer Park Boys entitled "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys", in which he is harassed while eating a bologna sandwich at a singles dance. There can be a certain darkness in the lyrics, in some ways that reminded me of reading and listening to Leonard Cohen or Robertson Davies. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. He met his future Tragically Hip bandmates while attending. [39] The album was accompanied by a graphic novel on which he collaborated with Jeff Lemire,[39] and an animated television film which aired on CBC Television. Following the release of Man Machine Poem and the Tragically Hips final concert, Downie continued to work. Last night Gord quietly passed away with his beloved children and family close by. The more you dig, the more you get into it, the more awful it becomes and you start to realize what was going on for so many kids.". Also, a series of music videos for all the songs on the album were created by Canadian artists and released on YouTube. "In many ways, Mike is in the trenches, and I think that's really helped him cope with the pain. Gord Downie, troubadour of Canada, charmed and challenged a nation After a long battle with cancer, the Tragically Hip frontman died among his family on Tuesday night. If the Tragically Hip frontman had to check out early as he did on Tuesday at 53 years of . A guerrilla act of love to show the rest of the country what strength and artistry, grace and humour the Cree possess." [6] In high school, Downie was the frontman for a band called the Slinks performing at the KCVI Variety show and rivaling older members Rob Baker and Gord Sinclair's band the Rodents. On that summer night in Kingston, the set list dipped back to the Hips first hit single, Blow at High Dough, the one that opens with the line: They shot a movie once, in my hometown. His movie, our hometowns: Downies lyrics imbued Canadas music scene with mystery and magic and presented it, poetically, to a wide mainstream audience. He usually started with a "Hello," and often ended with a variation on "Good night, music lovers," but what would happen in between was anyone's guess. That same summer, the Tragically Hip released a new album, Man Machine Poem, and embarked on a lengthy Canadian tour that culminated in an emotional final show:a hometown gig at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario. Gord Downie's not-so-Secret Path to truth and reconciliation Everything about itthe music, the film, the band, his performancemakes you want to pay attention By Michael Barclay October 22,. Gord Downie was given sufficient time to pen his own obituary, and that is exactly how it should be. [13], In addition to his solo works, Downie collaborated with several fellow Canadian and international artists. He says that watching it stirs a mixture of sadness and pride. Musician manager Jake Gold, who along with Allan Gregg gave the Hip members their first shot, told the authors of the book Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985-95, about the Toronto show that won them and an ambivalent crowd over. [6] In an interview with Canadian music journalist Steve Newton, Downie noted that the Tragically Hip's early setlist was originally drawn to bands such as The Yardbirds and The Stones, a decision that was made because the Hip wished other Kingston bar bands would also play the genre. "Ahead by a Century" was the single most-played song on Canadian radio on the day Downie's death was announced. David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78 There were a few others there, though, most of whom knew enough to respect the privacy of the cancer-stricken man who had travelled hundreds of kilometres to disappear. His death was announced on the Tragically Hip website, stating quote: Last night Gord quietly passed away with his beloved children and family close by. The backing musicians, credited as the Goddamned Band, consisted of indie rock band the Dinner Is Ruined, Josh Finlayson of Skydiggers and singer-songwriter Julie Doiron. A documentary film, Long Time Running, about the Tragically Hip's summer 2016 cross-Canada farewell concert tour, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017. Thank you everyone for all the respect, admiration and love you have given Gord throughout the years those tender offerings touched his heart and he takes them with him now as he walks among the stars. Downie never sought to be iconic. [79], In October 2022, the song "Lustre Parfait" was released to streaming services as a preview of an album collecting various previously unreleased songs that Downie had recorded with Bob Rock. As a musician, he lived "the life" for over 30 years, lucky to do most of it with his high school buddies. The bands management broke the news just after the May long weekend in 2016, while simultaneously announcing a tour to promote the new album. At Queen's University, Downie's alma mater, flags were lowered to half-mast following news of his death. Meanwhile,Secret Pathcomprised not just a record, but a graphic novel and animated film as well, all of which werebased on the tragic, but largely unknown, story of Chanie Wenjack, an indigenous 12-year-old boy who froze to death trying to escape the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School. Bellegarde also bestowed on Downie an honorary . Not a word. At the Juno Awards of 2018, the album won the Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year, Downie and Drew won Songwriter of the Year for "A Natural", "Introduce Yerself" and "The North",[47] and Downie won the Artist of the Year. The Tragically Hip formed in 1983 at Queen's University, named after a sketch in former Monkees member Michael Nesmith's long-form music video "Elephant Parts," and were soon playing the Kingston bar scene. The album was scheduled for release on October 27th. Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell deserve to be read on the page just as often as you play their recordsbut they dont play rock music. That's really compelling to me." Canadian radio stations responded heavily to Downie's death, with early figures indicating the band's radio airplay on October 18 increased 1,500 percent compared to a normal day. [61] The CBC news broadcast, The National, spent 40 of its sixty-minute broadcast discussing Gord and The Hip. The group said they were "humbled" with the award. Gord knew this day was coming his response was to spend this precious time as he always had making music, making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss on the lips. When he first said they were going on tour, I said, Are you okay? Gord Downie was born on February 6, 1964 in Amherstview, Ontario, Canada. Gord Downie is the late lead singer and songwriter of rock giants The Tragically Hip. When he spoke, he gave us goosebumps and made us proud to be Canadian. The interview with Patrick and MikeDowniefromThe National, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. When he wasnt doing that, he directed his attention to environmental issues, specifically those endorsed by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, a Canadian water charity run by an old Queens University classmate, Mark Mattson. He delivered frenetic dance moves or stream-of-consciousness rants in ways that suggested he was channelling the music. Gord was my friend, but Gord was everyone's friend, it's who we were, our buddy Gord, who loved this country with everything he had." "He loved every hidden corner, every story, every aspect of this country that he celebrated his whole life." "We are less as a country without Gord Downie in it." "She said, I wouldnt go to the lobby of my building to see Frank Sinatra. In a 1991 profile of the Hip, a reporter from the Kingston Whig-Standard visited all the band members families. I see stuff and I ," Patrick says, taking a moment to collect himself before continuing his thought. "For me, it's not as easy. The song "Goodnight Attawapiskat" from the album Now for Plan A was a result of this trip.[24]. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Bodie is currently a State Historic Park. Gord Downie Memorial site? The gig notably came together thanks to the efforts of fellow Kingston, Ontario native Dan Aykroyd, who introduced the group despite John Goodman hosting that nights show. The 100 Best Albums of 2022, Speaking with The New York Times around the bands final show, Broken Social Scenes Kevin Drew summed up the Tragically Hips influence: Were a country that hasnt really embraced its history just yet. ~ MacKenzie Wilson HOMETOWN Amherstview, Ontario, Canada BORN February 6, 1964 Similar Artists Gord Downie & The Country of Miracles The Tragically Hip Hayden Joel Plaskett Rheostatics Dan Mangan Matthew Good Matt Mays Arkells Wintersleep when she met a 23-year-old Downie, who was just getting started with the Hip, playing mostly university gigs.. Just a few close friends on a starry night in front of a campfire. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Downie "was a great communicator," Gold said. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. When you have five children, its hard to remember all the details, said Edgar. The entire band valued their privacy, but Downie even more so: perhaps because of the adulation directed his way, but also because of the way he was raised. Gord Downie, the Tragically Hip frontman who united a diverse array of music lovers with his commanding stage presence and Canadiana-laced lyrics, has died. to catch the first shows of the tour, just in case he didnt make it home. His death was announced in a statement from his family . It was a moment that helped Gord finally get at something that had been nagging at him for years. ", After his final appearances with the Tragically Hip, Downie released Secret Path, a multimedia project that tells the tragic tale of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack, who died of exposure and hunger in 1966 after running away from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora, Ont. Outside his work with the band, Downie released five solo albums his first, Coke Machine Glow, arrived in 2001 and collaborated with an array of artists including Buck 65, Fucked Up, Dallas Green, Alexisonfire and the Sadies. The Tragically Hip announced his diagnosis on their website on May 24, 2016. "His main focus was the release of Secret Path," says Gord's brother, Patrick Downie. Were still trying to figure out what makes us Canadian, and we have one of the loudest neighbors in the world, so this band helped a country, and Gord helped people lyrically, slowly start to try to define themselves.. Gordon R Downie (1899-1943) - Find a Grave Memorial Born in 1899 and died in 13 Oct 1943 Winnipeg, Manitoba Gordon R Downie Skip to main content Home Memorials Cemeteries Famous Contribute Register Sign In Register Sign In Memorial updated successfully. Days earlier, this quiet man had held much of the entire nation rapt, millions watching as he summoned all his strength to tackle his terminal condition, to fend backhowever brieflythe inevitability of death. He died on October 17, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario. But things were much quieter now. I am planning a trip to Kingston, Ontario in the next few days and was hoping to find a site to pay my respects to Gord. In the wake of his diagnosis, Gord only fought harder for what he believed in: social justice, environmentalism and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, he added. The Secret Path began as 10 poems that Gord Downie wrote as he grappled with Chanie's story. The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund is a registered charity. Now, one year later, Gord's brothers take us through his final year full of passion and emotion, and share what it was like to be right by his side the entire way. That included only three live shows, in Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax, and appearances at the Ottawa WE Day event and Haydens Dream Serenade concert in Toronto. Gord Downie's legacy. I think rock 'n' roll is the same. He took it in stride: if part of his poetrys appeal was that he rarely telegraphed direct meaning, he had to accept the fact that fans were going to read whatever they wanted into what he said. Vandoliers Play Tennessee Concert in Dresses to Protest State's New Drag Bill The group also has a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction, a Governor General's Performing Arts Award, an honorary fellowship with the Royal Conservatory of Music and a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. With seven solo albums to his name, Downie's own music refutes definition, renowned for its adventurous poetry . [77], In August, Downie's Twitter account was reactivated, and began posting a series of teaser photographs of handwritten song lyrics, accompanied by numbers that appeared to be a calendar countdown to the date of October 15. A childrens choir sang The Stranger, the opening track from Secret Path. Imagine if they were part of us and we them, how incredibly cool it would make us? He released his second solo album, Battle of the Nudes, in 2003 before returning to the studio with the Tragically Hip. Lets not celebrate the last 150 years, Downie told a Toronto audience last October. During his final months, Downie chose to say goodbye in his own unique wayand he let fans bid the beloved band farewell, too. Very quick question to anyone that might be able to answer it.. [33], In December 2015, shortly after attending his father's funeral, Downie was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. The final concert was released on DVD under the title A National Celebration on December 24, 2017. lang and Neil Young, rapper Drake, and the rock group Rush, remembered Downie on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. [50] Downie and Usher separated in 2015 before Downie's cancer diagnosis. That's who influenced me as a poet.". When he finished, Gord Downie left an eternal flame. His subject matter was always broader than he was given credit for, but its easier for armchair academics to latch onto songs about hockey and a late-breaking story on the CBC; those topics werelow-hanging fruit in the dense forest of Downies imagination. The rest of the Tragically Hip were scions of the Kingston elitesons of doctors, deans, judges and popular teachers. The claims are located in Okanogan County, in Section 3, Township 35 N., Range 31 E. The state lease encompasses the south half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the southeast quarter and the Lots 5 and . The program won the Donald Brittain Award for Best Political or Social Documentary Program[41] and Best Music in a Non-Fiction Program. (THE CANADIAN PRESS) Gord Downie, the Tragically Hip frontman who united a diverse array of music lovers with his commanding stage. It was brave . The band also earned 16 Juno Awards the most ever for a band and the fourth-most ever for an artist picking up their last two in April for Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year for Man Machine Poem. Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy, ran away from a residential school in northern Ontario 52 years ago. Gord Downie, the lead singer for the beloved Canadian alt-rock bandthe Tragically Hip, died Tuesday at the age of 53. Some Canadians, being a cautious bunch, flew from Ontario to B.C. He saw it as something that I think made sense to him as his life was coming to an end.". Tragically Hip's Gord Downie dead at 53 | CBC News Loaded. Not surprisingly, Downie has cited all those as key influences, as well as David Byrne, Van Morrison and, yes, Jim Morrison; Downie sang a few Doors tunes . Canadian rock legend Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip died at the age of 53 from brain cancer. Downie passed away on the night of Tuesday, Oct. 17, with his children and family by his side, according to a statement released by the band. They're writing all the music and I'm writing all the lyrics and we're coming up with some neat stuff. As we move towards resolution and understanding and greater serenity in all aspects of our life, love's pretty elemental and that's nice to know. He is known for Jumper (2008), One Week (2008) and Ararat (2002). He was transfixed by Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe residential school student who died of hunger and exhaustion while trying to walk 600 km home to his family. A man that was so proud of his children and his family. What followed once the show hit the road, though, was a public outpouring that few could have predicted: a year of Downie transforming from an aging rock star to tragic hero. As soon as Mike told his brother about Chanie's story, he says Gord was transfixed and made it his purpose to bring it to Canadians. Gord Downie is definitely in the tradition of great Canadian poets, Dickinson told the National Post in 2016. "This is not to take away from anything he did on that farewell tour with the [Tragically] Hip, but this is what he really wanted to see to the end. Your father is now buried. [32], In December 2017, Percy Hatfield, the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) representing WindsorTecumseh introduced the bill Poet Laureate of Ontario Act In Memory of Gord Downie to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. [38], In September 2016, Downie announced he would release a new solo album, Secret Path in October. GORD DOWNIE: (Singing) Sundown in the Paris of the prairie, wheat kings have all their treasures buried. It would turn out to be the last show of his bands 30-year, multi-million-selling, award-winning career, a fate many suspected at the time. Downie was born on Feb. 6, 1964, in Amherstview, Ont., just slightly west of Kingston, to Lorna and Edgar, a travelling salesman turned real estate developer. [21] He was also a part of the Swim Drink Fish Music club, a project that unites artists and environmentalists in a music club to raise money for Waterkeeper organizations in Canada. The album was raw, experimental and far removed from the rock radio world the Hip inhabited: droning organs, atonal guitar screeches and accordions competed for sonic space with Downies vocals atop opiated folk-country songs. And for him that missing piece became very obvious. Aided by teleprompters showing the lyrics, Downie pranced about the stage with his signature theatrical dance moves, though less kinetically than in the past. "[58] Canadian MP Tony Clement called upon the government to consider holding a state funeral for Downie, stating "I think he matters that much to Canadians. Gordon Downie was born in Amherstview, Ontario, and raised in Kingston, Ontario, along with his brothers Mike and Patrick, and sisters Charlyn and Paula. Tragically Hip front-man Gord Downie's brother Patrick on why he and his brother Mike are working so hard to preserve the singer's legacy. It was a move unprecedented in music history: this was not a suicide, like with Kurt Cobain; this was not an addict flaming out in public, as Amy Winehouse did; this was not an artist whose later work showed clear signs of physical decline, like Johnny Cash; this was not someone who was going to disappear quietly, like David Bowie, who left us to wrestle with his final artistic statements posthumously. Tragically Hip: Canada Waves Goodbye to a National Treasure. Though he wasn't afraid to go it alone as a solo artist, Downie's legacy will always be tied most closely with the Tragically Hip. [6] The Tragically Hip quickly became famous once MCA Records president Bruce Dickinson saw them performing at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto and offered them a record deal. Comments are welcome while open. Gordon Downie (known widely as Gord Downie) was born in Amherstview, Ontario, and raised in Kingston, Ontario, along with his brothers Mike and Patrick, and sisters Charlyn and Paula. It's there all the time, tuned in to Fox News. Cate Blanchett Suits Up and Gets Down in Sparks New Music Video, Taylor Swift Plots a Seventies Powder Party (Not That Kind) in Lavender Haze Behind-the-Scenes Video, Miley Cyrus Reviving the Backyard Sessions for Endless Summer Vacation Special, SST Records Producer Glen Spot Lockett Dead at 72, Glastonbury Co-Organizer Promises Female Headliners in 2024 After All-Male Top Billing This Year, There Were Sidemen. If anything, the Hip's lack of success in the U.S. has only made Canadians more protective of them. Updated at 11:10 a.m. [60], Downie was widely mourned in Canada. He painted landscapes with his words, elevating Canadian geography, historical figures, and myths, Trudeau said on Wednesday. Downie, who won two Junos for the 10-song solo album, thought of the Secret Path music, concerts and film created with artist Jeff Lemire as his legacy project. Are you sure? Then I understood his reasoning, not the least of which was doing it for the guys, which was really lovely, and I thought, Of course. His third solo effort, The Grand Bounce, was released in 2010. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Over more than thirty years and across fourteen studio albums, Downie and his band of brothers built a legacy as the essential Canadian rock band. Downie recorded the latter album, produced by Drew, across two four-day sessions in January 2016 and February 2017, with much of the final product assembled from first takes. He eventually joined a band that did punk covers, and was in a group called the Filters. [49] They had four children. He stoked the fire until sparks came out. I came from a rural area, he once recalled. Wenjack was to 2016 what Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi was to 2015: a tragic symbol who launched a Canadian conversation about compassion and collective reckoning. Most artists will hear crowds singing the first verse and choruses of their most popular songs; Downie routinely had audiences singing every single line in his discography back to him, no matter how arcane or untethered the lyric was to rhyme or meter, songs full of what songwriter John K. Samson calls beautifully meaningful non-sequiturs., The Tragically Hip, photographed in New York in February 1992. His family and managers said future releases are planned, including solo material and unreleased work with the Hip. Gord Downie, the lead singer of the Tragically Hip, died Tuesday night surrounded by his loved ones. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Gord Downie: In my mind, there's always a TV flickering away in the corner of every song.