![]() ![]() “I was writing this book while its subject was living with terminal cancer, a liminal state where one has no choice but to live day to day, which Gord Downie did until his final days, writing and creating and advocating as much as he could – as he always had in the never-ending present,” Barclay explains in a press release.ĭownie, who posthumously won three Juno Awards in Vancouver last weekend (including one for artist of the year), died on Oct. To author Barclay, the title represents the band’s ethos: That the most important moment is the one at hand. The Tragically Hip are recipients of the Order of Canada.The Never-Ending Present takes its name from a song on Downie’s first solo album, Coke Machine Glow. ![]() If not better.”ĭownie remained active in spite of his illness, releasing Secret Path, a concept record about Chanie Wenjack, a First Nations boy who died after attempting to make his way home following an escape from a Canadian Indian Residential school. He was not only a true original, he was as great as they come. ![]() He was wildly charismatic, mysterious, poetic and idiosyncratic–quite simply, you couldn’t take your eyes off him. “The fact is,” SEM’s Alex Green said in a statement, “Gord Downie was one of the greatest frontmen of all time. Though Downie was ailing, he completed the tour with gusto, flair and nerve, the band’s last show in Kingston was not only televised, it remains one of the most-watched events in Canadian history. Their last record was 2016’s Man Machine Poem, which also found the band making a valedictory tour across Canada to support it. With close to 15 studio albums under their belts, over the course of their career The Tragically Hip won 16 Juno Awards, got elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame and were awarded the prestigious Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.įormed in Kingston, Ontario back in 1984, The Hip were Downie, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay and Paul Langlois. 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. Thank you for all the help and support over the past two years. We would like to thank all the kind folks at KGH and Sunnybrook, Gord’s bandmates, management team, friends and fans. No one worked harder on every part of their life than Gord. At home, he worked just as tirelessly at being a good father, son, brother, husband and friend. As a musician, he lived “the life” for over 30 years, lucky to do most of it with his high school buddies. ![]() 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. Last night Gord quietly passed away with his beloved children and family close by. ![]()
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