Canadian folk music icon Ian Tyson has passed at 89 yers of age.
He was best known for writing "Four Strong Winds" and "Some Day Soon"
He was best known for writing "Four Strong Winds" and "Some Day Soon"
RIP Ian Tyson
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Ian and Sylvia were an essential part of my teenage life. They performed their folk music just before the hippie craze in the sixties. I recall David Clayton-Thomas reminiscing about Yorkville before the yuppies took over. He pointed out some of the buildings and how they had changed. He exclaimed that Ian and Sylvia lived over there, Joni Mitchell lived over there, Gordon Lightfoot lived over there, Neil Young lived over there and he was crazy about Joni Mitchell. They used to perform in the various coffee shops in the neighbourhood amid cigarette smoke and caffeine. Rest in peace, Ian Tyson, folk singer and country artist extraordinaire.
In my mind I always thought that he was more of a cowboy singer than a country singer per say. Loved his music. Back in the day my wife and I saw Ian and Silvia at the Friars Tavern and during their break they came and sat next to us to chat. Too bad that years ago at an Alberta concert the mic system was down but he kept singing but ruined his vocal chords. He made a new album after but unfortunately his voice was shot but the songs were still great. RIP IAN TYSON.
I used to go to the Brown Derby on top of the Friars when they had a raucous rock and roll bar complete with long communal tables and cheap pitchers of beer. Down stairs in the Friars, I remember the waitresses with their see-through diaphanous tops seerving drinks on coffee tables and overstuffed chairs. Drinks were about a buck and a big glass of beer was also about a dollar.
Yonge Street was fun back then. Starvin' Marvin's was open on the next block. The massage parlours were coming in and the ladies of the night plied their trade openly. Crowds up and down Yonge Street were shoulder to shoulder in those days, especially to visit Sam the Record man.
