RIP Gord Downie

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AnnaMarie

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Feb 16, 2012
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Tragically Hip's Gord Downie dead at 53 - Entertainment - CBC News

QUOTE: Known for his distinctive voice and poetic lyrics, Downie has been a fixture on the Canadian music scene since “The Hip,” as his band is lovingly called by their fans, formed while they were in high school in 1984 in Kingston, Ont. They released their first self-titled EP three years later, in 1987.
 
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Bev Vincent

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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of Gord Downie:

“For almost five decades, Gord Downie uncovered and told the stories of Canada. 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.

“The Tragically Hip’s music invited us to explore places we had never been – from Mistaken Point to Churchill – and helped us understand each other, while capturing the complexity and vastness of the place we call home.

“Gord’s command of language was profound. He painted landscapes with his words, elevating Canadian geography, historical figures, and myths. When he spoke, he gave us goosebumps and made us proud to be Canadian. Our identity and culture are richer because of his music, which was always raw and honest – like Gord himself.

“In the wake of his diagnosis, Gord only fought harder for what he believed in: social justice, environmentalism, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Before passing, he shined his light on the story of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack who died from hunger and exposure after trying to find his way home from a residential school. For his work raising awareness of Indigenous issues, he was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada in 2017.

“Gord did not rest from working for the issues he cared about, and his commitment and passion will continue to motivate Canadians for years to come.

“On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to Gord’s family, friends, bandmates and crew members, and his many, many fans. He will be sorely missed.”
 

AnnaMarie

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Gord Downie’s Secret Path in Concert to Premiere Sunday, October 22 on CBC

Secret Path in Concert will air on Oct 22 on CBC, commemorating the 51st anniversary of Chanie Wenjack’s death. Filmed at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto on October 21, 2016 with more than 30 members of the Wenjack family in attendance, the one-hour, commercial-free special captures Downie’s remarkable and emotional Secret Path live performance with musicians Kevin Drew, Kevin Hearn, Josh Finlayson, Dave Hamelin and Charles Spearin, interwoven with intimate backstage moments and footage from The Secret Path animated film that premiered on CBC last October.

Secret Path was inspired by the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old boy who died of exposure on October 22, 1966 in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario, walking home to the family he was taken from over 600 km away.