Fellow Maritime musicians remember Myles Goodwyn

While attempting to sum up the life and career of Myles Goodwyn’s, five-time ECMA award winner Charlie A’Court said April Wine, which was led by Goodwyn, showed the world the high-level of music talent produced in Canada.

April Wine began as a Garage Band in Waverley, Nova Scotia, and climbed to achieve worldwide fame.

“More so than of that, Myles and Jim Henman, and the whole crew showed that a world-class calibre of rock music can come from the Maritimes,” said A’Court.

Sean McKenna has always admired Goodwyn’s perseverance.

“You have a dream, go for it,” said McKenna.

McKenna plays in a band and is a music podcast host.

Growing up in Dartmouth, Goodwyn and April Wine were his role models.

“I think it would be pure fiction to say everybody in my age group, and possibly older, didn’t play those songs in the basement,” said McKenna.

Long-time radio host JC Douglas says Goodwyn’s singing and guitar talents are often the first things people think of when they remember his life and career.

However, Douglas also said Goodwyn’s song writing abilities were world class.

”Myles Goodwyn believed that the Beatles had a formula for writing their early hits,” said Douglas. “So as kids, he and Jim Henman deconstructed the Beatles early hits, down to a mathematical problem, and tried to reconstruct them into their own individual songs.”

When asked about an example of a song written with the Beatles which served as an inspiration, “The second section of You Won’t Dance with Me,” said Douglas.

According to A’Court, Goodwyn thought fans and the music industry in general under-appreciated his song writing accomplishments.

“When in fact, he was one of his countries best, creating so many memorable hooks and lines and lyrics,” said A’Court.

Douglas says one of his favourite memories was a long ovation Goodwyn received at a songwriter’s circle during a visit to Halifax many years ago.

“He took a look around, and said man, maybe it’s time to move back home,” said Douglas.

Goodwyn lived his final years in his home province of Nova Scotia, and many fans mourn the passing of a Canadian music legend.

Goodwyn was 75.