'The sadness will give way to wonderful memories': Maritime musicians remember Bruce Guthro
As the sadness from Cape Breton singer-songwriter Bruce Guthro's passing on Tuesday night reverberates through the music community and beyond, those who shared the stage with him are also sharing memories.
"It's still ringing quite raw, to be honest,” said fellow well-known Maritime musician Charlie A’Court.
Driving home from his gig in Fox Harbour, N.S., on Thursday, A'Court did what a lot of Maritimers have been doing since word about Guthro’s death broke Wednesday morning - he passed the time listening to Guthro's music.
Thursday evening, A’Court had planned to pay tribute to him on stage.
"We'll certainly be raising a glass, and if I can keep my composure I'd like to try to sing a little tune,” he said.
Heather Rankin, formerly of The Rankin Family, said while her heart is broken she fondly remembers being the butt of one of Bruce's jokes during a songwriter's circle years ago.
"He got a kick out of me because I'm five feet tall and had difficulty getting up on the stool,” Rankin recalled. “So, one night he put a little stepping stool for me to rest my feet on and get up and off of the stool. He was a little bit full of the devil. He had a tough exterior, but a giant heart.”
When Aselin Debison opened the 2000 East Coast Music Awards with Guthro, he was a star already. She was nine years old. However, she remembers how he had all the time in the world for her.
"For me, it's the loss of a fantastic musician but he was so much of a father figure,” Debison said. "He was the first person to pull me up on stage out of the blue at a show and just try something on the fly. He gave a young songwriter a chance in his songwriters' circles."
For now, the thoughts and prayers of Guthro’s musical friends are with his family.
"Eventually the sadness will give way to wonderful memories, and warm and loving thoughts of Bruce,” said A’Court.
"Everyone knowing what an amazing guy he was and how sadly he'll be missed, and my condolences go out to his beautiful wife Kim and his children Dylan and Jodi,” said Rankin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.