Ian Tyson, a Canadian singer-songwriter, died on December 29. He was 89. Tyson’s family revealed his death on Facebook. According to the statement, he died at his ranch in southern Alberta, Canada, of “ongoing health issues,” but no other details were provided. In 2015, the singer had a heart attack and underwent open heart surgery.
Fans and other musicians are paying tribute to Ian Tyson.
The news of Ian Tyson’s death has saddened fans of the Four Strong Winds vocalist as well as other musicians. Randy Bachman, a Canadian guitarist, described Tyson as a “real cowboy” and said he had performed with him a few times.
Prayers to the family and friends of, Ian Tyson. We lost a true representative of the cowboy way of life today. Ride on, Ian. We will miss you. pic.twitter.com/qJsPDD5nFz
— Chris LeDoux (@TheChrisLeDoux) December 30, 2022
Ian and Sylvia Tyson in a 1965 Molson Canadian tv ad. Ian Tyson passed away at 89 today. pic.twitter.com/RqmrNv4lre
— Morgan Cameron Ross (@Morgan_C_Ross) December 29, 2022
Gord Bamford, an Australian-Canadian country music artist, paid homage to him on social media, uploading a few images and stating that he recalled singing at Longview Hall and looking up to find someone standing in the doorway watching him. He quickly recognized it was Tyson and continued,
“He stood there for a couple of songs and then vanished. I returned to my dressing room after the act to find him waiting there with a drink and a bite to eat! “You’re a very wonderful child,” he remarked. Keep doing what you’re doing, and best of luck.” We spoke for a bit, and he asked me to see the ancient stone home later.”
Bamford expressed remorse for not being able to speak with Tyson and finished by stating that they had lost a legend and that his sympathies went to Tyson’s family, friends, and fans.
In 1956, Ian Tyson made his singing debut in Vancouver.
Ian Tyson, who was born on September 25, 1933, had his singing debut in 1956 at the Heidelberg Café in Vancouver. In 1959, he started performing with Sylvia Fricker before forming the musical group Ian & Sylvia in 1961. Four Strong Winds, a song about a deteriorating love relationship, was a success in Canada in 1963. The song was chosen as the best Canadian song of all time by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation public radio network listeners in 2005.
They were also known for hits such as Early Morning Rain, Lovin’ Sound, Creators of Rain, More Often Than Not, and You Were on My Mind. Northern Journey, Early Morning Rain, So Much for Dreaming, Full Circle, Live at Newport, and more albums were also published. In 2019, Ian and Sylvia were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Tyson then partnered with Neil MacGonigill, the proprietor of a record company and a music manager. In 1989, he was elected into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. He published many albums, including I Outgrew the Wagon, And Stood There Amazed, and Eighteen Inches of Rain.
Despite amassing a sizable fan base, an incident at the Havelock Country Jamboree in 2006 resulted in irreparable damage to his vocal cords, and he acquired a virus the following year. This also resulted in the deterioration of his vocal quality, for which he was formerly famous. Regardless, he proceeded to release albums such as Yellowhead to Yellowstone and Other Love Stories, Songs from the Stone House, Raven Singer, All the Good ‘Uns Vol. 2, and Carnero Vaquero. Some Kind of Fool, The Moondancer, Oklahoma Hills, Cowboys Don’t Cry, Magpie, and more hits made him famous.
