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Canadian singer-songwriter Ian Tyson passed away on December 29. He was 89.
Tyson’s family confirmed his passing in a Facebook post. According to the statement, he died at his ranch in southern Alberta, Canada, from “on-going health complications,” but did not give out further details. The singer had a heart attack and open heart surgery in 2015.
Tributes pour in for Ian Tyson from fans and fellow singers alike
News of Ian Tyson's passing has evoked sorrow from both fans of the Four Strong Winds singer and other artists.
Canadian guitarist Randy Bachman called Tyson "a true cowboy" and shared that he played with Ian Tyson a few times.
Australian-Canadian country music singer Gord Bamford paid tribute to him on social media by posting a few pictures and writing that he remembers the time he was playing at a show at Longview Hall and looked up to see someone standing in the doorway watching him. He soon realized that it was Tyson and continued,
“He stood there for a couple songs then disappeared. After the show, I went back to my dressing room to find him sitting in there having a drink and a bite to eat! He said, “You’re real good kid. Keep doin’ what ya do and best of luck to ya.” We chatted a while and he invited me to come over to the old stone house sometime.”
Bamford stated that he still regrets not being able to talk to Tyson and concluded by writing that they lost a legend and his condolences go to Tyson’s family, friends, and fans.
Ian Tyson made his singing debut in Vancouver in 1956
Born on September 25, 1933, Ian Tyson made his debut as a singer at the Heidelberg Café in Vancouver in 1956. He began singing with Sylvia Fricker in 1959 before becoming the musical act Ian & Sylvia in 1961. Their 1963 single, Four Strong Winds, which spoke about a failing romantic relationship, was a hit in Canada. In 2005, the song was voted the greatest Canadian song of all time by the listeners of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation public radio network.
They also gained recognition for their singles like Early Morning Rain, Lovin’ Sound, Creators of Rain, More Often Than Not, and You Were on My Mind. They also released various albums like Northern Journey, Early Morning Rain, So Much for Dreaming, Full Circle, Live at Newport, and more.
Ian and Sylvia were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.
Tyson then collaborated with music manager and record label owner Neil MacGonigill. He was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and released several albums like I Outgrew the Wagon, And Stood There Amazed, and Eighteen Inches of Rain.
Although he managed to build a huge fanbase for himself, an event at the Havelock Country Jamboree in 2006 led to irreversible scarring to his vocal cords, and he contracted a virus the next year. This also resulted in the loss of his voice quality, for which he was once beloved by his fans.
Despite this, he continued to release more albums like Yellowhead to Yellowstone and Other Love Stories, Songs from the Stone House, Raven Singer, All the Good ‘Uns Vol. 2, and Carnero Vaquero. He was known for his singles like Some Kind of Fool, The Moondancer, Oklahoma Hills, Cowboys Don’t Cry, Magpie, and more.
Ian Tyson is survived by his two children, Clayton Dawson Tyson and Adelita Rose, born to his ex-wives Sylvia Fricker and Twylla Dvorkin.
