Myles Goodwyn, the singer, guitarist and primary songwriter for Canadian rock group April Wine, has died at the age of 75.
Goodwyn formed April Wine in 1969 alongside brothers Ritchie and David Henman, and their cousin, Jim Henman. The group’s self-titled debut album arrived two years later, but generated only minor attention. Steadily, the band’s popularity grew – their fourth album, 1975’s Stand Back, went double platinum in their homeland, while their next LP, The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy, hit No. 1 in Canada.
Things were slower to develop for the band in America. Their 1972 single “You Could Have Been a Lady” peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the band didn’t consistently start clicking with U.S. audiences until the early ‘80s.
April Wine’s 1981 album The Nature of the Beast became their biggest commercial hit in the States with over 1 million copies sold. It also spawned their biggest hit, “Just Between You and Me,” which peaked at No. 21.
April Wine broke up in 1986 but reunited in 1992 and has continued forth ever since. The band saw many lineup changes over the years, however Goodwyn remained the lone constant presence and is the only musician to appear on all of the band’s releases. In total, April Wine sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, and their decades of success earned them a place in the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.
Goodwyn Retired From Touring Due to Health Problems
Goodwyn had battled several health problems over the years, most notably collapsing while on the way to Quebec airport in 2008. The rocker was suffering from internal bleeding as a result of years of alcohol abuse and was lucky to survive.
At the start of 2023, the singer announced he was retiring from touring, but that April Wine would continue with his blessing.
“Although I’m still in the band writing, recording the guys and producing, I am now officially retired from touring,” Goodwin said at the time. “I will miss the shows, the fans and the other bands that have been friends for years, but health reasons have made this decision necessary.”
Goodwyn’s last performance took place on March 2 in Nova Scotia.
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