Cape Breton's Bruce Guthro — a storied musician with a 40-year career — has died. He was 62.
The singer-songwriter, who found success as a solo artist as well as fronting Scotland's Celtic rock band Runrig, passed away yesterday (September 5) evening, just two months after going public with his cancer diagnosis.
He's survived by his wife, Kim Anderson-Guthro, and two children, Jodi and Dylan Guthro.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts and with profound sadness that we inform you of the news that Bruce passed away last night, having finally lost a long battle with cancer that has stretched back many years," Runrig wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. "Everyone associated with Runrig is heartbroken at the loss of a dear friend and such a special musical colleague."
The singer-songwriter, who found success as a solo artist as well as fronting Scotland's Celtic rock band Runrig, passed away yesterday (September 5) evening, just two months after going public with his cancer diagnosis.
He's survived by his wife, Kim Anderson-Guthro, and two children, Jodi and Dylan Guthro.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts and with profound sadness that we inform you of the news that Bruce passed away last night, having finally lost a long battle with cancer that has stretched back many years," Runrig wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. "Everyone associated with Runrig is heartbroken at the loss of a dear friend and such a special musical colleague."
The artist got his start fronting bands at local clubs on the island before sustaining a national career as a soloist, accumulating numerous East Coast Music Awards over the years. In 1998, Guthro joined Runrig, replacing co-founding singer Donnie Munro. He continued performing with the band through their final shows in 2018.
Guthro was also known for bringing together both up-and-coming and established artists in his songwriters' circles, which created an intimate storytelling atmosphere by having the musicians face away from the audience and sing to each other instead.
"He saw the universality of us as writers, but also saw the thing that made us different, which made us stronger, right," colleague and friend J.P. Cormier told CBC. "And he was compelled, for some reason, to demonstrate that to the world over and over and over again, and that's what the circles were."
"Nova Scotia has lost a favourite son," Matt Minglewood added on Twitter. "A beautiful guy who helped any and all. Just one of the best."
