This is the hardest episode I've ever produced to date.
I grew up just a couple of blocks away from John McGale in North Bay, Ontario. He was one of my very 1st influences as a musician, right along side of the Beatles & the stars of Motown.
John was that slightly older kid in the neighbourhood who showed us that it was possible to do what the Beatles & the Rolling Stones were doing.
He became the Social Convenor at Widdifield High School where I attended in the 1970s. In his role on our student council, he booked some of Canada's best bands of the day to play our dances. It was then that he made contacts with top booking agents who would help him get his foot in the door on the top rung of the music business.
He is one of the very few artists I've known who was actually able to support himself strictly from the music, & he did it better than most.
His big step up in the late 70s was joining the Premier Quebec band, Offenbach. After the original lead singer, Gerry Boulet passed away in the 1980s, John took over leadership of the band, & he proudly carried that banner for over 40 years before his own untimely passing on his 66th birthday October 30th 2022. He was on his way home from doing what he was born to do....entertaining us.
I've put together personal tributes from a few of John's closest friends mixed with a couple of takes from interviews I had with him over the past couple of years.
Rest in piece John McGale. Your music will live on forever in our hearts old friend.

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