Ron Hynes, Newfoundland singer-songwriter died this week, at the age of 64. David and I both loved Ron’s music.
Twice we saw Ron perform at one of our favourite venues, the Trailside Inn in Mount Stewart, PEI. The first time we brought our daughter Mary, who was about 6 months old, along with us. Ron saw her from the stage and dedicated a lullaby to her. The next time he and David had an animated conversation after the concert about how they should collaborate on something sometime. David often listened to Ron’s songs, with “Dark River” and “Godspeed” two of his particular favourites.
In the summer, John Connolly, a PEI singer-songwriter and friend of Ron’s, told me about a song Ron had written called “After Leaving Home.” I found it on YouTube and wrote to Ron to tell him how much I liked it, and how David had liked listening to his CDs. Ron wrote back to thank me for telling him that. At the time I didn’t realize how ill he was.
He was a towering talent, a master songwriter and poet. Gone too soon. Godspeed, Ron. RIP.
Ron’s last album, featuring “After Leaving Home”