Musicians’ award renamed for local legend Shields
Guitarist Jeff Neill remembers seeing Kenny Shields for the first time at the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon.
It was the mid 1970s and Neil was 18, travelling out west with his first band. They had a gig at the China Doll and Shields’ band Witness Inc. was at the Bess.
“When we got out here, especially in Saskatchewan we kept hearing about this guy Kenny Shields. He was already a legend in the ’70s and the first time I saw him, he owned the room. He came out and he was spectacular,” Neill said recently.
“Kenny was a ringmaster. He would walk into a room and he could incite an audience into this fantastic frenzy of having fun.”
In time, Witness became Streetheart and by 1981 Neill was the guitar player. Fittingly, he’s returning to Saskatoon for a Kenny Shields-related event. The Saskatoon Musician’s Association Local 553 is dedicating its annual Special Recognition Award for distinguished service to the professional arts in honour of Shields, who joined the local in 1971.
The recipient of the inaugural Kenny Shields Special Recognition Award is Shelly Loeffler.
The event takes place at the local’s annual Gala Showcase on Oct. 5.
“I think it’s a very classy move by the local there in Saskatoon,” said Neill. Shield’s wife, Elena, will also be on hand.
“I think it’s really fitting for Kenny. He basically dedicated 50 years of his life to music. Literally dedicated his heart and soul to rock ’n’ roll. It’s fitting that he be recognized.”
Shields died of heart failure on July 21. Kenny Shields and Streetheart, members of the Western Canadian Music Association Hall of Fame, recorded four platinum albums and six gold albums based on songs like Look in Your Eyes, What Kind of Love is This and Here Comes the Night.
“This has been a very tough summer,” Neill said. “He was getting the best care that he could possibly get but his poor heart just didn’t have enough left. He slipped away very gently and peacefully. Elena was there and Kenny’s sister Charlene and Kenny’s daughter Julia were there with him.
“I feel very grateful that he asked to see me and literally waited for me,” said Neill. “That’s a special moment of my life that I will always cherish. The last time I saw him he looked great. He looked content. He looked at peace, and that’s what he talked about, ‘I just want peace.’ ”
Shields kept working through his illness, struggling more than he would let on, Neill says. “But he was a good Saskatchewan boy from Nokomis, he was as tough as nails.”
This year was going to be the band’s farewell tour, doing as many shows as possible to say thank you to the fans. A stop at Saskatoon’s Rock the River was on the schedule but had to be cancelled when Shields entered the hospital.
“You know how life sometimes gets in the way and Kenny’s health took that opportunity away from him far too soon,” said Neill.
“We should all be so lucky to do what we love right up to the end and then gently slip away.
Performing at the gala will be Heidi Munro and the RealGroovy Band, the Ray Elliot trio, Michael Swan, Autopilot and Martin Janovsky.
Doors open at 7 p.m. at The Bassment. Tickets are $30 ($25 members). Available at 306.683.2277 and thebassment.ca.