Rhodes made Ottawa rock

It was just a small nightclub in a government town that the major acts were never really excited about. Music royalty played in places like Toronto and Montreal, but Gord Rhodes made them come to Ottawa’s Barrymore’s.

Over time, Rhodes transformed the club into a major hub of live music, and in the process helped put small-town Ottawa on the international music map.

Music legends from James Brown and B.B. King, Tina Turner to REM, Lenny Kravitz and U2 came to Ottawa to play at Barrymore’s. And there were other great acts like Buddy Rich, Lucinda Williams, The Stray Cats, Ramones, Run-DMC and Toots and the Maytals who found their way here, thanks to Rhodes’ indefatigable commitment to music and the city he came to call home.

In his own small way, Rhodes, a pioneer in the music industry, contributed to the development of Ottawa as a city worth visiting, and we will remember his contribution, celebrate his achievements and mourn his passing at 68. Our condolences go to his family.

Rhodes, who started as a bartender, came to Ottawa with his wife, Sherry, to start a business and opened Barrymore’s in 1978.

A musician himself, he had a vision for live club music and worked hard to turn Barrymore’s into a showcase nightclub. And he brought joy to many music lovers in the city, and nurtured talents.

“We take for granted now the clubs and shows. Gord was a true pioneer, and without him I don’t think we could be where we are now,” noted music impresario Eugene Haslam, who counts Rhodes as a mentor.

Rhodes showed that it doesn’t matter where you start in life. It is how hard you work, what you contribute and where you end up that matters most. And by all accounts, Rhodes ended up as a legend of the Ottawa music scene. He will not be forgotten any time soon.