Canada’s 2012 Walk of Fame inductees include Randy Bachman, Russ Jackson, Sarah McLachlan, Sonia Rodriguez, Team Canada ’72 and late actor Phil Hartman. COURTESY – wikimedia.org
By Matthew Smith
Legendary Canadian musician Randy Bachman along with CFL player Russ Jackson, musician Sarah McLachlan, ballet dancer Sonia Rodriguez, Team Canada ‘72 and the late actor Phil Hartman will be among the people inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame on Saturday from 3:30-4:45 in front of The Ed Mirvish Theatre at 244 Victoria St.
Bachman performed in Toronto Thursday night to more than 1,500 people at The Winter Garden Theatre.
The 68-year-old cranked out hit songs from his 60s tenure in The Guess Who followed by his 70s formation of Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Bachman played electric guitar throughout the performance, with the addition of anecdotes about each of his hit songs he wrote and co-wrote. Some of them he wrote with former bandmate Burton Cummings, who was the lead singer of The Guess Who.
“I wanted Burton to be our new lead singer in The Guess Who so when I went over to his home early that morning to ask him to join us, he said The Beatles already asked him to join them instead,” said Bachman to the audience. “I said, well alright and as I began to exit his front door he asked me if I was serious in him joining us. I said yeah, were you serious about joining The Beatles? He said no. That was the beginning of the real Guess Who for all of us.”
After every anecdote, the crowd enthusiastically responded with applause and sometimes laughter.
Bob Oman, who grew up in Sudbury, is a dedicated Randy Bachman fan. Oman, who now resides in Newmarket, attended the concert and said Bachman was great.
Oman witnessed Bachman Turner Overdrive in concert during the mid 70s. Comparing BTO’s past concert to the show, Oman said it brought back a lot of memories.
“I forged them (tickets) when I went last time,” said Oman. “They were general admission floor tickets so when I was in drafting class in high school, a few of my classmates and I made them,” said Oman. “Four or five of us rushed down to the Sudbury Arena, the doors opened and we got in. However, the tickets I used for tonight’s show were real.”