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Ron Hynes
Ron Hynes (1950- ) is the composer behind what is perhaps the most widely
known Newfoundland song, Sonny's Dream. Hynes is also a prolific and highly
respected songwriter and one of the province's most visible entertainers.
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Ron Hynes, 2005.
Photo by Greg Locke. Reproduced with the permission of Lynn Horne. © 2005.
(69 kb)
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Born in Ferryland, Hynes began his career with a 1972 album called
Discovery, recorded in Halifax. From there he moved to Toronto to
work as a singer and songwriter. By 1975 he was back in Newfoundland,
writing music and lyrics for stage productions by the Mummer's Troupe. In
1977 he starred in The Bard Of Prescott Street, a show about the
life and music of Johnny Burke.
In 1978, Hynes was part of the cast of a CBC Television music and comedy
series called The Root Cellar. The series gave birth to the Wonderful Grand
Band, which became one of Newfoundland's most popular acts. Combining
traditional and original songs, fresh musical ideas and comic interludes,
the band spent six years touring, producing its own television series and
recording two albums.
When the Wonderful Grand Band disbanded in 1983, Hynes focused on building
and marketing a repertoire of new songs. He also returned to musical theatre,
acted in television and film and recorded a children's album called Small
Fry.
Ron Hynes, 2004.
Photo by Cal King.
Reproduced with the permission of Lynn Horne.
© 2004.
(51 kb)
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By 1992 Hynes had compiled a catalogue of several hundred songs and a
reputation as one of Canada's finest composers of folk and country music.
Signed to a recording contract with EMI Canada, he released two critically
acclaimed albums: Cryer's Paradise (1993) and Face To The Gale (1996).
His association with EMI ended in 1997, but in the same year he and his
wife Connie released 11:11 Newfoundland Women Sing Songs By Ron and
Connie Hynes. The most recent Ron Hynes album is Standing In Lines
In The Rain, released independently in 1998.
In 2003 he released Get Back Change which earned the Country Recording
Of The Year and Album Of The Year at the 2004 ECMA awards. He published his first
songbook Songs Of Ron Hynes - Volume One in 2005, and released the
self-titled CD Ron Hynes in 2006. In the same year (2006) he was presented
with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from St. John's Folk Arts Council.
Sonny's Dream remains his most popular song, a folk classic covered by
dozens of bands and singers worldwide. Other Ron Hynes songs have been
performed by Murray McLaughlin, Valdy, Christie Moore, Emmylou Harris,
John McDermott and countless other artists.
© 2001, Jamie Fitzpatrick
Updated October 2006
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