Obituaries: Canadian Music Store Legend Jack Long of Long & McQuade, Rapper Rich Homie Quan

Jack Long, musician and founder of major Canadian music store chain Long & McQuade, died on Sept 4, at age 95.

His company's Facebook page reported the news, and observed that "Jack lived a long and happy life, surrounded by music and family until the very end. We are proud of the legacy he leaves and will miss him every day. The Long Family."

Always Toronto-based, Long began his career in music as a trumpet player, after graduating with a degree in music from the University of Toronto. Opened in 1956, his first musical instrument store was on the second floor of a home in downtown Toronto. He partnered with local drummer Jack McQuade in 1957 to open the first Long & McQuade shop.

Assuming sole ownership in 1965, Long started expanding across Canada. Long & McQuade has long been the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the country, now operating at over 100 locations from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

Jack Long was also a driving force behind Yorkville Sound, a renowned Canadian manufacturer of audio amplifiers (including the famed Traynor amplifier line), loudspeakers and related professional sound reinforcement equipment. Based in Pickering, Ontario, the firm has a global presence as an importer and exporter of audio electronic products.

Yorkville Sound began in 1963 in the back room of Long & McQuade, a music store on Yonge Street in Toronto. Peter Traynor was working as the business's repairman, and had been customizing amplifiers by using readily available components. Traynor approached Long with the idea of starting Yorkville Sound to sell Traynor-branded bass amplifiers and more.

Long and Traynor partnered in the venture, with Long owning two-thirds and Traynor one-third, which he later sold. Steve Long, son of Jack Long, began working full-time at Yorkville Sound in 1981 and eventually became company president

In 2022, Gilles LeBlanc profiled Jack Long forThe Toronto Star. LeBlanc observed that "in Canada, there has been no source [for musical instruments] more trusted than Long & McQuade. Long, a 2014 appointee to the Order of Canada, insists he has been mostly lucky, but a combination of common sense, intuitiveness and a charitable heart have had much more to do with his success than any naïve good fortune."

LeBlanc noted, "Long & McQuade’s eight-decade clientele range from Gordon Lightfoot to Shawn Mendes, not to mention the countless beginners, weekend warriors and professionals that are just as important to the ensemble of Long & McQuade staff and instructors. The famous Neil Peart kit that sold for half a million dollars at auction in December 2020 was purchased at Long & McQuade before the drummer’s first tour with Rush."

Jack Long's generosity and his dedicated support of Canadian musicians saw the latter react with effusive tributes to Long that flooded social media as news of his passing spread. Here are just a few selections.

Torquil Campbell, frontman of Stars, posted this on X: "Thank you, Mr. Long, for personally forgiving my debt when my rented Bach Strad trumpet was stolen when Stars was on tour. You literally just let me walk away. You and your company are the reason many people in Canada can just pick up an instrument and play it. Love and respect."

Fergus Hambleton, Toronto singer-songwriter and leader of The Sattalites, posted this tribute on Facebook: "I've been reading all the wonderful tributes to Jack Long. He set the tone for the company that powered the Canadian music scene for so many years. We all have a story it seems about a man who helped so many musicians, who set an example of kindness and practicality and who was an integral musical element in the lively Toronto music scene of the 50s and 60s, and then the store became the fulcrum of the exploding Toronto live music scene.

"Like many of the greats he was supportive and sympathetic to musicians at all stages...he was a businessman and an artist, and brilliant at both. Much love to the Longs...his legacy lives on with his talented children and grandkids."

Veteran Toronto musician Danny Marks on Facebook: "Long & McQuade can be trusted and the reason why goes back to their first days at 803 Yonge Street and a man who believed in us. Jack Long gave musicians credit. And let's face it, we didn't always deserve it. But he did anyway. To the great man's credit, we're all better off because of him. Thank you Jack, play on."

Richard Underhill (Shuffle Demons) on Facebook: "One of the very best has left us. A gentle, humble giant of a man that immeasurably positively impacted the Canadian music scene. Long & McQuade Musical Instruments always feels like home, is always a place of trust and understanding and encouragement, and he is a huge reason for this amazing attitude. RIP dear Jack Long, you will be greatly missed, but your legacy lives on forever in every child who gets a reasonably priced rental and every musician who gets credit to pursue their dreams."

Toronto music journalist/author Nick Jennings on Facebook: "Jack Long was that rare breed: a musician first and a businessman second. His love of music came through in his generosity when renting instruments to short-on-cash musicians at his Long & McQuade chain of stores. He was equally sympathetic to community groups needing sound equipment for their fundraising or benefit events, often giving reduced rates to help the cause. There’s unlikely to be another quite like Jack Long. Condolences to his family and friends."

Musician Bernard Maiezza (Change of Heart) in a Facebook message to Jeffrey Long, Jack's son: "Some 40+ years ago you shared a story that I have thought about many times in the past couple of years. It is about how your dad started the rental department based on a belief in his community. As I recall, you told me that people kept telling your dad 'he was crazy' to offer in-store financing to musicians who walked off the street with only a library card as ID."

Jazz radio host Dani Elwell on Facebook: "In 40 years of music and radio, I never heard a single bad word about him. How could that be? Everyone it seems has a Jack Long or Long and McQuade story about how he or they saved them in some sort of way. Encouraged them, helped. He helped build a community of music. What a legacy. What a family.

"I once was asked to quietly approach him about forgiving a bill for a local event because they simply didn't have the money to pay it and he forgave it, because he knew that having it was important. I would ask him for audio clips about jazz or himself for JAZZ.FM91, advice, stories and he was always willing to oblige. He never said no.

"He would listen to your story, its significance and then ask how he could help. What a remarkable human being. He made the world of music, a world that can sometimes feel detached or awkward or even overly whimsical, at least for me, a better place to live in. Rest, Jack."

Stephanie (Stevie) Cameron CM (née Dahl) died at her home in Toronto on Aug. 31, 2024 at the age of 80. The Canadian journalist and author co-hosted the investigative documentary series, The Fifth Estate, and wrote for many Canadian newspapers.

Read more in this Billboard Canada FYI obit.

International

Herbie (Brian Keith) Flowers, a prolific English session bassist and a songwriter, died on Sept. 5, at age 86.

By 1980, it was estimated he had played on over 500 recordings. These included classic albums by Elton John (Tumbleweed Connection, Madman Across the Water), David Bowie (Space Oddity, Diamond Dogs), Lou Reed (Transformer, including the two prominent basslines of "Walk on the Wild Side"), Melanie (Candles in the Rain), Roy Harper (Bullinamingvase), David Essex (Rock On), Al Kooper (New York City (You're a Woman)), Bryan Ferry (The Bride Stripped Bare), Harry Nilsson (Nilsson Schmilsson, Son of Schmilsson), Cat Stevens (New Masters, Foreigner), Paul McCartney (Give My Regards to Broad Street), George Harrison (Somewhere in England, Gone Troppo, Brainwashed), Ringo Starr (Stop and Smell the Roses) and Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds.

In 1969, Flowers helped found Blue Mink, playing on their song "Melting Pot" which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and early heavy rock band Rumplestiltskin. He was also a member of CCS and the final lineup of T. Rex.

In 1979, he became a co-founder of the band Sky which had success in the United Kingdom and Australia.

As a songwriter, he is best known for composing the novelty hit "Grandad" for Clive Dunn in 1970.

From the 1990s, Flowers spent most of his time playing jazz, and also worked as a bass guitar teacher at Ardingly College and on "Rockshops" at schools. In the late '90s, he and session drummer Peter Boita worked on two albums featuring the work of famed poet Sir John Betjeman.

In 2009, Flowers founded a community choir, Shoreham Singers-by-Sea, which has in excess of 150 members, followed in September 2010, by the Ditchling Singers.

Will Jennings, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning co-writer of Titanic‘s performed by Celine Dion, “My Heart Will Go On” and other hit songs by Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and Whitney Houston, has died on Sept. 6, at age 80. He had been experiencing health issues in recent years.

A Billboard obituary notes that "During his career, the Songwriters Hall inductee co-wrote six songs that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: Barry Manilow’s 'Looks Like We Made It' (1977); Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes’ 'Up Where We Belong' (1982); Winwood’s 'Higher Love' (1986); Houston’s'“Didn’t We Almost Have It All' (1987); Winwood’s 'Roll With It' (1988); and Celine Dion’s 'My Heart Will Go On' (1998)."

Jennings also collaborated with Clapton on “Tears in Heaven,” which hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 and topped Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks in 1992. The tribute to Clapton’s late son also earned the pair a song of the year trophy at the 35th annual Grammy Awards.

Jennings won best original song at the Academy Awards in 1983 for co-writing An Officer and a Gentleman‘s “Up Where We Belong” alongside Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie. He took home the same honor in 1998 for the Titanic classic “My Heart Will Go On,” which he co-wrote with composer James Horner. The Dion-sung ballad also won Grammys for record and song of the year.

A Texan, Jennings worked as a professor prior to hitting it big as a songwriter. His résumé also includes musical collaborations with such superstars as B.B. King, Mariah Carey, Jimmy Buffett and Roy Orbison.

Sérgio (Santos) Mendes, the Grammy-winning Brazilian pianist, songwriter and arranger who had a global hit with “Mas Que Nada," died on Sept. 5, at age 83, after months battling the effects of long Covid.

A Billboard obituary reported that "The Latin pop crossover star scored a series of international hits during a six-plus decade career, including 'Mas Que Nada' and swinging covers of songs by the Beatles."

The success of “Mas que Nada” helped popularize the Brazilian music genre bossa nova internationally in the 1960s. In 2006, a version of the song topped U.S. charts, as performed by Black Eyed Peas. It was included on the Mendes album Timeless, produced by will.i.am and featuring Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, the Black Eyed Peas and others.

Mendes retained an international audience. He last performed in November 2023 to sold out and enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.”

Mendes also composed the soundtrack for the film Pelé, featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and even produced an album recorded by the Brazilian legendary soccer player.

He studied music at the local conservatory in Brazil, with hopes of becoming a classical pianist. His interest then switched to jazz, and he started playing in nightclubs in the late 1950s just as bossa nova, a jazz-inflected derivative of samba, was emerging.

Mendes played with Antônio Carlos Jobim (regarded as a mentor) and many U.S. jazz musicians who toured Brazil. Mendes formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio and recorded Dance Moderno in 1961. Touring Europe and the United States, Mendes recorded albums with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann and played at the Carnegie Hall. He moved to the U.S. in 1964 and cut two albums under the group name Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '65 with Capitol Records and Atlantic Records, launching his commercial career.

Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for Brasileir and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio,” from the animated film Rio.

“Sérgio Mendes was my brother from another country,” trumpet player and label head Herb Alpert wrote on Facebook. “He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance.”

Rich Homie Quan (born Dequantes Devontay Lamar), a platinum-selling Atlanta rapper best known for eclectic tracks like “Lifestyle,” “Flex” and “Type of Way, ” has died at age 34. A cause has not been reported.

New York Daily News noted that "a star high school athlete, Quan released his first mixtape, “I Go In on Every Song,” in 2012, hilariously followed up by “Still Goin In” later that year, “I Promise I Will Never Stop Going In” in 2013 and “If You Ever Think I Will Stop Goin’ In Ask RR (Royal Rich)” in 2015."

Quan’s first big hit arrived in 2013, with his flow on “Type of Way” driving his debut on the Billboard charts. Quan and another Atlanta rap star, Young Thug, collaborated on “Lifestyle” in 2014, and the following year brought Quan’s biggest solo hit, “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)." The song went triple platinum and peaked at No. 26 on the charts."

In 2018, Quan released his first and only studio album, “Rich as in Spirit.” He featured on YG’s “My N—a” and Travis Scott’s “Mamacita,” along with many other songs.

In its obituary, Billboard reported that "To date, according to Luminate, Quan’s catalog has compiled 3.34 billion on-demand official U.S. streams. More recently, he independently released singles such as “Ah’chi” with 2 Chainz and “Authentic” earlier in 2024. His last project came with Family & Mula – Reloaded in 2022 via Rich Homie Entertainment."

Quan was set to appear at Wild ‘N Out Live at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on Sept. 19.