Obituaries: Canadian Folk Artist Bob Burchill of Perth County Conspiracy, 'Jeopardy' Singer Greg Kihn

Bob Burchill, a folk singer/songwriter from southwest Ontario best known as a member of '70s favourites The Perth County Conspiracy, has died. His age and cause of death have not been reported.

In a self-penned bio on the Reverbnation site, Burchill noted that "I have a long musical history, Singing and playing music for 50 years. Do the names 'The Perth County Conspiracy' or 'Black Swan Coffeehouse' in Stratford, or 'Smales Pace' in London ring a bell? Do 'Festival of Friends' or 'Ten Lost Years' conjure up images of good times in the early song-writer scene in Ontario? Well there is a good chance you have already heard some of me.

"I started my singing career in Winnipeg as Jason Birch, and worked in Toronto at various places with that name. Upon the stage in Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto, I had to decide who I would be introduced as, to a full house and I thought maybe my original name was good enough.

"Some would say I have been on a path less travelled. Oh Yes, the big concerts, and then the treadmill of 'New' Country Bars, Ski Lodges, and Street-festivals 'just to make a living,' all the while growing my own crops.

"I have written and recorded the songs on 9 CDs and have a large number I need to finish. While helping the old folks retire, and kids to grow, I had a folklore styled music store, R.B. Music Studio, and Stonetown Music Centre, in St Marys, Ont. Over a 12 year run I had hundreds of students, rentals, and repairs of string instruments."

Perth County Conspiracy was a popular Stratford-based group whose style was termed psychedelic folk. Active from 1969 to 1977, they had minor hits with the singles "You've Got To Know" and "Uncle Jed."

The band recorded two albums for the Columbia label, then went independent and released a string of records on their own. Bob Burchill joined the group in 1973, contributing on guitar and vocals.

Burchill's first solo album, 1975's Cabin Fever, was well-received. Subsequent solo albums included Hugs, Two Blue, It's A Grand Garden and 2006's When I Was A Kid.

Noted roots music bassist David Woodhead played alongside him in Perth County Conspiracy and on Burchill's 1975 album Cabin Fever. In his Facebook tribute, he termed Burchill "a true born and raised Perth County guy. I knew he had health issues for quite a while, but really wasn’t expecting this. Learned my first Swedish polska from him, too. Oh, my."

International

Bobby (Robert Caldwell Hicks) Hicks, a legendary bluegrass fiddle player, died on Aug. 16, from complications of heart disease, at age 91.

In its extensive obituary, Bluegrass Todaytermed Hicks "among the most celebrated and enduring musicians to ever play bluegrass music. From early days with Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, through a time playing pop country in Las Vegas, to his memorable stint with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, few did as much to define bluegrass fiddle as thoroughly, and with more joy and spirit, than Bobby Hicks. A true bluegrass hero."

In 1953 his first professional gig came along, playing fiddle for Jim Eanes, followed by dates with Bill Monroe as a bassist. Once he realized what a strong fiddler his young bassist was, Monroe moved him to that position. During this time Hicks recorded a number of Monroe gems, "Wheel Hoss," "Roanoke" and "Cheyenne," which remain standards to this day. After a two-year hitch in the Army from 1956-58, Hicks rejoined Monroe upon his return, and recorded several more classic tunes with the band.

He then worked with Porter Wagoner and Judy Lynn, developed and performed his own solo show in his new base of Las Vegas and recorded his solo project, Texas Crapshooter.

In 1981, Ricky Skaggs, then pursuing a career in country music, hired Hicks for his touring band, and multiple hits followed. Hicks was featured on the first recording by the Bluegrass Album Band, with Tony Rice, Doyle Lawson, J.D. Crowe and Todd Phillips, and he was included in the first five records they made together while continuing with Skaggs.

In 2004, he farewelled Skaggs and the road life, but he continued to play his fiddle, as well as banjo and guitar, up to the very end.

A member of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, Hicks was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017.

A public Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

Greg Kihn, a much-loved American pop and rock musician, author and radio host known for his hit “Jeopardy,” died on Aug. 13 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 75.

A Billboard obituary reports that the Baltimore-born Kihn "moved to San Francisco in the mid 1970s, where he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew King Kaufman’s Beserkley Records. He formed the Greg Kihn Band, featuring guitarist Robbie Dunbar, bassist Steve Wright, and drummer Larry Lynch, and the group released a self-titled album in 1976. Through the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year."

Kihn got his first major Billboard hit in 1981 with “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” from the RocKihnRoll album. The track hit No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two years later, he unveiled the dance-ready hit, “Jeopardy,” which climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in May 1983. A parody song by Weird Al Yankovic based on "Jeopardy" also made the Hot 100, peaking at No. 81.

Beyond his success as a musician, Kihn was also an accomplished author. He wrote four horror fiction novels, including 1996’s Horror Show and 1998’s Shade of Pale. 1998’s Big Rock Beat and 1999’s Mojo Hand were written as sequels to Horror Show. He also wrote Carved in Rock: Short Stories by Musicians, which compiled stories from him and other rock musicians including Pete Townshend, Joan Jett and more. His 2013 novel, Rubber Soul, was a Beatles-themed murder mystery story.

He also ventured into radio, and was a former Morning Radio host for KFOX for 17 years, as well as a syndicated night time radio host.

Jack Patrick Russell, lead singer of U.S. rock band Great White who was onstage during a horrific ‘03 concert fire, died on Aug.15 , at age 63. Last month, Russell’s Instagram page had announced his retirement from touring after diagnoses of Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System Atrophy.

Russell, a California native, joined Great White in 1981. The group's biggest hit was the Ian Hunter-penned song, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” from its 1989 album, ... Twice Shy, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, aided by a popular MTV video. A Russell original, “The Angel Song,” reached No. 30 on the chart, and ... Twice Shy wound up selling about 2 million copies and was a top 10 hit on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 9. The band would earn a Grammy nomination in the best hard rock performance category.

A Billboard obituary reports that "following Great White's end in 2001, the lead singer hit the road as Jack Russell’s Great White — most infamously headlining Rhode Island’s The Station nightclub in 2003, when pyrotechnics started a fire that killed 100 people, including bandmate Ty Longley, and injuring 230.

"Russell’s tour manager, Daniel Biechele, pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006 and served two years in prison of a 15-year sentence. The band also reached settlements with victims in several lawsuits."

Great White reunited in 2007 with original members to mark their 25th anniversary, issued a new studio album and spent two months touring Europe."

On the Instagram page for Great White, Russell’s original bandmates shared their “deepest condolences to the family of Jack Russell. We hope they take comfort in knowing Jack’s incredible voice will live on forever.” The ended the statement: “Rest In Peace, to one of rock’s biggest champions.”