Kenny Shields, the brash lead singer of Canadian rock band Streetheart who swaggered across the country's stages for decades, died of heart failure Friday. He was 69.
The Juno-winning artist was part of the homegrown brand of guitar-driven hits that became rock radio staples throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, including "Action," "Hollywood," "Look in Your Eyes," "What Kind of Love Is This," and a cover of the Rolling Stones classic "Under My Thumb."
Guitarist Jeff Neill said Shields died Friday at St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg after a number of heart problems.
"At his peak he was as good as anyone who had ever picked up a mic, stood in front of a band and started singing," Neill said. "Kenny had a confidence ... He had a dangerous element that was attractive."
The band would record six studio albums and a double-disc live album, which garnered several achievements, including six gold records, four platinum albums and a gold single. They'd also tour with AC/DC, Styx and Max Webster and were considered one of the best-selling rock bands to emerge from Western Canada in the 1970s.
Neill says his band mate stood among the best in the business for his ability to command a stage and surprise the audience with theatrics.
"If there was something to be climbed up — put a mic in his back pocket and climb up some scaffolding — he was more than willing to do that," he said.
"That bit of excitement, that bit of the unknown, was always a part of who he was."
The band brought home a Juno Award for most promising group of the year in 1980.
Streetheart planned to play a farewell concert at the Winnipeg Classic RockFest next month as a tribute to Shields, with friends substituting for the singer. Organizers say their performance is still moving forward on Aug. 29 as scheduled.