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Kenny Shields dead at 69

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.



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