Tributes from across Alberta and around the world have been pouring in following the death of country music legend Ian Tyson.
Tyson died at his Longview, Alta., ranch on Dec. 29 at the age of 89.
John Scott, Tyson’s long-time friend and neighbour, said he met the singer-songwriter more than four decades ago in Pincher Creek, Alta.
“His historical knowledge of preserving the West was great information for me and other neighbours,” said Scott.
“He was an icon of the community.”
As a singer, Tyson was a recognizable name across North American music circles dating back to the folk music scene in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood in the late 1960s, and he continued to be an influence on the current generation of country musicians from Alberta.
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However, Scott said he was also known as an excellent breeder of cutting horses and could ride with the best.
“He raised some very good Quarter horses and he had a great stud called Docs Summer Wages and raised cutting horse colts from him,” he said.
“He was a very passionate rider and a very accurate rider. And he liked the old history of (western painter) Charlie Russell, (rodeo cowboy) Casey Tibbs, (outlaw) Claude Dallas.”
While Tyson was still able to pack large venues to hear him play, Scott said many of his later concerts would be at the Longview Community Hall.
“It only held 200 people when he could have been playing in bigger venues. He had a lot of fans here and he wanted to keep them happy,” he said.
“They did that a couple of times a year.”
Originally from Vancouver Island, Tyson’s love of horses brought him into the British Columbia rodeo circuit, riding broncs before an injury saw him pick up a guitar while recuperating.
He soon began painting as well and graduated from the Vancouver School of Art in the late 1950s. By the late 1970s, as his marriage and musical partnership with his first wife Sylvia, dissolved, Tyson moved to Alberta where he revived his music career.
“He was very passionate about his music, he was compassionate about his horses, a competitor when it came to cutting and he just liked doing things right,” said Scott.
Chris Goss, owner of the Twin Cities Saloon in Longview, said Tyson would often come in the local watering hole and play a few songs.
But what is most memorable was seeing country musician Corb Lund and Tyson together at the bar.
“Corb Lund showed Ian so much respect. It was fun to watch them,” said Goss.
