Michael Fonfara facts for kids

Michael Fonfara was a talented Canadian musician who played the keyboards and piano. He was born on August 11, 1946, and passed away on January 8, 2021. He was well-known for playing in several famous bands. These included The Electric Flag and Rhinoceros in the 1960s. Later, he joined Rough Trade and played in Lou Reed's band in the 1970s. From 1990 until his death, he was a key member of The Downchild Blues Band.

Michael studied classical piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music. He won many awards for his musical skills. He received several Maple Blues Awards as Piano/Keyboardist of the year. He also won a Juno Award with the Downchild Blues Band in 2014.

Michael's Musical Journey

Starting Out in Toronto

Michael started his music career in 1963 in Toronto. He played in a band called Lee Jackson & The Checkmates. This group soon changed its name to Jon and Lee & The Checkmates. Some members of this band later formed other groups like Rhinoceros and Blackstone. They also played a big part in the music of famous artist Lou Reed in the 1970s.

Joining Supergroups

When Jon and Lee & The Checkmates broke up in 1967, Michael briefly worked with David Clayton-Thomas. Then, he toured and recorded with The Electric Flag. This band featured well-known musicians like Buddy Miles and Michael Bloomfield. Michael took over as the keyboard player for this group.

In December 1967, Michael was chosen to be part of a "supergroup" called Rhinoceros. This band was put together by Elektra Records and producer Paul Rothchild. Michael helped write one of the band's big hits, "Apricot Brandy." He recorded three albums with Rhinoceros.

New Bands and Collaborations

After Rhinoceros broke up in 1971, Michael joined some of his former bandmates to form a new group called Blackstone. They recorded one album in 1972 called On The Line.

After Blackstone, Michael began working with the famous musician Lou Reed. This partnership lasted throughout the 1970s. Michael's playing on The Everly Brothers' 1974 album Stories We Could Tell caught Lou Reed's attention.

In 1976, Michael also played keyboards and helped arrange music for the Toronto band Rough Trade on their first album. Later, he joined a pop rock group called Tycoon in New York City. They recorded two albums. Michael also played as a session musician on the hit song "Urgent" by Foreigner. This song was very popular, reaching #4 in the US and #1 in Canada.

Returning to Toronto and Blues Music

In the 1980s, Michael moved back to Toronto. There, he became an important member of the Canadian R&B band The Lincolns. He had played with the founder of The Lincolns, Prakash John, before.

In 1990, Michael joined The Downchild Blues Band, a well-loved blues group. He continued to play with both The Lincolns and Downchild. He won the Maple Blues Award for piano/keyboard player of the year multiple times, including in 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2009. His important contributions to blues music were also recognized with nominations for the "Blues With A Feeling" Maple Blues Award in 2008 and 2009.

Michael was married to Avril Lund and they had two children. He passed away on January 8, 2021, in a Toronto hospital at the age of 74, after battling cancer for two years.

Music Michael Played On

Here are some of the albums and singles Michael Fonfara played on:

With Jon and Lee & The Checkmates

• 1967 "Bring It Down Front/Pork Chops" (single)

With Electric Flag

• 1968 A Long Time Comin'

With Rhinoceros

• 1968 Rhinoceros
• 1969 Satin Chickens
• 1970 Better Times Are Coming

With Blackstone

• 1972 On The Line

With Lou Reed

• 1974 Sally Can't Dance
• 1976 Rock and Roll Heart
• 1978 Street Hassle
• 1979 The Bells (Michael was also an executive producer)
• 1980 Growing Up in Public (Michael also co-produced and co-wrote songs)

With Rough Trade

• 1976 Rough Trade Live! Direct To Disc

With Tycoon

• 1979 Tycoon

With The Lincolns

• 1983 Take One

With Downchild

• 1994 Good Times Guaranteed
• 1997 Lucky 13
• 2004 Come On In
• 2007 Live At The Palais Royale

Other Notable Contributions

• 1972 Everly Brothers, Stories We Could Tell
• 1981 Foreigner, Foreigner 4
• 2000 Snooky Pryor and Mel Brown, Double Shot
• 2002 Northern Blues Gospel Allstars, Saved
• 2004 Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bluesin' It
• 2007 Jack DeKeyzer, Blues Thing