Singer Donny Gerrard, best known for his lead vocals on the 1972 hit "Wildflower" by the Vancouver based Skylark, passed away on Thursday of cancer. He was 75.
Gerrard attempted to embark on a solo career after Skylark broke up in 1973 with limited success. He would find his niche as a backup singer for the likes of Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Cher and most recently Mavis Staples.
"Wildflower" which was co-written by a police officer in Saanich, British Columbia named Dave Richardson who was inspired when his girlfriend who working as a nurse was overcome by grief when two patients she had become close with passed away on the same day. Richardson wrote the words and Doug Edwards wrote the music, but it is Gerrard's vocal imprint which has inspired numerous covers as well as being sampled by hip-hop artists. Despite its success, Gerrard was less than enthusiastic about "Wildflower" but you would never know it if you heard him sing it. R.I.P.
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