01-08-2008, 08:41 AM
Wally High, local legend, dead at 59.
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'He was generous to a fault'; Wally High gained prominence in city as Dan Aykroyd's bodyguard
Posted By Ian Elliot
Posted 4 days ago
One of the city's best-known musicians and raconteurs has died.
Wally High, a longtime fixture on the local music scene who gained prominence as Dan Aykroyd's bodyguard and assistant during the actor's time in Kingston - his business card back then read 'Spin Doctor' - died Wednesday morning. The lifelong Kingstonian was 59 and had been battling cancer for several months.
Best known locally as an organizer of the Joe Show, a fundraising concert whose proceeds established and supports a musical instrument lending library in the name of High's friend - the late Joe Chithalen - High was warmly remembered by friends and fellow musicians as committed to the local music scene.
"He was the best person in the world to work with," said Rob Doak, who worked with High for the past decade organizing the Joe Shows.
"I was incredibly imaginative, and at the same time incredibly stubborn - he always looked out for the best interests of the project, that was his goal."
Doak met High for the first time many years ago when High operated a tattoo shop here and Doak, then a competitive swimmer, had him ink a small Canadian flag over his heart as many swimmers do.
He compared the duo to Laurel & Hardy - Doak came from the business end of things while the burly High always maintained the look of the biker that he was in his younger days.
"For whatever reason, the partnership worked," Doak said.
"We never argued once, which was just remarkable."
Longtime friend and family spokesman Bill Frid also met High at his tattoo shop where Frid went in 1979 to have him cover up an old tattoo.
The two shared their last ride together on Nov. 11 when High visited his father's grave, pouring out a bottle of beer and leaving a cigarette there.
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'He was generous to a fault'; Wally High gained prominence in city as Dan Aykroyd's bodyguard
Posted By Ian Elliot
Posted 4 days ago
One of the city's best-known musicians and raconteurs has died.
Wally High, a longtime fixture on the local music scene who gained prominence as Dan Aykroyd's bodyguard and assistant during the actor's time in Kingston - his business card back then read 'Spin Doctor' - died Wednesday morning. The lifelong Kingstonian was 59 and had been battling cancer for several months.
Best known locally as an organizer of the Joe Show, a fundraising concert whose proceeds established and supports a musical instrument lending library in the name of High's friend - the late Joe Chithalen - High was warmly remembered by friends and fellow musicians as committed to the local music scene.
"He was the best person in the world to work with," said Rob Doak, who worked with High for the past decade organizing the Joe Shows.
"I was incredibly imaginative, and at the same time incredibly stubborn - he always looked out for the best interests of the project, that was his goal."
Doak met High for the first time many years ago when High operated a tattoo shop here and Doak, then a competitive swimmer, had him ink a small Canadian flag over his heart as many swimmers do.
He compared the duo to Laurel & Hardy - Doak came from the business end of things while the burly High always maintained the look of the biker that he was in his younger days.
"For whatever reason, the partnership worked," Doak said.
"We never argued once, which was just remarkable."
Longtime friend and family spokesman Bill Frid also met High at his tattoo shop where Frid went in 1979 to have him cover up an old tattoo.
The two shared their last ride together on Nov. 11 when High visited his father's grave, pouring out a bottle of beer and leaving a cigarette there.