Roy Coran passed away to the sounds of his big band.
The 83-year-old local music legend died peacefully Friday evening in hospital with his family by his side and a recording of the Roy Coran Big Band in his ears.
“He enjoyed that very much,” daughter Debbie Anderson said. “It was a nice way for him to go and leave us.”
The man who backed Bob Hope, Red Skelton and even sold Paul Shaffer his first organ was the soundtrack to countless weddings, banquets and other events in the city since 1950. For nearly 40 years he kicked off the Summer in the Parks Season. He had been battling stomach cancer, which returned in December. But up until ten days ago when Coran fell and broke his hip, he could still be found in his apartment arranging and writing music for his group.
As one of the finest tenor saxophonists the area had ever known, Coran had to stop playing a few years ago but he was still conducting.
“It was really, his life was his band it really was and us family of course,” Anderson said.
“He liked entertaining and he liked people to enjoy the music and dancing.”
Another local legend, Rodney Brown, remembers getting arrangements from Coran while he was in the Fort William Collegiate jazz band. Back then, Coran and his band were a big deal.
“He was a huge role model I think for a lot of players,” Brown said. “He was very respected.”
For Brown, Coran’s death is the end of an era back when live music thrived in the city.
“You didn’t go out and listen to recorded music and you didn’t stay home and listen to your home stereo if you wanted to listen to music you went out,” Brown said.
When recorded music started to become more popular Coran, as a long-time head of the local musicians’ union, tried to fight it.
“He didn’t really like that,” Anderson said. “I miss that when I go to things now, it’s just not the same.”
Coran’s music store was also a fixture on Victoria Avenue until it closed last year. There Coran, who studied at the Westlake College of Music, taught up-and-comers the sax, clarinet and flute. Paul Shaffer was also a fixture there for awhile before moving on to become the band leader for The Late Show. Shaffer would still return to the shop every time he was in Thunder Bay to visit with Coran.
“He used to spend a lot of time at the store when he was young,” Anderson said.
The legend was also a family man, leaving his two daughters and five grandchildren behind. Always the entertainer, he was also a big talker Anderson said.
“He was a lot of fun and a very funny man. I haven’t run into anybody yet who didn’t have a fun thing to say about him,” she said.
The family has set up an entrance scholarship along with the Lakehead University music program in honour of Coran. Anderson said in lieu of flowers people can make a donation to the fund if they wish. A funeral will be held Wednesday at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church. The service starts at 12:10 p.m.
