Following a brave fight with brain cancer, renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Ken Tobias from Saint John, New Brunswick, died on October 2, 2024, at the age of 79. Reflecting on the great influence Tobias had on the world, his brother confirmed the news on social media. “While we are all trying to imagine a world without Ken, we can be grateful for the joy and beauty he brought to the world for more than sixty years,” Tony Tobias said.
Celebrated for his chart-topping tune “Stay Awhile,” which the soft rock band The Bells recorded, Tobias’s musical career was dotted with successes. Among his other popular records are “Dream No. 2” and “Stay Awhile.” Over his remarkable career, he received several honours including five SOCAN Classics Awards, which acknowledged his songs for reaching 100,000 airplays.
Born on July 25, 1945, Tobias first worked as a draughtsman while developing his love of music in neighbourhood venues. Starting his path in 1961 as part of the folk group The Ramblers, he then moved to the rock band Badd Cedes. He moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1965 and started appearing on the local CBC Television show Music Hop, then on the national variety program Singalong Jubilee, where he teamed with well-known musicians such Anne Murray.
After meeting Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers in 1968, Tobias started working and recording as a professional songwriter in Los Angeles. With his first hit, “You’re Not Even Going to the Fair,” he won a Canadian BMI award for airplay and started a lucrative career full of many BMI, Procan, and SOCAN honours. Ken Tobias left behind his ageless music and the delight he offered to many listeners all over.
