‘Great loss’: Musicians honour late Indigenous composer, Canadian icon Vince Fontaine

Canadian music icon Vince Fontaine, a musician, producer, and festival curator based out of Winnipeg, is being remembered as one of the country’s most important Indigenous composers.

Fontaine reportedly suffered a heart attack Tuesday. He was 62 years old.

The Juno-award-winning guitarist is being celebrated for his musical contributions and impressive career.

“Vince’s love of music was only outshone by his measureless devotion to his family, friends and community — we, who remain stunned and devastated by this great and unexpected loss,” tweeted Fontaine’s niece, Winnipeg NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine.

Nahanni said her uncle, the founding member of the award-winning bands Eagle and Hawk and Indian City, was a proud member of Sagkeeng First Nation.

On behalf of our Fontaine family, it is with terrible sadness and shock that I announce the sudden passing of my dear Uncle Vince Fontaine today: Tuesday, January 11, 2022. pic.twitter.com/w6xJFtDn4c

— Nahanni Fontaine (@NahanniFontaine) January 11, 2022

Winnipeg’s Rhonda Head, an eight-time international music award winner, says her career was greatly influenced by Fontaine and his music.

“He went out there and paved the way for a lot of us,” she said.

Head preformed on stage with Fontaine at various points in her life. She says he will be greatly missed for his kind energy, wisdom, and love of music

“And you know he showed us that if an Indigenous musician like himself can be successful, then we can also be successful,” she added.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs offers condolences to the friends, family and citizens of Sagkeeng First Nation on Vince Fontaine's sudden and unexpected passing. pic.twitter.com/WSuXV66Qrk

— Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (@AMCMBChiefs) January 12, 2022

Anishinaabe musician Leonard Sumner says he was shocked to hear of Fontaine’s passing.

Sumner, who counted himself among those influenced by Fontaine’s music, says the Canadian music icon always had time for up-and-coming artists despite the fame.

“When you get established, it’s just trying to maintain your career and keep yourself going,” said Sumner. “He always seemed to always make time for people, and make space for people, and recognize young talent and really foster it.

“A lot of people are going to miss him in the music community, for sure.”

Today we remember musician and community leader Vince Fontaine, who died yesterday. His performances at the Museum, and the impact of his love and generosity, will live on in our memories. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, community and all grieving this loss. pic.twitter.com/aYf5HiTbGT

— Canadian Museum for Human Rights (@CMHR_News) January 12, 2022

Throughout his career, Fontaine received many accolades.

Among them are his band Eagle and Hawk’s 75 nominations and more than 30 wins at award ceremonies across North America, including a Juno Award, two western Canadian Music Awards, nine Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and 10 Aboriginal Peoples’ Choice Awards (now the Indigenous Music Awards).

“One of the amazing things about Vince is that often he wasn’t at the front of the stage, he often wasn’t the lead singer, and you know again in a project like Indian City he was purposely writing songs for other folks to sing,” said Sean Mcmanus, the executive director of Manitoba Music.

Fontaine was also a sought-out festival curator, producing live events for the Assembly of First Nations across Canada, along with being the festival manager for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Indigenous Festival.

Jean-François Phaneuf, the vice-president of artistic operations at the WSO, says he learned a lot from Fontaine and their time together.

“I feel privileged to have been amongst the people that had an opportunity to work with him,” said Phaneuf. “And to me I feel it’s a great loss. It’s a great loss that we lost him at such a young age.”