Last Updated January 3, 2006
In the year 2000 Loverboy pioneered the "Rockin' for Research" event in Vancouver and it quickly became one of the must attend evenings of the season. Since 2000 Rockin' has raised over $3 million for diabetes research. The success of this yearly gala has inspired other cities across Canada to join the fight for the cure and now there are similar events held in Calgary, Victoria and Montreal.
Loverboy not only accepted the award in Toronto but insisted that they donate their services for the evening's event along with friends Alfie Zappacosta, Sass Jordon and April Wine. The night was a huge success and thanks to the generosity of those in attendance over $1 Million was raised.
Music legend Terry David Mulligan introduced the band and spoke of their many accomplishments before launching a video tribute that took fans on a sentimental journey of the past 25 years. From their first TV appearance on American Bandstand in 1980 to present day the tribute featured all the great moments of Loverboy's incredible career.
After the induction and standing ovation the boy's took over the stage and delivered a 5 song set that had the music industry crowd on their feet from start to finish. It was a magical evening for Loverboy and all that had the privilege to be in attendance.
LOVERBOY FINALLY GET LIVE, LOUD & LOOSE: Over a year in the progress of finalizing a release - finally there is a date set for the new Loverboy live compilation. The Press Release goes like this:
Columbia/Legacy has set a May 29 release date for Live, Loud and Loose, a 14-track collection of vintage Loverboy live performances from the band's early and mid-'80s heyday.
The set was drawn from four concerts - a 1982 date in Vancouver, British Columbia; a 1983 show in La Crosse, Wis.; and 1986 engagements in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
Besides hits such as Turn Me Loose, Working For The Weekend, The Kid Is Hot Tonite and Lovin' Every Minute of It, the album also includes a selection of favorite album tracks, including the Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance compositions Dangerous and Jump. The set is dedicated to bassist Scott Smith, who is presumed dead after being washed off his sailboat by a violent wave last December during a Pacific Ocean cruise. Loverboy is expected to tour this summer to promote the album.
Touring in his stead is Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve, a Winnipeg native and a member of Loverboy precursor band Streetheart. Sinnaeve is long-time friend of several members of the band, including Smith. Loverboy did play a few February dates, making up shows that were cancelled in December after the accident.
"It's tough, definitely tough for them," a spokesperson for the Canadian band told Pollstar. "It's been a little slow going. The first couple of shows were very difficult. But as with everything else, as they go on it gets a little easier. "Normally our touring months are May, June ... summer dates. So what we have now is more sporadic - a couple of shows and home - and that kind of helps break everyone in slowly."
The power-pop outfit is preparing to release a live album - which was in the works at the time of Smith's death - featuring performances from its 1981-1986 heyday. Live, Live and Loose will be released in May on the Sony/Legacy label and spotlights some of the band's biggest concerts. While they've played a few scattered dates already in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, Loverboy's tour begins in earnest April 5 in Boise. The band so far has 25 fair, festival and club gigs lined up across North America. Additional dates will be announced as the tour progresses.
Voices of Classic Rock member and Loverboy vocalist Mike Reno called to say that he was proud to announce the band's new bassist, Ken "Spider" Senieve (formerly of Streetheart). Spider is a friend of Loverboy's Paul Dean and replaces Scott Smith, who tragically died in a boating accident recently. Check back to rockforever.com for "catching up with Mike Reno and Loverboy" feature very soon!
Loverboy will go on. Eight weeks after bass player Scott Smith was swept off the deck of his sailboat near California's Golden Gate bridge, the Canadian pop band has found a replacement to tour with.
Publicist Gail Lagden says the new member's name will not be released for at least 10 days. "They have two people in mind, but those people both have contractual obligations to take care of. They have involvements of their own that they have to clear up before they can truly come on board."
The decision to continue touring this year in support of a upcoming live CD, says Lagden, was difficult. "But it's what they do, and they've been doing it for over 20 years."
The new Loverboy will play its first show on Feb. 9 in Tampa, Fla.
Loverboy would like to thank all of their fans, the media and the music industry for their overwhelming support over the past six weeks. The response from all over the world to the news of Scott Smith's accident and subsequent disappearance has been truly remarkable. The band, the Smith family and friends have all received a great deal of comfort from your many letters, cards and phone calls.
After much discussion it has been decided by the four remaining members of Loverboy that the band will continue to tour this year in support of their upcoming live CD released by Sony Legacy.
Loverboy has begun (this week) the process of auditioning prospective bass players. Shows in Florida, Las Vegas, New York and Oklahoma have already been confirmed for February/March 2001.
TORONTO (CP) - Loverboy will continue to tour and will release a new album despite the loss of bass player Scott Smith, the band said Thursday. "The response from all over the world to the news of Scott Smith's accident and subsequent disappearance has been truly remarkable," the band said in a statement.
The Calgary-born band, who had several huge hits in the early 1980s, has begun to audition prospective bass players and will play shows in Florida, Nevada New York and Oklahoma in February and March.
"After much discussion it has been decided by the four remaining members of Loverboy that the band will continue to tour this year in support of their upcoming live CD."
The search for the 45-year-old bassist ended in mid-December, two weeks after he was swept from his sailboat by an eight-metre wave off the California coast at San Francisco.
Smith, his girlfriend Yvonne Mayotte and friend William Ellis were sailing from Vancouver to a marina just south of Los Angeles when he went overboard near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Loverboy hit it big with songs like Turn Me Loose and Working for the Weekend, selling more than 23 million records. The band reunited in the 1990s, playing smaller venues across North America.
Scott Smith, Loverboy bass guitarist, was remembered in a private ceremony held at an undisclosed location in British Columbia on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Smith's family held an intimately private ceremony with a carefully selected list of 200 close friends, who reflected and shared stories about how Smith had touched their lives. The ceremony was not open to the public or press.
The ceremony actually took place at Whonnock Lake Center in Whonnock, British Columbia, a lake-side setting that was one of Smith's favorite spots. Loverboy long-time manager Lou Blair hosted the gathering, and tribute speakers included Loverboy lead singer Mike Reno, joined by band members Paul Dean, Matt Frenette and Doug Johnson; Phil Collen of Def Leppard; Doug Grover; Mathew Hart; and Steve Murray.
Included in the ceremony were special musical tributes. Reno and Cathy St. Germain, accompanied by Dean, Johnson and Frenette, sang "Almost Paradise." David Steele, longtime friend of Smith and Doug Johnson, performed the Lennon-McCartney song, "It's My Life."
Smith was officially announced "lost at sea" last week after being thrown overboard by a 25-foot rogue wave on Nov. 30, just outside the Golden Bay Bridge in San Francisco. A toll free number has been set up for condolence messages for band and family members of Smith's at 888/829-8811.
Smith, his girlfriend Yvonne Mayotte and friend William Ellis were sailing from Vancouver to a marina just south of Los Angeles when he went overboard near the Golden Gate bridge. The San Francisco Coast Guard ended its search on Dec. 1, two days after Smith was reported missing. The family also had a private search and rescue company combing the water for several days.
Mike Reno, lead singer of Loverboy, reinstated the private search last week but issued a statement Thursday. "With a sad heart we write this to all who loved Scott Smith. Although every effort was made to find and save our soul mate, he was not found," read the statement. "This is a time of great sadness for all of us in Loverboy, his family, friends and all that knew him."
Smith, 45, was swept off his sailboat, the Sea Major, on Nov. 30 by an eight-metre wave.
Reno said with Smith still missing at sea, "it is extremely hard to find any sense of closure at this time."
Loverboy manager Lou Blair had said earlier that no memorial was planned while Smith's body was still missing. But family and friends will hold a private ceremony this weekend at an undisclosed location.
Fans can call toll-free to 1-888-829-8811 to leave condolence messages for the band and Smith's family.
Reno, who was vacationing in Mexico when his friend disappeared, said in 21 years of friendship they saw the world and shared many incredible achievements and memories. "We are all trying to come to terms with this tragedy," Reno said in the statement. "With your love and prayers, we will slowly heal."
Smith, who lived in the Vancouver suburb of Maple Ridge, had two sons - Spencer, 17, and Brandon, 15 - with his estranged wife Donna Smith.
Loverboy hit it big in the early 1980s with songs like Turn Me Loose and Working for the Weekend, selling more than 23 million records.
After the band stopped recording, Smith did a stint as the late-night DJ at CFOX radio station in Vancouver.
Loverboy reunited in the 1990s, playing smaller venues across North America. The band played 90 concerts and earned $1.5 million in concert revenue in 1998. This year they performed 50 shows, earning between $17,500 to $25,000 US per show. The Calgary-born band finished a reunion tour in October with a charity performance that raised more than $62,000 for juvenile diabetes research.
The band cancelled several concert dates in December because of the tragedy.
"We do not know what the future will bring as a band, but we remain together in everything we do," Reno said.
© The Canadian Press, 2000