With such a lengthy career, the native of Lynn Lake, Manitoba has seen several levels of success from his early days with Red Rider to the smash hit Mad Mad World, but these days he stays focused on simply appreciating the journey.
“Early on with the band, we were driving from Winnipeg to Toronto after a night sleeping in the car and you kind of get to thinking ‘wow’ there must be a better way to make a living,” recalled Cochrane.
“But later that afternoon, this guy running on the side of the road appeared on the horizon with some vehicles behind him. It was Terry Fox on the last day he ran. I’ll never forget the look of determination on his face, it really made an impression on me.”
Admittedly, Cochrane believes he’s closer to the end of the journey than the beginning, however, that has only helped increase his on-stage energy.
“Playing live is such a highlight for me, it’s such an incredible joy to see the crowd sing those songs at the top of their lungs, really makes you feel alive.”
Tom Cochrane and Red Rider and set to headline Rock the Lake this Saturday at 8:30 pm.