Handsome Ned | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robin David Masyk |
| Born | June 4, 1957 Zweibrücken, West Germany |
| Died | January 10, 1987 (aged 29) Toronto, Ontario |
| Genres | alternative country, rockabilly |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1980s |
Handsome Ned was the stage name of Robin David Masyk (June 4, 1957 – January 10, 1987), a Canadian country singer and songwriter.[1] Although he only released a small number of singles and was never widely known outside of Toronto during his lifetime,[2] he has been credited as the catalyst for an early-1980s country music and roots rock revival in Toronto[3] which paved the way for acts such as Blue Rodeo, Prairie Oyster, Skydiggers and Cowboy Junkies to break through to greater fame,[4] and as one of the key figures in the transformation of the city's Queen Street West district into a cultural hotspot.[5]
As well, he received a posthumous Juno Award nomination for Best Male Country Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1990[6] after some of his archival recordings were released in 1989, as the album The Ballad of Handsome Ned.[4]