TORONTO -- Gord Downie, the revered lead singer and primary songwriter of iconic Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Here are some key facts about him:
Birthday: Feb. 6, 1964.
Birthplace: Amherstview, Ont., suburb of Kingston.
The Tragically Hip: He and four friends formed the band while attending high school in 1984. They played local bars in the Kingston area before being signed to MCA and releasing an eponomous EP in 1987 and a full-length album in 1989 that instantly put them on the Canadian musical map.
Solo projects: Downie released his first solo album, "Coke Machine Glow," in 2001 with a companion book of poetry with the same title. He went onto release 2003's "Battle of the Nudes" and 2010's "The Grand Bounce," credited to Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles.
Notable collaborations: Downie has worked with other Canadian musical acts including Dallas Green of City and Colour, Buck 65 and Toronto band The Sadies. He also made cameos for the "Trailer Park Boys" movie and television show.
Environmentalism: Downie has been a vocal opponent of oil pipelines and has actively spoken out against projects that endanger the welfare of Canadian waterways. He served as a board member of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
Personal life: Downie is married to Laura Leigh Usher and has four children.
Quote: "They inspire everything. Everything I do, everything I eat, everything I don't eat. You settle into the fact that you let these kids affect you in their great and positive ways, and that can only affect your work in great and positive ways." Downie on his children during an interview with The Canadian Press in 2010.
