Donny Gerrard

Donald Bradford Gerrard (March 19, 1946 – February 3, 2022) was a Canadian singer. He was a member of the band Skylark in the early 1970s, and in later years performed and recorded as a baritone backup singer for artists such as Mavis Staples.

Early life Gerrard was born in Vancouver, Canada, on March 19, 1946. He began singing as a child and his talents became noticed when he was in high school. He and Al Foreman formed a group called "Donny Gerrard and the Checkmates" after the latter heard him sing at church community event in 1961. The band performed for three years before breaking up. He subsequently had a sojourn in Hawaii with another band, before coming back to Canada and reuniting with Foreman in Night Train Revue as its bassist for the next two years.

Career Gerrard successfully auditioned as lead vocalist for Skylark in the early 1970s, with his performance leaving an impression on David Foster. and was lead singer on their hit single, "Wildflower". It ultimately lasted 21 weeks on the Billboard charts. He issued another single, "Greedy for Your Love" in 1976, the same year he released a self-titled album with the Greedy label in Los Angeles. However, his solo career never took off with the success his record label desired. before becoming a backing vocalist. He sang backup for Mavis Staples on her album One True Vine, and at live performances, including at the Lincoln Center in 2014. He continued to perform with Staples, and can be heard on her 2016 album, Livin' on a High Note. His final known contribution was in her album We Get By, released in 2019.

Personal life Gerrard was married to Myra until his death. Together, they had one child (Cooper). He also had another child (Traie Payne) from a previous relationship before he was married. He suffered from cancer prior to his death.