Norm Hacking

Norm Hacking (August 1, 1950 – November 25, 2007)

Musical career

After attending Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute, Hacking started performing while a student at Scarborough College at the University of Toronto, where he graduated as an English major. His career as a musician began when a representative from the student council, who had heard him play, asked him to perform at a concert. "I said, 'You're crazy, are you out of your mind.' And he said '50 bucks, six songs...' You got me. I got up and nobody threw anything. In fact, several women who wouldn't normally speak to me came up after the gig and were cluttering about how they liked the music. And I said, 'Wow, this is good.'"

On October 4, 2006, Hacking's mother Kathy died, with Norm at her side. He had spent most of his time since July with her at Scarborough Grace Hospital. Her death came as a profound emotional blow to Hacking, whose health deteriorated noticeably in the last few months, friends said. Norm Hacking died in his sleep from an apparent heart attack in his home on the night of November 25, 2007. "What I admired most about Norm and his songs are their realness, their honesty," said Chris Whiteley. "He made no excuses and his songs were those of a hopeless romantic. His best work was filled with a sense of wonder, and I hope those songs will be around for a long time for others to sing."

Discography

1977: Norm Hacking Live 1980: Cut Roses 1988: Stubborn Ghost 1993: A Day in the Studio 1996: Skysongs: A Writer's Collection 1999: The Ache 2003: Orange Cats Make the Very Best Friends (with Kirk Elliot) 2005: I Am The Night 2005: When Cats Go Wrong (with Cynthia Nugent; includes book , publisher: Raincoast Books)