13 Facts About Ron Hynes

Ron Hynes was a folk singer-songwriter from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ron Hynes was especially known for his composition "Sonny's Dream", which has been recorded worldwide by many artists and was named the 41st greatest Canadian song of all time on the 2005 CBC Radio One series 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version.

Ron Hynes was born in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in December 1950, and raised in Ferryland.

Ron Hynes was a founding member of The Wonderful Grand Band, one of Newfoundland's most popular performing groups, and has released seven solo albums.

In 2002, Ron Hynes received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Memorial University in St John's in recognition of his original songwriting and his contribution to the cultural heritage of Newfoundland.

In 2006, Ron Hynes was honored as the recipient of the St John's Folk Arts Council's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Widely regarded as one of Canada's premier singer-songwriters with a career spanning over 30 years, Ron Hynes' songs have become part of the fabric of Newfoundland culture.

Ron Hynes's work is known outside the province; Hynes' songs have been covered worldwide by over 100 artists, including Emmylou Harris, Valdy and Christy Moore.

Ron Hynes narrated two audiobooks for Rattling Books, Hard Light: 32 Little Stories by Michael Crummey and Death on the Ice by Cassie Brown.

Ron Hynes had occasional acting roles, including in the films The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood, Secret Nation, Anchor Zone, Violet and The Bingo Robbers, and the television series Dooley Gardens and Emily of New Moon.

In July 2012, it was announced that Ron Hynes was diagnosed with throat cancer.

Ron Hynes died at a hospital in St John's on November 19,2015, at the age of 64.

The 2023 tribute album Sonny Don't Go Away featured versions of Ron Hynes's songs performed by artists such as Tim Baker, Alan Doyle, The Once, Fortunate Ones, Amelia Curran, The Ennis Sisters, Rum Ragged, Matthew Byrne, The Dardanelles and Kellie Loder.