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Vancouver Sun

Bill Henderson reflects on Chilliwack's cross-Canada farewell tour

Article content Green guitar case in hand, Bill Henderson stands outside the Vogue Theatre. Article content That night, April 18, Chilliwack played its final Vancouver show at the Granville Street venue on the group's 55th-anniversary Farewell to Friends Tour. Before the concert, Henderson posed for photographs next to his star on the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame Star Walk, which he was inducted into in 1994. Article content Article content The lead singer and primary songwriter for Chilliwack, he formed the band in 1970 out of the ashes of popular early Vancouver band The Collectors. Over the past five decades Henderson has topped the charts with classics from Lonesome Mary, to My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone). He also pursued a successful solo career. Article content Article content Perhaps one of the most surprising facts about his long career is that he also found time to be the musical director for Sesame Street Canada in Vancouver from 1989 to 1995. Article content Article content Article content 'I'm getting old, I'm 80. With that age comes some memory lapses and forgetting things and I know that is happening. I won't be the guy out on the road who can't sing anymore, but is booked. Since The Collectors, the rock band thing is full-tilt and I wouldn't have it any other way. But touring is stressful and I can continue making music in easier ways.' Article content Article content 'The band that exists right now hasn't done any recording but has been playing live for almost 30 years. And that time has answered the question of, 'What goes in the set list?' It includes blasting out Lonesome Mary to start and then giving the crowd songs like California Girl, about the option to move to the U.S. and choosing not to, and telling the stories behind the songs. We've added Stand Up this tour since it suits the times and people are standing up. It's great.'