Although he's stepped down from April Wine, Myles Goodwyn isn't slowing down

When musician Myles Goodwyn walked off the stage after an April Wine gig in Truro earlier this year, he knew he had made the right decision to step away from the band.

"It's like people that retire, the last day at the office and the party and the gold watch or whatever," he said. "Most people look forward to retiring and that's how I feel about it."

While plans had been in the works for the last half-dozen years or so for Goodwyn's departure, as the only remaining original member, the March 2 concert was his last in the band after more than five decades.

The 75-year-old said he's had enough with airports and living life out of a suitcase.

"The lifestyle is not healthy for me anymore," said Goodwyn, who has diabetes.

And while he is no longer fronting April Wine, that doesn't mean he's leaving the music industry.

Goodwyn, who lives in the Halifax area, is helping manage the band and write songs for a new album with Marc Parent as their new lead singer.

He also has solo music projects on the go, and is playing shows that are mostly within driving distance in the Maritimes.

"That gives me enough of live performing, so that I don't miss it."

But there is one thing he'll miss about touring with April Wine: running into musician friends on the road at airports, backstage and in hotel lobbies.

"We don't travel in packs, you know, our paths cross constantly and they have for decades," he said.

'This one's for me'

While Goodwyn has achieved many feats with April Wine, including selling more than 10 million albums worldwide and receiving 11 Juno nominations, those aren't the accolades he's proudest of.

He was inducted this year into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

"This one's for me, and songwriting is what I care for most of all…. I think, probably, I stayed in the business because of songwriting," he said. "I'm not the greatest singer, the greatest guitar player. I'm not the greatest songwriter either, but I took great pride in being able to write songs that were popular."

April Wine songs such as Tonite Is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love, Oowatanite and Just Between You and Me are an essential part of Canadiana.

Just Between You and Me was played on MTV the first day it went on the air in 1981. It also happens to be the title of Goodwyn's autobiography, which was released in 2016. He said the book is being updated to cover the years since then, and the reissue might be out by Christmas.

After decades of writing music and performing, Goodwyn said he's not ready to truly retire.

"I still don't want to give all that up," he said. "I can't imagine the day when I don't do these things."

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