Brian Greenway
The steady, versatile guitarist and harmonica player who became the enduring backbone of Canadian rock band April Wine for over four decades.
Born 1951 (age 75)·Canadian musician·Birthday: October 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in Montreal, Brian Greenway cut his teeth in the early 1970s with the psych-rock band Mashmakhan before joining the harder-edged outfit April Wine in 1977. He wasn't a founding member, but he quickly became an essential part of their sonic identity, adding gritty guitar work, harmonica textures, and backing vocals to hits like 'Roller' and 'Sign of the Gypsy Queen.' When the band dissolved in 1986, he pursued other projects, but his return for their 1992 reunion cemented his status as their longest-serving member. Greenway's no-frills musicianship and unwavering presence provided crucial stability, helping to guide April Wine through changing musical trends and maintaining their powerful live sound for generations of fans.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brian was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the longest-tenured member of the major Canadian rock band April Wine, joining in 1977.
- Performed on and contributed to a string of platinum-selling albums in Canada, including 'The Nature of the Beast' and 'Power Play'.
- Brought multi-instrumental depth to the band, handling guitar, harmonica, and vocal duties on stage and in the studio.
- Maintained a consistent touring and recording presence with the band across two separate eras, from 1977-1986 and from 1992 onward.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the band Mashmakhan, known for the 1970 hit 'As the Years Go By.'
He initially joined April Wine as a rhythm guitarist but later took on lead guitar parts after the departure of a fellow member.
Beyond music, Greenway is an avid amateur photographer.
“I'm the guy who plays the harmonica and adds the grit to the rock and roll.”
