Derry Grehan
The driving guitar force behind Honeymoon Suite, his anthemic riffs powered some of the most enduring Canadian rock hits of the 1980s.
Born 1957 (age 69)·Canadian guitarist·Birthday: July 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Derry Grehan's guitar work is the bedrock of Honeymoon Suite's brand of polished, punchy arena rock. Co-founding the band in Niagara Falls, his songwriting partnership with vocalist Johnnie Dee yielded a string of radio-ready hits that captured the glossy, optimistic energy of the mid-80s. Grehan's strength lay in crafting memorable, melodic riffs and soaring solos that were technically proficient but never overshadowed the song's hook. While the band's peak coincided with the heyday of MTV and hair metal, Grehan's playing had a straightforward, less-flashy integrity that helped their music age better than many of their peers. His tenure with Honeymoon Suite represents a specific, successful strand of Canadian rock—well-made, anthemic, and built to last.
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.
Derry was born in 1957, 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 Derry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Derry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote Honeymoon Suite's biggest hits, including 'New Girl Now' and 'Feel It Again'.
- His guitar work is featured on all of Honeymoon Suite's charting albums, including their platinum-selling self-titled debut.
- Performed with Honeymoon Suite at major events like the 1985 US Festival and the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.
- Continued to record and tour with various lineups of Honeymoon Suite for over four decades.
Did You Know?
Before joining Honeymoon Suite, he was in a popular Canadian cover band called 'The Boyzz'.
He is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
Grehan is known for his extensive collection of vintage guitars, particularly Gibson Les Pauls.
He worked as a session musician and songwriter for other artists after Honeymoon Suite's initial success.
“A great hook needs a solid foundation; that's where the guitar comes in.”
