Long-rocking Canadian band will carry on without its founding singer and guitarist.

White Rocksa国际传媒檚 Ra McGuire and Langley-based guitarist Brian sa国际传媒淪mittysa国际传媒� Smith are retiring from performing with the band.

They recorded several chart-topping songs starting in the mid-1970s, including sa国际传媒淩aise A Little Hell,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)sa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淭he Boys in the Bright White Sports Car.sa国际传媒�

The news was posted to the bandsa国际传媒檚 Facebook page Monday morning (Nov. 8), under the title ARRIVE. RAISE A LITTLE HELL. LEAVE.

sa国际传媒淩a and Smitty are officially retiring. Theysa国际传媒檝e already been sa国际传媒榰nofficiallysa国际传媒� retired for a year and a half, so theysa国际传媒檝e just decided to continue not working, since theysa国际传媒檝e realized that theysa国际传媒檙e getting pretty good at it,sa国际传媒� the post reads.

sa国际传媒淭hey are both healthy and happy, theysa国际传媒檝e just decided that this is the best time to step back from the road and enjoy the life that this unplanned time-off has dropped them into. Itsa国际传媒檚 been a difficult decision and today marks a bittersweet and emotional turning point in their lives.

sa国际传媒淭hey send their love to all their fans, friends, and everyone with whom theysa国际传媒檝e shared the joyous, rockinsa国际传媒�, love-filled cross-Canada party that is Trooper. They will sorely miss you all.sa国际传媒�

The post adds: sa国际传媒淏UT HOLD ON sa国际传媒� If yousa国际传媒檝e been looking forward to the next Trooper show, donsa国际传媒檛 despair. Ra and Smitty have given their blessing to the rest of the band and crew to carry on as Trooper without them! More on this soon.sa国际传媒�

The London-born Smith, 72, and McGuire, 71, were the only remaining original members of Trooper.

The two first played music together in the late-1960s in the band Wintersa国际传媒檚 Green, which evolved into Apple Jack before Trooper was formed.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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