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

White Rock鈥檚 Ra McGuire and Langley-based guitarist Brian 鈥淪mitty鈥� Smith are retiring from performing with the band.

They recorded several chart-topping songs starting in the mid-1970s, including 鈥淩aise A Little Hell,鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檙e Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)鈥� and 鈥淭he Boys in the Bright White Sports Car.鈥�

The news was posted to the band鈥檚 Facebook page Monday morning (Nov. 8), under the title ARRIVE. RAISE A LITTLE HELL. LEAVE.

鈥淩a and Smitty are officially retiring. They鈥檝e already been 鈥榰nofficially鈥� retired for a year and a half, so they鈥檝e just decided to continue not working, since they鈥檝e realized that they鈥檙e getting pretty good at it,鈥� the post reads.

鈥淭hey are both healthy and happy, they鈥檝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. It鈥檚 been a difficult decision and today marks a bittersweet and emotional turning point in their lives.

鈥淭hey send their love to all their fans, friends, and everyone with whom they鈥檝e shared the joyous, rockin鈥�, love-filled cross-Canada party that is Trooper. They will sorely miss you all.鈥�

The post adds: 鈥淏UT HOLD ON 鈥� If you鈥檝e been looking forward to the next Trooper show, don鈥檛 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.鈥�

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 Winter鈥檚 Green, which evolved into Apple Jack before Trooper was formed.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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