Nokomis born rocker Kenny Shields has passed away at the age of 69.

Shields led Streetheart for years providing hit after hit and numerous Juno awards.

Humboldt musician Ray Whitton relived the day he met Shields at Telemiracle a couple years ago.

"It was very brief, I kind of sat side stage and checked out Streetheart and Kenny Shields, he is no spring chicken but the guy outworked almost every other band that was out there and certainly every other singer. A high energy guy who had a real passion for what he was doing."

Whitton added that Shields was a role model for many small town musicians, not just in Saskatchewan but likely across the nation.

"Anytime you take a small town kid who does good and you are able to see that as an artist or whatever you are into, it shows you there is a chance, there's an opportunity. Streetheart and Kenny Shields sold thousands and thousands of albums and won numerous awards."

Shields died of heart failure Friday morning in a Winnipeg hospital.