In 1961, a young country singer by the name of Hank Young played his first gig at the Gladstone Hotel. Flash forward to today, and the hotel staff, residents, the city, are mourning the loss of  their beloved Gladstone Cowboy.

“Charismatic, caring and 100% committed to anything that he took on, Hank was not only an ambassador of the Gladstone; he was an ambassador of Toronto. He had the capacity to make everyone feel welcome,” reads a page-long tribute on the hotel’s website, which announced his death this past Saturday.

For decades, Hank, adorned in his signature cowboy getup, thrilled guests at the Gladstone, performing Hank Williams' Hey Good Lookin, a song staple for karaoke night at the hotel’s Melody Bar.

Throughout the years of Gladstone’s revamping and restoration, the legacy of the Gladstone Cowboy only grew, becoming a part of the hotel’s history. Since 2005, he was a familiar, friendly face who would greet you when you stepped foot into the hand-operated Otis elevator.

“It’s a huge loss, he was just a real part of this hotel. And he really loved the Gladstone, he was always talking about the Gladstone. He always made sure everyone felt welcomed here,” said Christina Zeidler, the hotel president.

“He’s irreplaceable.”

Services will be held this Wednesday from 5-9 pm and Thursday at 8 pm at 931 Queen St. W.

Family and staff will also hold a celebration of his life on the second floor of the Gladstone later that Thursday, at 9 pm.

A Gladstone Cowboy Tribute Night is also in the works for Nov. 8 at the Melody Bar.