Burton Cummings Earns Canadian Honor, Loses Beloved Dog

Burton Cummings is earning another career honor this weekend, but the rocker says he isn't ready to retire just yet. The former Guess Who frontman tells Canada's "The Globe and Mail" he'll know it's "time to step from the stage" when it "gets lame," because he doesn't want to be "one of those tired old failures just trying to cash in on earlier days."  But he doesn't think he's at that point yet.  Burton explains that he might be 63, but people keep telling him he sounds "as good as ever."  He adds that when he hears tapes of his shows, they don't "sound lame" to him.  Cummings is being recognized as a solo artist with his induction into Canada's Walk of Fame.  The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Toronto on Saturday.  In honor of the occasion, he performed at Massey Hall Thursday night to kick off the 2nd annual Canada's Walk of Fame Festival.

But Cummings also admits this weekend isn't as festive as he hoped it would be.  He revealed in a Facebook post that his beloved dog, Toast, passed away earlier this week.  Burton calls Toast "unequivocally the absolute best friend" he's ever had, and says the border collie was "an immeasurably huge part" of his life for 17 years.  He admits that losing his dog has been "emotionally devastating," and it's "somewhat taken the luster off" what should have been one of the "more remarkable events" of his life.  With his solo star Cummings is becoming the first person to be honored on Canada's Walk of Fame twice.  He was previously recognized with a star as a member of the Guess Who.