Corey Hart goes the extra mile for long-distance fans

Corey Hart is going the distance for some fans who were planning to do the same to catch the Montreal singer’s farewell concert.

Hart’s show was scheduled for Saturday, May 31, at the Bell Centre but the date was pushed back to tonight to make way for a possible Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.

That delay caused problems for a number of fans travelling from as far as Africa, Singapore and Australia for the concert, and prompted Hart to intervene on their behalf.

A number of international concert-goers posted to Hart’s official Facebook fan page and Hart reached out to them with offers to help. 

An Australian fan who couldn't miss her return flight was invited to attend a rehearsal and meet Hart after.

One Boston-based fan posted that she had to work Tuesday, so Hart asked her to pass along a number for her boss.

“I really didn’t think he would call. I mean, I knew there was a chance he really would because he does what he says he’s going to do, he’s really great like that,” Penny Van Zile told CBC Radio’s Daybreak Tuesday morning.

Hart did follow through and spoke to her boss, who tried to get her the time off work to attend tonight’s concert.

“He explained to her that I’ve been a fan since I was 14. He explained that I’ve been listening to his music for a long time and that he’d really like me to be at the final concert,” Van Zile said.

In the end, she didn’t get the time off, and she’ll have to settle for the memory that her idol fought for her.

“This whole incident takes me back to [Hart’s song] ‘I am by your side.’ Because he was by my side, he tried to help me. He did everything he could to help me… He’s just so in touch with his fans. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Hart is best known for 80s chart-toppers such as Sunglasses at Night and Never Surrender. The Montreal native's albums have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.