Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie played four sold-out shows at Caesars Windsor. But for long-time friend and fan Tim Trombley, the casino's entertainment director, he remembers a more personal side to Downie.

"I remember the very first time I saw The Hip at a club in Toronto... and right from the very first time that I saw the band you just knew they were something very special - you knew Gord was literally a one in a million talent," he said.

Downie passed away Tuesday night after a long battle with brain cancer.

Trombley said he's known the Tragically Hip for about 30 years.

He said Downie ended up chatting with him in his office one day, when the band was booked to play at the casino. Trombley said that many people might be surprised to know that Downie was a bit shy off stage.

"He [had] a live persona, he's obviously a very gifted and unique performer, but off stage Gord [was] a very quiet and reserved man."

Trombley called Downie a "poet" and said that his common connection is "that people feel through his lyrics."

"Today started off as a very sad day for me personally," said Trombley. "But I think Gord would really want today to be a celebration for people to really recognize that he felt blessed that his music was able to reach so many Canadians in such a profound and personal way."