Wasyl Kohut was born in Sudbury, Ont in 1951 where he began violin lessons at age 8. 

At 14 he joined the Ukrainian "Veselke Dance Ensemble" and toured Ontario with the Dnipro Choir.  He recorded with the Vermillion River Band, and worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Montreal.

After graduating from high school, Wasyl continued his violin studies at Cambrian College in Sudbury where Dr. Metro Kozak became his teacher, mentor and cherished friend.  Wasyl also performed with the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, which at the time, was also directed by Dr. Kozak.

It was while studying music at Cambrian College that Wasyl met Michael Kendel.

Wasyl and Michael were invited to Centre culturel La Slague, to attend a rehearsal by members of this "great French band" (that was, at the time, creating music for André Paiement’s adaptation of Le Malade Imaginaire).  The band was the recently-formed CANO, made up of André and Rachel Paiement, David Burt, John Doerr, Bill Cymbala and Marcel Aymar.  (Bill Cymbala, their drummer at the time, was also Ukrainian).  Wasyl loved what he heard.  His classical background turned into modern sound.  The rest is history.

Wasyl contributed to many Cano songs, on violin, mandolin, and string arrangements, as well as composing his own.

Wasyl passed away unexpectedly of a brain aneurism in November 1981, while Cano was just beginning work on what would eventually become its 6th album, Visible.  The album is dedicated to him.