JUST THE FACTS
Canadian music
• Leonard Cohen was discovered by John Hammond, the same Columbia
Records representative responsible for discovering Bob Dylan and Bruce
Springsteen.
• Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7,
1943 in Fort Macleod, Alberta.
• In 1983, Neil Young’s rockabilly-styled song “Everybody’s
Rockin’” led record company head David Geffen to sue Young
for making “unrepresentative” music.
• The Juno Awards began in 1970 when Stan Klees and Walt Grealis,
publishers of weekly trade publication RPM, organized what
was first called the Gold Leaf Awards. The following year the name
was changed to honour Pierre Juneau, then head of the Canadian Radio-Television & Telecommunications
Commission ( CRTC) and the man responsible for creating and implementing
the Canadian Content Regulations. The spelling of the name was changed
to Juno, the chief goddess of the Roman Pantheon.
• The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ( CARAS)
was formalized in 1975. CARAS has been inducting artists and professionals
into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame ( CMHF) since 1978. Since then
CARAS has inducted 57 artists and industry professionals.
• In 1979, the Felix Awards were established to recognize Quebec
music artists. They were named in honour of Quebec folk singer and
songwriter Felix Leclerc. Nominations and winners of the Felix are
decided by members of the Association du disque, de l’industrie
du spectacle qu éb écois et de la vid é o (ADISQ).
• MuchMusic debuted in 1984 and MusiquePlus followed in 1986.
• In March 1993, MuchMusic won a Gemini for its coverage of that
year’s federal election.
• Bachman Turner Overdrive originally called themselves Brave
Belt between 1970-72, and then changed their name to what they are
popularly known as today.
• The rock band Honeymoon Suite was so-named because the band
was from Niagara Falls, the “honeymoon capital” of North
America.
• The Band evolved from a group first known as The Hawks, who
were brought to Ontario from the U.S. by Ronnie Hawkins in the late ‘50s.
All of the original members, except for drummer Levon Helm, were eventually
replaced with the Ontario-born musicians.
• The name of the band the Tragically Hip is derived from a skit
that is performed in Michael Nesmith’s movie, Elephant Parts.
• Joni Mitchell was not the only artist to record the song “Both
Sides Now;” Bing Crosby, Robert Goulet, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson,
Judy Collins, Dave van Ronk, Pete Seeger, Frank Sinatra and Catherine
McKinnon have all done versions of Mitchell’s number. Chet Atkins,
Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie have also recorded instrumental interpretations.
• “O Canada” and “God Save the Queen” were
approved as the national and royal anthems by Parliament in 1967. However,
it wasn’t until 1980 that legislation was passed officially making “O
Canada” the national anthem. This piece of legislation only applied
to the national anthem, not “God Save the Queen.”
• The song “Tears Are Not Enough” was recorded in
1985 by Northern Lights, an ad hoc group of Canadian pop stars, to
raise money to help Ethiopian famine relief efforts. A video and a
documentary were also produced, and by 1990 proceeds from the project
exceeded $3.2 million. Ten percent of the $3.2 million went to Canadian
assistance programs and the rest to Ethiopian famine relief.
• In 1970, the CRTC announced Canadian content regulations for
radio. The regulations require AM radio stations to make 30 percent
of their content have at least two of the following jobs done by Canadians:
the writing of the music, arrangement of the music, production of the
recording or writing the lyrics.
• Anne Murray has sold 24 million records, won four Grammy Awards
and 25 Junos.
• Daniel Lanois began his career in a studio in Hamilton, Ont.,
recording acts such as Luba, the Parachute Club and Martha and the
Muffins with his brother. He later went on to build a successful career
as a singer and producer of albums for U2, Bob Dylan and Robbie Roberston.
• In the 1950s, Quebec poet, novelist and playwright Felix Leclerc
began writing songs in support of Quebec independence. He spoke out
in a time where the province’s chansonniers supported change
and French pride: the quiet revolution of the 1960s.
• Inuit throat singing, or katajjaq in Inuktitut, is a sort of
contest where two singers stare at each other and perform in synch,
producing melodies from deep within their throats. One singer provides
a strong accent while the other produces a weak one. When a singer
runs out of breath or begins to laugh, the contest is over. Katajjaq
is common in Arctic Quebec and the south of Baffin Land.
• Paul Anka became one of the first Canadian pop stars in 1957
when he went to New York City to audition for ABC. He sang his song “Diana,” a
love song written for his former babysitter, which went on to become
one of the best selling 45s in music history.
• Canada Post revealed a commemorative stamp honouring Canadian
jazz legend Oscar Peterson for his eightieth birthday on August 15,
2005. The only other individual to be celebrated by a stamp while still
alive is Queen Elizabeth II.
• Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell declared December 21 “D.O.A.
Day” in honour of the Vancouver punk band’s 25th anniversary
in 2003. The band coined the term “hardcore” to describe
its sound.
• In 1998, the Vancouver-based rap group The Rascalz refused
to accept the Juno Award for Best Rap Recording because it was presented
during the non-televised portion of the awards. Faced with the allegation
of racism, the Junos moved the rap award to the main ceremony the following
year.
• In February 2001, Flow 93.5 went to air as Canada’s first
urban music station. This was considered a breakthrough for Canadian
hip-hop and R&B musicians, who had previously faced significant
difficulties gaining exposure for their music.
top
|
