tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75192882496926572962024-03-27T14:43:31.696-04:00Cobbie's WorldThis is my world and these are my stories.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-60837918296893909152015-08-12T15:48:00.003-04:002015-08-12T15:49:29.460-04:00X-Y-Z is for Neil Young Neil Young has been producing great music for more than the entire 51 years of my life. <br />
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His career began way back in the early 1960s with a band Called Buffalo Springfield. This band had a big hit with the Vietnam protest song called, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/F7GCw02_5Pw">For What It's Worth</a>. </i>Buffalo Springfield was a supergroup of sorts, with other members such as Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills and Nash), Richie Furay and Jim Messina (Poco, for both and Loggins and Messina, for Jim Messina) all finding personal and collaborative success in the wake of Buffalo Springfield's demise after a few short years. But, the door was not entirely closed on Buffalo Springfield because, in 1997, it was elected to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.<br />
Eventually, as the 1960s drew to a close, Stills called upon Neil Young to join his new group that he had formed with David Crosby and Graham Nash so, they formed Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. CSNY enjoyed hits such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/D0JPSGJVOHo?list=RDD0JPSGJVOHo">Teach Your Children</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/JCS-g3HwXdc">Ohio</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/UQ9NaqjeDGU">Helpless</a>. </i>This group was at the forefront of the 1960s "Flower power" movement and helped cement Young's reputation as a political singer who was unafraid to state his opinions, through his songs, on a wide range of issues.<br />
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After CSNY broke up, Neil Young went on to forge one of the most consistently successful careers in all of music. Regardless of whether he was playing in styles such as folk, country or rock, Young created iconic hit songs such as <i>Old Man, <a href="https://youtu.be/NOMaqe0LOmo">After the Gold Rush,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/DgEnpq-fjZ8">Needle and the Damage Done</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/uw18eQxsT_M">Cinnamon Girl</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/n2MtEsrcTTs">Harvest Moon</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/WHl7GHQYE7E">Southern Man</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/XZM-POpIVfo">Rockin' in the Free World</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/0O1v_7T6p8U">Hey, Hey, My, My</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/vxUMJ3Wy53M">Hurricane</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/WYna-UAt75c">Long May You Run</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/L2gdPLlwcGQ">Only Love Can Break Your Heart,</a> </i>all of which are acknowledged as being classics of the Rock n' Roll era.<br />
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Politically and personally, Neil Young has devoted a lot of his energy and his fame toward various causes which struck close to his heart such as the <a href="https://youtu.be/jMHuGVC4QSY">Farm Aid</a> concerts. He helped to found <a href="https://youtu.be/Y5IQKct0SWY">The Bridge School,</a> for children with severe physical and/or developmental difficulties and helped to organize the highly successful benefit concerts that are held yearly to aid the school. He has, also, spoken out against corporate sponsorship of rock music and those who <a href="https://youtu.be/p41EnK7hd7M">cause damage to our environment.</a> Consequently, Neil Young has always appeared a little "rough around the edges" from a music industry perspective. He is a non-conformist with regard to the powers-that-be but a populist performer with his fans and admirers.<br />
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Neil Young has earned many awards over the course of his legendary career including, being elected to the Rock n' Roll hall of Fame TWICE!! (Once, as a member of Buffalo Springfield and once for his work as a solo performer.) He has been elected to The Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Young has been nominated for 28(!) Juno Awards, winning seven. He is a member of The Order of Manitoba and an Officer of The Order of Canada.<br />
He has been deemed, along with Bob Dylan, as being the greatest living songwriter of all time. And, all I really can say about all of this is that Neil Young was writing hit songs when I was a toddler, learning my letters and numbers......and, he is still as relevant today, as he was back then, an entire lifetime ago. What an amazing performer! What an amazing career!<br />
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A big tip of the hat to our final group of performers...those whose names begin with an "X", a "Y" or a "Z":<br />
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Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/7bD5o2cisE0">Alfie Zappacosta</a>, Olympic songbird, <a href="https://youtu.be/9N2tLfGUPwU">Nikki Yanovsky</a>, Guitarist, <a href="https://youtu.be/3f-0L20Bvkc">Zal Yanovsky</a> (of The Lovin' Spoonful), Country star, <a href="https://youtu.be/A4VWc2pmqcg">Lori Yates</a>, Mr. Joel Zimmerman aka, <a href="https://youtu.be/xvtNS6hbVy4?list=PLj5YGBYOnfpVDaBeKR98020_EFupUj9sI">Deadmau5</a>, Alt-rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/xbw1HzAWWQg">Yukon Blonde</a>, Juno Award-winning folk singers, <a href="https://youtu.be/8T4Are2OBCk?list=PLylgrsfcf5WKNzQdz1I7M0ikXo1R4SX_q">Zubot and Dawson</a>, Indie rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/7TCh2QlYVuw">The Zolas</a>, Montreal alternative band, <a href="https://youtu.be/Rw7cCB7v5W4">Young Galaxy</a>, Indie band, <a href="https://youtu.be/p7OHLjezTtY">Young Empires,</a> Alt-rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/VZQXruXGi1w">Zeus</a> and, finally, one of the founding fathers of Canadian punk rock, <a href="https://youtu.be/7KNUnLaRekg">Young Canadians</a> aka, the K-tels!<br />
Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-44163697224663449062015-08-11T13:25:00.001-04:002015-08-11T13:26:13.286-04:00W is for Walk Off The Earth, Patrick Watson and the Weakerthans A few years ago, on a rainy, indoor recess school day, I found myself on supervisory duty. As I entered the computer lab, one of the older kids beckoned me over and said, "Hey! Mr. M.! Check this Out! Five people playing one guitar!"<br />
<span style="text-align: center;"> I walked over, expecting to see some sort of novelty act but, instead, I stood, transfixed, watching some very talented performers expertly playing one guitar and singing the most amazing song called </span><i style="text-align: center;">Somebody I Used To Know.</i><br />
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"Who Is this?" I asked.<br />
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"They're called Walk Off The Earth."<br />
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At the time, I had no idea that this was not their own song and was, in fact, a cover of the original song by Australian singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/8UVNT4wvIGY">Goyte</a>. All that I know was that this video was really well done and that the group seemed refreshing and original and that I liked them. While still on duty, I called in the music teacher to watch the video and then, the Principal, too. We were all floored! Apparently, we were not alone. At the time of the writing of this post, Walk Off The Earth's version of <i>Somebody I Used To Know</i> has been viewed over 2 million times! Many people, myself included, far prefer the WOTE version of this song and that is where controversy took root. Walk Off The Earth's version was being requested on iTunes and on local radio stations but, technically, Goyte's version was the legally-released song and, as such, it was almost impossible to hear WOTE's version through mainstream sources. There was a lot of back-and-forth on comment boards between fans demanding that WOTE's version be more readily accessible, with just as many criticizing the band and accusing it of ripping Goyte off.<br />
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In the end, both bands declared mutual respect for the other and, in retrospect, it is easy see how the publicity helped both performers gain attention and record sales as a result. However, at the time, Walk Off The Earth became one of the most talked-about groups in the world.......and, they never even had a record contract! Like <a href="http://cobourgcobbie.blogspot.ca/2015/08/w-is-for-weeknd-and-power-of-celebrity.html">The Weeknd</a>, Walk off The Earth circumvented the traditional music industry route when it came to having their music heard by the masses. They pioneered the use of YouTube and social media like Facebook and Twitter, to connect directly with their fan base. Since that first video, Walk Off The Earth has released all of their songs on video first. In most cases, they released the videos straight from their own website onto Facebook and into the homes of millions of their "friends" and "followers". <br />
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Walk Off The Earth has had a string of hits with other cover songs such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/LM8JhvfoqdA?list=PLjgdVsBtbkvueSOqGrWyO6Lgwk-D7g6VB">Little Boxes</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/iZB-h5yDZv8">Some Nights</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/WcM14Al83Ls">I Knew You Were Trouble</a>.</i> But, they have started releasing their own, original tunes, as well and have been achieving an increasingly higher amount of record sales and/or air play on mainstream media. Songs such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/eNzenkoeJcY">Summer Vibe</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/oIfsVtmFoqU">Gang of Rhythm</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/1bt-FHaFVH8">Red Hands</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/ukigjUvwAR4">Rule the World</a></i><a href="https://youtu.be/ukigjUvwAR4"> </a>have all become hits and have earned their fair share of airplay at my house via our various personal iTunes playlists and all across the country, too.<br />
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This band, from Burlington, Ontario, just seems to be getting stronger and stronger. Their inventiveness and creativity can clearly be seen in the really cool videos they produce. They appear to be having a lot of fun doing what they are doing and seem very relaxed and comfortable with the vision they have for their career and how best to interact with their fans. It wouldn't surprise me at all if, on future rainy, indoor recess kind of day, that some other student doesn't call me over to say, "Hey! Mr. M.! Check out this really cool video!" I know I'll be as impressed then as I was that first time, when I first watched "<i>five people playing one guitar"</i><br />
*Just as an fyi, the video for <i>Gang of Rhythm</i> was filmed on the pier by the beach in my hometown of Cobourg, Ontario so, if you want to get a sense of where I am when I write these posts then, check out <i>Gang of Rhythm. </i><br />
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<i> </i>When I first began creating these posts, it was with the goal of, hopefully, bringing some new and deserving artists to light. With that in mind, allow me to introduce you to Patrick Watson.<br />
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Patrick Watson is a very interesting performer because he appears as Patrick Watson, solo artist, as well as, Patrick Watson, the band. Whether alone or accompanied, Patrick Watson has been wowing the music critics and his fellow performers for years. <br />
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Born in the U.S. but, raised in and around, Montreal, Patrick Watson, has performed with many of the performers who make up the Montreal music scene such as The Dears, The Stills and so on. Watson's first album, <i>Closer To Paradise,</i> won the Polaris Music Prize in 2007 and was nominated for a Juno Award. His second album, <i>Wooden Arms, </i> was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize in 2009. His songs have appeared on famous television shows such as <i>Grey's Anatomy </i>and<i> The Walking Dead. </i><br />
Patrick Watson has developed a devoted following who admire the inventiveness of the instrumentation and poetry of the lyrics used in such songs as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/YA2h9PrIUxs">The Great Escape</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Z3a3MA9nHGI">Noisy Sunday</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/3LyarTFMswo">Big Bird in a Small Cage</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/JloqD2Lpcps">Lighthouse</a>. </i>Currently, Patrick Watson has a hit song entitled, <i>Love Songs for Robots. </i>Moody. Atmospheric. Ethereal. Delicate and Intricate. Perfect. Patrick Watson.<br />
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<i> </i> I will leave you with Winnipeg's<i> The Weakerthans. </i>The Weakerthans were formed in the late 90s by members of two hard rock bands, Propaghandi and Red Fisher. The goal was to create a more melodic type of sound than was possible within the constraints of their former bands. The band name was chosen after a line, "<i>What force on Earth can be weaker than the feeble strength of one."</i><br />
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<i> </i>The Weakerthans have achieved both, critical and commercial success. Their second album, <i>Left and Leaving</i> was named one of the Top Ten albums of all-time in Canada in the very same reader's poll from Chart Magazine than had named <a href="http://cobourgcobbie.blogspot.ca/2015/08/s-is-for-sloan-ron-sexsmith-and-jane.html">Sloan</a> as having the top album of all-time. Obviously, readers of Chart Magazine enjoy their Alt-rock music written and played well. The Weakerthans have been nominated for Juno Awards and have been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. They have won multiple West Coast Music Awards, as well as, being named Artist of the Year at the Verge Awards on XM Satellite Radio (other winners have included, <i>Hey Rosetta! Alexisonfire </i>and <i>Dan Mangan).</i><br />
<i> </i>The Weakerthans have produced several hit songs including,<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/C5q9i5BTeFM">Civil Twilight</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/CQ4SvAe6r7Y">Tournament of Hearts</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/8se66vS90Z8">Sun in an Empty Room</a>, One Great City, <a href="https://youtu.be/kAsE3476OZg">Left </a></i><a href="https://youtu.be/kAsE3476OZg"><i>and</i></a><i><a href="https://youtu.be/kAsE3476OZg"> Leaving</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/A927zcSSw2s">Aside</a>. </i>This particular song, <i>One Great City,</i> is a great example of what The Weakerthans are all about; it is Canadian to its' core, unpretentious and down to earth, a sing-along song about Winnipeg...who knew? Well, apparently, all of the folks singing along in the crowd did. What a great Canadian band, The Weakerthans!!!<br />
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<i> </i>Finally, a big tip of the hat to the following artists whose name happens to start with a "W":<br />
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Indie Rockers, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/dNCuSbaof90">Women</a>, </i>Singer/songwriter/producer, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/j-heKSGZ4RA?list=PLicgqm5ArvB7flvlPJifjmtliWLX5ZF-m">Hawksley Workman</a>,</i> Superb musical siblings, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/tNJzRKUk_VE">Martha</a></i> and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/cAe1lVDbLf0">Rufus Wainwright</a>, </i>Lead singer of Sum 41, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/zfiSUnXNHJ4">Deryck Whibley</a></i>, Satirist, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/5vByJRSJ6Mo">Nancy White</a></i>, Rocker, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/sw8S_Kv89IU">David Wilcox</a></i>, Lead singer of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings/Junkhouse, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/FaVjFNJIxfU">Tom Wilson</a></i>, Singer/songwriter/composer, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/wc5UTBfhJF8">Bob Wiseman</a></i>, Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/ReThXHqWxdA"><i>Karl Wolf</i>,</a> Country star, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ft-1OZafqe4">Michelle Wright</a></i>, Singer/songwriter, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/cnAmDZ4wBZc?list=PL22D514F27D3D2521">Royal Wood</a></i>, Bluesman, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/W8gG6J3BX78">Jackie Washington</a></i>, Alt-folk band, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/14oL4PFBIQ8">Woodpigeon</a></i>, Alternative darlings from Montreal, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/VZgwW-RzD30">Wolf Parade</a></i>, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir founder, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/jMg14Veo-cU">Andrew Whitman</a></i>, The Lumberjack Singer, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/BYRAANtnnS4">Hal Willis</a></i>, Alternative band, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/sOl-xR_laLk">Wake Owl</a></i>, Bluegrass stars, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ZYGts2TuXLU">The Wailin' Jennys</a></i>, Alt-rock band, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ALjg_NYDByo">Whitehorse</a></i>, Indie rockers, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/GXeprmnj_c4">The Waltons</a></i>, Rockers, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/SWG2KxHq-GM">Wide Mouth Mason</a></i>, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/jBYzs0fefI8?list=PL286knwPKQfjUvSgCdjuS-wr_Kh5yISMQ">Weeping Tile</a></i> and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Blh5mTzFNAY?list=PLF78w6jmWZ6PF0zEgyyZw8MulvZnyAU-U">The Watchmen</a></i>, Blues rockers, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/JsWb2u2sGGA">Wild T and the Spirit</a></i>, Trenton, Ontario's own, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/q6XMzvFpmTM">The Wilkinsons</a> </i>and, finally, Indie rockers from Halifax, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/4XJ722GxXtE">Wintersleep</a></i>.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-14094327518821925022015-08-08T10:34:00.001-04:002015-08-08T23:51:38.981-04:00W is for The Weeknd and The Power of Celebrity In the not so very distant past, a lady named Oprah Winfrey had her own television talk show in the United States. Besides being an excellent host, Oprah was, also, an actress, a philanthropist and a social activist but, above all else, Oprah Winfrey was a Kingmaker. Oprah was a powerful woman; especially in the Arts community. With a single sticker from her "Book Club" placed on the cover of a new book, Oprah could take, even the most obscure author, and bestow upon them instant credibility and direct toward them, legions of faithful followers who would dutifully ratchet up the sales totals, driving the book quickly up the the New York Times Best-seller charts. Oprah's Book Club is just example of the power of "the celebrity endorsement".<br />
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In Canada, we have seen the rise of a new celebrity power-broker. The rapper, Drake, has assumed the position of arbitrator of "cool" in this country. His base of power is the city of Toronto. Drake reigns over his dominion as a benevolent dictator. <br />
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He has rebranded the city as "The 6" and Torontonians love it; especially the athletes, singers and artists, the ones in the public eye. They took to referring to Toronto as "The 6" immediately, as if it had never been any other name, ever. He helped to unveil the Toronto Raptors new uniforms during one of his concerts, and the crowds and the city loved it. Drake is an a-list rapper who hangs with the likes of Jay-Z and Eminem. His cache enables him to effortlessly attract other "cool" figures into his realm such as NBA star, Lebron James and singers such as Pharrell. Drake has acquired the same devoted following in Canada and, in particular, in Toronto, as Oprah ever had in the United States. He has power to affect change, on his terms and, he is gaining more confidence when it comes to using it. Drake is, single-handedly, helping the city put a strut back in its' stride. As fans, the relationship with Drake in symbiotic in that the more he leads, the more they want him to lead. They are his source of energy. They are his gang, as it were and he is their leader. They are emboldened by his attitude and they welcome and support, unreservedly, anyone who he deems worthy of his blessing. Such is the case with, arguably, the hottest, fastest rising music star in the country these days, rapper and soul singer, The Weeknd.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4EIfpr7B-Cw/VcVsqnu4DQI/AAAAAAAAJ-0/LKgKlKkVFB0/s1600/drake-the-weeknd-crew-love-london-england-front-row.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4EIfpr7B-Cw/VcVsqnu4DQI/AAAAAAAAJ-0/LKgKlKkVFB0/s320/drake-the-weeknd-crew-love-london-england-front-row.jpg" width="320" /></a> The Weeknd is the stage name of Toronto-area rapper, Abel Tesfaye. He began his career only a few years ago in 2010. Initially, he bypassed the usual music industry requirements of having an agent, signing a record deal, etc. and, simply recorded three songs and released them on YouTube. He only gave his name as The Weeknd and provided no other information; letting his music speak for him. The quality of his rapping was so stellar that people took notice and talk of his music spread by word-of-mouth, ending with Drake taking notice and deciding to involve himself by placing the songs on his own website. Such a personal and public endorsement catapulted The Weeknd into the spotlight in a hurry. Only one year into his career, The Weeknd was shortlisted for The Polaris Music Prize and found himself performing at Drake's own OVOfest concert.<br />
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The Weeknd has displayed a tendency to use social media as his way to connect with his fans and to market his product. Initially, he released three separate "mixed tapes" on his own website, available for free download. Even when performing live on a stage, The Weeknd would never want to grant interviews. Instead, he would respond directly to his fans via Twitter, for example. In doing so, The Weeknd created an air of mystery about himself while, at the same time, developing an intimate relationship with each fan who became a member of "his crew".<br />
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Eventually, The Weeknd signed a record deal and released an album that combined the three previously released mixed tapes. This album, <i>Trilogy,</i> went into the Top Ten on BillBoard's Music Charts, in the categories of Rap and Soul. Ever since then, The Weekend has had a steady stream of hit songs such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/yzTuBuRdAyA">The Hills</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/waU75jdUnYw">Earned It</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/nEnipO1GWGU?list=UUbBlXbTX04ypu8At4IlFysw">Live For</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/-7vduJ5B43c">Often</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/5TAko3RH0bk">The Morning</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/eN84vAqO9NY?list=RDeN84vAqO9NY">Kiss Land</a> </i>and has raised his profile considerably by appearing on such well-known soundtracks as <i>The Fifty Shades of Grey</i>. The Weeknd is well on his way to enjoying a career marked by tremendous commercial and critical success. He has achieved what he has to date by maintaining strict control over how he releases new songs, as well as, in how he interacts with his fans. He has always kept the music "industry" at arms length which, when you have friends like Drake in your corner, you are able to get away with doing. <br />
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***Note: Part II of "W" will appear tomorrow, along with the "Hats off" list, too. Thanks for taking the time to read my work. As always, your comments are gratefully appreciated.<br />
Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-50898206384262621642015-08-06T10:57:00.000-04:002015-08-06T10:59:11.202-04:00V is for Jon Vickers Jon Vickers was one of the most renown operatic tenors in the world. In fact, he was more than merely a <i>tenor</i>, Jon Vickers was a <i>heldentenor, </i>which means to have a heroic presence on stage. In my opinion, if you have the vocal ability to sing opera the way it is meant to be sung, you may as well go all the way and be heroic in the process. Jon Vickers was every bit that hero. <br />
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Jon studied opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto in the 1950s and, upon graduation, joined The Covent Garden Company of London's Royal Opera House in 1957 and then, in 1960, joined the company at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Possessing a strong, powerful voice, Vickers was able to easily handle the rigours of Opera's founding languages; French, Italian and German. He was noted for his acting abilities, as much as his vocal prowess and, as such, was a sought-after performer in virtually all major operas of note. His favourite composer was Wagner but, Vickers was more than comfortable handling the work of any composer. He was awarded the Companion to the Order of Canada and The Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.<br />
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Just this past month, Jon Vickers passed away at his home in Ontario. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease at the time of his death. In order to forestall the onset of Alzheimers as long as possible, family members and hospital staff filled his home and then, eventually, his room, with the rich, full, glorious sounds of his operas. <a href="https://youtu.be/itB1UlPFln4">Bizet</a> (<i>Carmen</i>), <a href="https://youtu.be/nxiR5TIlZpE">Handel</a> (<i>Samson</i>), <a href="https://youtu.be/NTsciFAGhUw">Berlioz</a> (<i>Les Troyens)</i>, <a href="https://youtu.be/_iTsN7hB--M">Verdi</a> (<i>Otello</i>), <a href="https://youtu.be/zowM5vO5Yg4">Beethoven</a> (<i>Fidelio</i>), Wagner (<i>Die Walker, "Winterstrume")</i>; the words, music and passion of a life lived grandly, filled his final hours, leaving such a rich tapestry of success for all of us to admire. <br />
Jon Vickers was Canada's greatest Heldentenor. A hero to all who truly care about great music.<br />
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A big tip of the hat is extended toward the following performers whose name begins with the letter, "V":<br />
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Alternative singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/hKHD6INztfA">Chad VanGaalen</a>, Quebec metal bands, <a href="https://youtu.be/hC4E6mtKDls">Voivod</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/Jd93kqluQ78">Vulgaires Machins</a>, Folk singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/Ty714BtOwQ4">Valdy</a>, Hit songwriter (especially for Bryan Adams), <a href="https://youtu.be/jLkug03N4OE">Jim Vallance</a>, Prince protogee, <a href="https://youtu.be/6bIuA8U9ASQ">Vanity</a>, My pal, Gloria's lifelong boy crush, Singer <a href="https://youtu.be/Zn0BE82kbnE">Roch Voisine</a>, Montreal Singer and 80s heart throb, <a href="https://youtu.be/PbF4-Zla3UY">Gino Vanelli</a>, Lead singer of rock band, Helix, <a href="https://youtu.be/Hh9Oomm2SqA">Brian Vollmer</a>, Quebec singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/8jFjVCKTK7k">Vincent Vallieres</a>, Electronic/Sound sampler, <a href="https://youtu.be/FbJ63spk48s">Venetian Snares</a> and, finally, one of the godfathers of the Punk Music scene in Canada, <a href="https://youtu.be/IKvMdLyto30">The Viletones</a>.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-77979784203688021032015-08-04T15:03:00.001-04:002015-08-04T15:19:18.687-04:00U is for Usher David Usher gained fame in the 90s for being the lead singer of a band called, <i>Moist. Moist</i> had a string of several hits such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/j0jJi0SlwuM">Push</a>, Silver, <a href="https://youtu.be/f9uLG6LgXW4">Believe Me</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/d5-HDxyYlbw">Leave It Alone</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/tOUNH4QVqpU">Breathe</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/WMKFotnYMb0">Resurrection</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/fFQbxTvyzq4">Gasoline</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/NudkpWviQIA">Tangerine</a>. </i>Usher was born in England; his mother being a Thai Bhuddist artist and his father, a professor of Economics from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Moist formed in Vancouver and has won two Juno Awards, several Much Music Video Awards and several Canadian Music Association Awards for Best Rock Album, Video, Band and Singer.<br />
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For many young musicians, the attainment of critical and mainstream success would be the end goal to a productive and prestigious life. However, David Usher, like <a href="http://cobourgcobbie.blogspot.ca/2015/07/o-is-for-our-lady-peace-and-polka-king.html">Raine Maida</a> (from Our Lady Peace), never did see his musical career as being the centre of his life. Because of his upbringing, Usher has experienced a life that brought with it a blending of cultures, beliefs and attitudes. As a result, David Usher has a vision for his life that extends well beyond the spotlight and into the realm of compassion and creativity on a global scale.<br />
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In addition to singing with Moist, Usher is involved in several creative and/or charitable ventures;<br />
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- He serves on the Board of Directors of an organization called <a href="http://artistsforamnesty.com/">Amnesty International's Artists for Amnesty</a> (which focusses on helping people who are oppressed and/or imprisoned in their home countries). Many artists have donated songs to this cause which you can download for free or else, purchase through the normal sources and have a portion of the purchase price go to help fund Amnesty International's work on social and political justice throughout the world.<br />
- He has travelled with an organization called <a href="http://www.warchild.ca/">WarChild</a> (which deals with children in war zones). By clicking on the link and then, clicking on "Our History" you will see David's name and activities for this organization, as well as, Raine Maida, his wife, Chantel Kreviazuk and other big time Canadian performers such as The Tragically Hip, Sum 41 and others.<br />
- He sits on the Board of <a href="http://www.davidusher.com/mcgill-university-iplai/">McGill University's Institute for the Public Life of Art and Ideas</a>.<br />
- David runs a company called, <a href="http://www.davidusher.com/cloudid/">Clouded Creativity Labs</a> (which works to bring together the worlds of Art and Technology in interesting and creative ways)<br />
- Finally, David Usher is an author and motivational speaker. His book, <i><a href="http://www.davidusher.com/let-the-elephants-run/">Let the Elephants Run</a></i> is all about how we, as ordinary citizens, can harness the creativity that exists within us but which, for one reason or another, is suppressed. In addition to his book, Usher writes about the impact of "<i>exponentially and the coming of the second machine age on business and society" </i> on a website called <i><a href="http://www.thinkhumanmetrics.com/">Human Metrics</a>.</i><br />
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<i> </i>When David Usher and Moist first burst on to the Canadian music scene, his exotic good looks held sway and there was a great attempt made to turn him into a poster boy and teen idol. But, as is evident from the words above, judging this book by its' cover would cause you to miss out on a deep-thinking, compassionate soul who is living a fully, self-actualized life and who is leaving a better world in his wake. What a great Canadian success story David Usher has turned out to be.<br />
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Hard to follow that so, instead, let's go straight to the tipping of the hat toward those performers whose name begins with a "U":<br />
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Indie-pop performers, <a href="https://youtu.be/GJUyZu-h7E0">Unicorns</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/GJUyZu-h7E0">Shari Ulrich</a>, 80s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/uWGNeBV_mwE">Universal Honey</a>, Avant-garde Metal Band, <a href="https://youtu.be/xwbEi1JRa7w">UnexpecT</a>, and finally, Multi-Award winning Jazz fusion group from Montreal, <a href="https://youtu.be/nnCcv-LhIxc">Uzeb</a><br />
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Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-62053860157867963492015-08-03T11:41:00.001-04:002015-08-03T11:41:23.674-04:00T is for The Tragically Hip, Shania Twain, Tegan and Sara Like Sloan (in yesterday's post) and Rush, a few posts before that, The Tragically Hip have enjoyed a decades-long run of success, employing a lineup that has remained completely intact, right from the beginning. Formed in Kingston, Ontario, lead singer Gord Downie, guitarists, Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair and drummer, Johnny Fay, have served to create one of Canada's all-time most successful bands. They have produced nine #1 albums, they have won 14 Juno Awards and they are already enshrined in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, even though they are still actively producing new material and successfully touring the country.<br />
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The Tragically Hip are a rock band and produce straight-ahead rock songs. What separates The Hip, as they are known, from other rock bands in Canada (such as Nickelback) is the poetry of their lyrics and their commitment to writing about Canada and all things Canadian. Being able to hear songs about ourselves is a precious thing in this country and no one does it like The Tragically Hip. They write about real people and real events in a way that elevates the importance of their stories and helps create a mythology that doesn't often happen in Canada. For example, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/C9jGu2_ZriU">50 Mission Gap</a></i> is about Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player, Bill Barilko, who died mysteriously in a plane crash after scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal for The Leafs. <i><a href="https://youtu.be/5JjX-F7AFso">Wheat Kings</a></i> is a lovely song about David Milgaard, who was falsely accused of murder and imprisoned for many years. <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Ovf9THhbaHg">Nautical Disaster</a></i> is about the sinking of the British battleship <i>Hood</i> by the German battleship, <i>Bismarck</i> in World War II. <i><a href="https://youtu.be/WnKPcJM1oYY">Bobcaygeon</a> </i>alludes to Toronto-area Nazi sympathizer, Ernst Zundel. <i><a href="https://youtu.be/WVi4oNabbaA">Three Pistols</a></i> is about famous Canadian painter, Tom Thomson. And, on and on, it goes. Even though many of these songs reference real life, they are nothing at all like nostalgic folk tunes. They are powerful arena rock songs, delivered by Canada's most flamboyant and enigmatic showman, Gord Downie, and his friends, the Hip. </div>
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Whether seeing The Hip live or else, blasting their tunes with the top down, cruising down the highway, The Tragically Hip are Canada's national band. Their music is the story of our lives in Canada. Their musical catalogue stretches into the hundreds of songs. Some of my favourites include, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/lSNL65qKC_U">Ahead By A Century</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/e7T9A89xq2g">Locked in the Trunk of a Car</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/vitpGmWoevE">Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/i4VBRokoSrE">Looking for a Place to Happen</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/fHrxVyiDA4k">Poets</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/OEgiNJAt_JM">At The Hundredth Meridian</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/rsj9fXH2Psw">38 Years Old</a>. </i>There are many, many more excellent Hip tunes but, for now, I will leave you with The Tragically Hip when they came to my hometown of Cobourg, Ontario. I was in the crowd that night, along with my Father-in-Law, in a sea of lumberjack shirts and hockey jerseys, bottled blondes with skinny jeans and knee-high boots; all of us, fists a-pumping, hearts a-pounding, shouting out our anthems. As always, The Hip put on an awesome show. In this year of 2015, they are the reigning and undisputed champions of Canadian music.</div>
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Eilleen Regina Edwards was born in 1965 and was raised in a poor household, in an Ojibwe community near Timmins, Ontario. Her father died when she was very young and her mother re-married, causing Eilleen to change her last name to Twain. Twain witnessed many acts of domestic violence between her step-father and her mother. Not surprisingly, music became a refuge and an escape. In order to help earn money, Eilleen Twain began performing on stage in local bars before she even had entered her teenage years. Years later, when her music career had taken off and people called her, Shania, Twain recalled those early days of performing in bars or hunting lodges as being her form of a "School of the Performing Arts." Twain claims that, in many ways, her hard-knock upbringing paid positive dividends because it helped her to develop a strong work ethic, a personal drive to succeed and survive, as well as, providing her with many opportunities to hone her skills as a musician while developing her craft as a songwriter.<br />
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Eventually, Shania Twain came to the attention of local music producers who introduced her to producers further along the musical food chain, eventually culminating in a meeting with legendary music producer, Mutt Lange, in Nashville. The two formed a musical, as well as, personal partnership that lasted all through Shania Twain's most successful period as a performer. Always a combination of soulful songwriter, engaging live performer and very beautiful woman, Shania Twain was a huge star on many levels, with many different demographic groups. She was equally as popular with men and as with women. Twain had her feet firmly planted in both, the world of Country Music and the world of Pop. And, finally, Twain was just as proudly Canadian, as she was an international star.<br />
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Shania Twain has sold more Country Music albums than anyone in history. She has sold over 85 million records overall, making her one of the best-selling performers of all time, in any genre. She is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has her own star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, as well as, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in California. She has won multiple Juno, Grammy and Country Music Awards over the course of her career and is the only artist, ever, to have earned three consecutive "diamond" status records by the R.I.A.A. in the U.S. Shania Twain has many, many hit songs such as <i>Man! I Feel Like a Woman, <a href="https://youtu.be/XqYp1jpzKCk">That Don't Impress Me Much</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/wJrguxkXgz4">Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/2IKnjqn6nKo">Any Man of Mine</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/EWBJZM-VWPc">From This Moment On</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/vyovCwHtp8o">I'm Gonna Getcha Good</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/-FMhUNSIxks">Up</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/IpT-FW_G8-A">Forever and For Always</a>. </i><br />
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<i> </i>Shania Twain has known the highest of the high points in her career; a career built upon a foundation of hard work and experience and personal struggle. So, not surprisingly, when her marriage to Lange fell apart and she developed lesions on her vocal cords and had to retire from the limelight, Twain was able to survive with her dignity intact. Shania Twain is respected by fans, peers and critics alike for the quality of the person she is. Consequently, now that she is taking the first, tentative steps back toward resuming her singing career, hopes are held high that she will succeed.<br />
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As is quite often the case whenever a band achieves "overnight" success, the road travelled to that moment is often quite long. In 2014, Tegan and Sara exploded onto the world musical scene with an album called <i>Heartthrob </i>and a hit song called, <i>Closer. </i>Because of that album and that particular song, Tegan and Sara won three Juno Awards, as well as, several Western Canada Music Awards, too. They were, also, shortlisted for The Polaris Music Prize. <br />
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They have had several other hit songs emerge from that album, and, in earlier years, such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/WZHGeg_0Rlo">I Was a Fool</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/X3_4ywc0GCI">Goodbye Goodbye</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/PUp7fRhg1XM">I'm Not Your Hero</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/tOnuvo8kBTo">Call it Off</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/uWeIRQqaPN8">Back in Your Head</a>.</i> But, none have reached the dizzy heights of <i>Closer</i> which has found its' way onto both of my daughter's iTunes playlists! Whenever we hear the song on the radio, both girls sing it, word for word. I am happy that they are old enough to appreciate a catchy pop song but, young enough to not fully understand what it means by lines such as, "<i>I want you underneath me." </i>:)<br />
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<i> </i>In any case, twins Tegan and Sara Quin have been performing in their hometown of Calgary for almost half of their lives. In 1997, while in high school, they won a Calgary-based competition for unsigned bands called <i>Bandwarz</i>. The prize of time in a professional recording studio allowed them to properly record a demo of some of their original, early songs. This demo. helped pave the way for their first album called <i>Under Feet Like Ours. </i>This album earned them the YTV Award for Best Band Achievement. The notoriety that arose from this album earned them opportunities to sing at festivals and/or with other bands on tours and at concerts. It, also, allowed them to become involved in recording songs for the soundtracks of television shows and for movies. Gradually, ever so slowly, Tegan and Sara gained enough experience as performers that they were able to marshall the maturity needed to create a crticially-acclaimed album such as <i>Heartthrob. </i><br />
<i> </i>Tegan and Sara are definitely not an overnight success. But, they are poised to have a big year in 2015. <br />
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A big tip of the hat goes out to the following performers whose names begin with a "T":<br />
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Modern rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/smqNtBXN5Mc">Tokyo Police Club</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/naDGzk25c0Y">Timber Timbre</a>, legendary country/folk singers, <a href="https://youtu.be/B3m7ckGhnsc">Ian and Sylvia Tyson,</a> rockers <a href="https://youtu.be/xPU8OAjjS4k">Three Doors Down</a>, Punk pioneers, <a href="https://youtu.be/P7N5zKmrLXU">Teenage Head</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/YgLG9MvIVhs">Ian Thomas</a>, Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/Y168CNQyO7g">David Clayton Thomas</a> (of Blood, Sweat and Tears), 2014 Polaris Music Prize Winner and Inuit throat singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/FcOYx4_72Zo">Tanya Tagaq</a>, Soul act, <a href="https://youtu.be/BBxOm-dhoek">Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers</a>, Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/0qd_RUqX0OE">Ian Thornley</a> (of Big Wreck), Singer <a href="https://youtu.be/lP_llect3fI?list=PLutNEmCRm8XS93WJ7Vp1S6aZmvlq121iZ">Margo Timmins</a> (of The Cowboy Junkies) who, one night in Toronto, was able to walk across the street because I stopped my car to allow her to cross. She mouthed a "thank you" to me which makes us BFFs now, right?! Carrying on...., Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/3Fb5QmIx74w">Ken Tobias</a>, Rapper, <a href="https://youtu.be/HdqfQX7BIaU">Tre Mission</a>, Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/o_Z0gGOAJKQ">Domenic Troiano</a>, Rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/nEzz4QTvItA">Pat Travers</a>, Pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/vV44XyWpOfE">Kreesha Turner</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/kBUgNWpR6XI">Tupelo Honey</a>, Metal band, <a href="https://youtu.be/JO7TZGgBbOw">Three Inches of Blood</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/YTnq0goeR04">The Tea Party</a>, Folk band, <a href="https://youtu.be/vACCI7YA9SQ">Tanglefoot</a>, HipHop band, <a href="https://youtu.be/Bs437nziReM">TBTBT</a> (Too Bad To Be True), Psychedelic rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/_jTtl7JfCLY">Tetrix</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/thfpVOAC-y0">Theory of a Deadman</a>, Joel Plaskett's first band, <a href="https://youtu.be/SkN-PDSh74A">Thrush Hermit</a>, 80s rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/-ny-p7AnBL8">Toronto</a>, New wavers, <a href="https://youtu.be/b9xBAtCsCTQ">Trans-X</a>, 90s Alt-rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/Z6XylTB88bc">Treble Charger</a>, rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/QrkgV5bl7kQ?list=RDQrkgV5bl7kQ">The Trews</a>, 70s supergroups, <a href="https://youtu.be/Pz26fcmq3S8">Triumph</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/JTT_HFdgf88">Trooper</a>, Electronic band, <a href="https://youtu.be/DCkNA8K9fdE">Tear Garden</a> and, finally, a group that has been ripping it up through the Aboriginal music industry in Canada for a while now and who are now breaking through to the mainstream, Electronic/Techno stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/WKs5k6yiRJQ">A Tribe Called Red</a>. </div>
Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-2216908989295609992015-08-02T10:11:00.000-04:002015-08-02T10:11:31.816-04:00S is for Sloan, Ron Sexsmith and Jane Siberry Sloan has been together for almost 25 years now and has maintained the same line-up since the release of their first album, <i>Smeared. Smeared</i> contained the smash hit <i><a href="https://youtu.be/XathlGp_ZvQ?list=PLxHBDs5Hoj1Pi-kh-SmsNYXemJ7LK1dyG">Underwhelmed</a>. </i>The members of Sloan are Chris Murphy, Andrew Scott, Patrick Peatland and Jay Ferguson. One of the very cool things about Sloan is that each member of the band takes the lead in writing songs for their albums. In turn, they, also, switch instruments accordingly depending upon whose song is being performed at any given time on stage. Possessing such strong, multi-instrumental skills has allowed each band member to be able to approach the writing of songs from a myriad of perspectives and, as a result, Sloan has produced a steady stream of Indie/Alternative/Rock and Pop sounding songs over the years such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Uj6d-CQNJ-c">Coax Me</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/cdtVJ0fXMEs">Money City Maniacs</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/CMRbbeGuaF8">If It Feels Good Do It</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/my_bcr_pZfM">The Good In Everyone</a>. </i><br />
<i> </i>Sloan has won a Juno Award, as well as, several East Coast Music Awards. However, Sloan is best known for the integrity with which they have conducted their affairs over the years. They are known as principled band; one that refuses to comprise its' ideals in pursuit of larger commercial gain. Consequently, Sloan remain one of the most highly-respected bands among other bands in Canada. They are routinely voted as being at, or near the top, of annual rankings of rock bands in Canada. In fact, their second album, <i>Twice Removed</i> was voted as the Top Canadian Album of all time in a reader poll in Chart Magazine in 1995. It was ranked third in the same poll in 2000 and, back to #1 in this very poll in 2005.<br />
Halifax, Nova Scotia serves as home base for Sloan. As stated in interviews, the band prefers to operate out of Halifax because of the city's vibrant music scene but, more importantly, because the people of the Maritimes help keep them grounded and able to maintain their perspective on what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, even for as prodigious a rock and roll band as Canada has ever produced. Sloan does, indeed, rock! <br />
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*The video below is from the <i>Choir! Choir! Choir! </i>Sessions. It is pretty cool in its own buttoned-down way. The regular rock version is in the link above. :)<br />
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There is the classic Ron Sexsmith story that is told concerning the time Sexsmith found himself at a local coffee shop and a tune of his began to play in the store. The young lady serving him remarked that she loved the song and thought (fellow Canadian singer) Rufus Wainwright was really talented. When Sexsmith corrected her and claimed that he was, in fact, the singer of the song she was listening to, she replied, "And, who are you?"<br />
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Who Ron Sexsmith is, is one of Canada's most respected songwriters. Sexsmith has written songs for Leslie Feist, Sir Elton John, Chris Martin (of Coldplay), Elvis Costello and for Steve Earle, just to mention a few. All of these industry heavyweights sing Sexsmith's praises. They all laud him for his ability to create such delicate tapestries with his words. It is claimed that Sexsmith can infuse his characters with a sense of fragility or loneliness or confusion or loss, on a scale unmatched by his peers. Yet, Sexsmith has never enjoyed a top 40 hit of his own. <br />
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I was born two days before Ron Sexsmith was. I feel a kinship with him because, on a much smaller scale, I have been told many praiseworthy things about myself, too. I have been told that I should publish my work. I have been called <i>The Wizard of Words</i> by an admirer. I have witnessed others become intimidated, at times, by the power of what I have to say. I have seen and heard it all before and yet, I never truly feel worthy of the praise. I always am plagued by feelings of inadequacy. I never really believe that I am deserving of success. I am not a good advocate for my own work. Yet, I find it pleasing when my work is well-received. Ron Sexsmith desires recognition, too. <br />
On a much larger stage, Sexsmith has been fawned over by critics, fans and by peers but, he has rarely broken into the Top 100 charts, let alone the Top 40 record charts. He is a Juno Award winner, as well as, being shortlisted for The Polaris Music Prize but, there seems to be no place in mainstream radio for such intricately-crafted musical gems such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/VbrO1XnrD3I">Gold in Them Hills</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/8PTX28f3tsU">Just My Heart Talkin'</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/QuYhNW3s0do">Fallen</a>, Brandy Alexander </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/banLXmX9ml4">Whatever it Takes</a>.</i>....unless covered by others such as, Feist (with <i>Brandy Alexander</i>) or K.D. Lang (with <i>Fallen</i>). Whether this is a sign the times or else, a sign of the songwriter, it is hard to say. All that I know is that anonymity can be a defence mechanism employed to avoid having to deal with the world beyond our own thoughts. While I enjoy the occasional public pat on the back or kind-hearted comment, I, also, enjoy a sense of relative freedom that comes from being unknown. Consequently, I know exactly how it feels to just be, like Ron Sexsmith, simply the next guy in line for my coffee.<br />
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Finally, I give you one of our country's most beautiful and delicate voices, Jane Siberry. Often compared to the legendary Kate Bush, Siberry has released many songs which were well-received by critics and the public such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/9HlWT0WGsIo">Mimi on the Beach</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/QaQTvMFxDUE">I Muse Aloud</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/rAToWdWVRj0">One More Colour</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Pj0eSfz7YZM">Bound by the Beauty</a> </i>and, with<i> K.D. Lang, Calling All Angels.</i> <br />
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After experiencing popularity and notoriety, Siberry began releasing albums that contained more complex and lengthy songs. So much so that she began to find her music didn't fit mainstream radio formats any longer. Her on-stage performances stopped being concerts in the traditional sense and became a collection of songs, spoken word poetry, experimental dance; all of which made some of her shows difficult to interpret. As a result, Jane Siberry fell out of favour with audiences and, for awhile, she stopped performing altogether. <br />
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Jane Siberry always believed in her music being on her terms. As a child, she taught herself to play guitar by practising in her room to Leonard Cohen records. As a songwriter, Siberry believed in the vision she possessed of the poetry in her own words. Even during the height of her fame in the early 80s, when music videos were just gaining in popularity, Siberry's videos for her hit songs are all very unique and original. She was never comfortable wearing the uniform provided for her by the Music Industry. So, when Siberry put her career on hold because of the increasingly negative reaction to her work, she claims it was a turning point for her but, in a positive way.<br />
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A comparable story to Siberry's can be found in the recent best-selling book, <i>The Art of Asking</i> by Amanda Palmer. Palmer is a social media sensation. She once sang lead vocals for a successful local band in the Boston area called <i>The Dresden Dolls. </i>In her book, Palmer described the tension that would develop between the band and the record label when it came to how she was to interact with her audience. Palmer always maintained that she desired as direct a connection as possible, even if it meant staying late to sign as many autographs as were needed and selling and merchandising their CDs and t-shirts themselves. Eventually, the major label dropped the band and Palmer reacted by using social media to connect directly with her audience in a new way. She marketed her songs and albums directly to her fans, asking them to pay whatever they felt the songs were worth. It was her experience that, given the freedom to choose what to pay that, in many cases, fans will over pay.<br />
Jane Siberry has approached the second half of her career in exactly the same manner. Remaining true to her artistic vision, Siberry has established a self-pay system for all of her songs and merchandise. Like Palmer, Siberry has found success raising capital on her terms by removing herself from the restrictive conditions required to play the Industry game. Jane Siberry is as unique and original a talent as Canada has produced and has enjoyed a successful career on whose terms it matters most to her; her fans and herself. <br />
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A big tip of the hat to the following list of performers whose names begin with the letter, "S":<br />
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Modern day rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/uSMN1ugJAos">The Sheepdogs</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/BI7bp7W-zjI">The Strumbellas</a>, singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/fUggqdqEpBM">Sarah Slean</a>, the legendary singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/VGWsGyNsw00">Buffy St. Marie</a>, Alt-folksters, <a href="https://youtu.be/igmqlkJ6v-Q">The Skydiggers</a>, New Wave stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/3faJinXqPbw">The Spoons</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/6abFU-zI4uk">Skye Sweetnam</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/1g5sy3AIYZY">Sons of Freedom</a>, Singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/NagoRWma34s">Amy Sky</a>, East coast star, <a href="https://youtu.be/reXkN-_8JZI">Gordie Sampson</a>, Pop-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/L2vy5Pn8o0U">Stereos</a>, Montreal's <a href="https://youtu.be/3u7FnTU52BM">Stars</a>, 70s Supergroup, <a href="https://youtu.be/2CPt3eSBJiQ">The Stampeders</a>, Former teen heart throb, <a href="https://youtu.be/bjx3LMBeoHQ">Rene Simard</a>, Glam rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/KSfnHUYZ7JM">Sweeney Todd</a>, Jazz star, <a href="https://youtu.be/TAjkjGi5WFQ">Chase Sanborn</a>, Rapper <a href="https://youtu.be/-pHL8VpNY9o">Saukrates</a>, Pop star/activist, <a href="https://youtu.be/BwLKXQ_TkC4">Lorranie Segato</a>, Singer <a href="https://youtu.be/TaoQh9Ak3Rc">Jay Semko</a> (of The Northern Pikes), HipHop star, Radio host, <a href="https://youtu.be/q-mAMH5S6VA">Shad</a>, Leader of The World's Most Dangerous Band, <a href="https://youtu.be/ZO3jcjKfJRw">Paul Shaffer</a>, Soul singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/fS2EL3zBpIU">Remy Shand</a>, Composer, <a href="https://youtu.be/7CXGG3_prGA">Howard Shore</a>, Ojibwa singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/z_y8BSJSVBI">Shingoose</a>, Soulful lady, <a href="https://youtu.be/vC-NhZJ_p-s">Liberty Silver</a>, Rapper, <a href="https://youtu.be/StlMdNcvCJo">Snow</a>, Country legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/9kGHmIZ4IUY">Hank Snow</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/ZD-PEf5v7U8">Kurt Swinghammer</a>, Pop-rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/2sVWOrhxpZk">Kim Stockwood,</a> Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/HtG0w9lGfnc">The Sadies</a>, Rockers from Quebec, <a href="https://youtu.be/k8iic3pPG9U">See Spot Run</a>, 70s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/R-9qNUTpFT0">Saga</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/RUk58qLoTOc">Serial Joe</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/cmU3FYlRZNM">Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet</a>, Children's performers, <a href="https://youtu.be/qPdV8jXAjUQ">Sharon, Lois and Bram</a>, Jazz/funk stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/KZnLjRi_g9o">The Shuffle Demons</a>, Pop-Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/r0U0AlLVqpk">Simple Plan</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/GTtzB17SKwQ">Skinny Puppy</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/FVGjHwg9QsI">The Stills</a>, 80s One-hit wonder, <a href="https://youtu.be/d-SOhjgUxA4">Strange Advance</a>, Hip Hop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/32INUJdxbRk">Swollen Members</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/Jc5csMN_lPU">Sum 41</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/RfjwQNCu824">Svengali</a> and, finally, the band whose song of drunken excess served as my wedding song for our first dance, <a href="https://youtu.be/dcBCtwHwft8">Spirit of the West</a>.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-46568277608809635172015-07-31T14:35:00.002-04:002015-08-01T12:53:14.512-04:00R is for Serena Ryder, Sam Roberts and The Rheostatics In this, our "young turks" edition of Canadian performers whose names begins with an "R", I will start with the ladies and give you a singer who has been a strong presence in the music scene for a number of years but who is now, just beginning to make her star turn on the national stage and that is, Serena Ryder.<br />
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Serena Ryder has been performing for audiences since she was a little girl of six or seven. Performing in Legion Halls and community events around the Millbrook and Peterborough areas, Ryder grew proficient in playing guitar and in marrying that sound to the poetry of the words she was expressing in the form of her original songs. Serena Ryder came to the attention of Peterborough-area music producers and then, in turn, to performer, Hawksley Workman, who signed her to his label. She has been described as having a deep, raspy singing voice and has been compared to "a young Aretha Franklin." <br />
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Serena Ryder has won 6 Juno Awards in categories ranging from "Artist of the Year", "Album of the Year", "Video of the Year" or "Songwriter of the Year." She recently penned the song, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/SsWQEDgLHxY">Together We Are One</a></i> for the recent 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and appeared live during the closing ceremonies with Pitbull and Kanye West. She has enjoyed many hits in recent years such as, <i>Stompa, <a href="https://youtu.be/DFITVSoINjo">Weak in the Knees</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Sh4J7ZRv7Vw">What I Wouldn't Do</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/-F78yp9urz4">A Little Bit of Red</a>. </i>Serena Ryder is definitely poised to have a breakout year in 2015 and the folks at the Millbrook Legion Hall couldn't be prouder.<br />
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<i> </i>In 2003, a strange new respiratory disease swept through parts of Asia and then, because of an infected traveller contracting the disease in Hong Kong and bringing it back to Canada, Toronto experienced an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or, S.A.R.S. Forty-four people died from S.A.R.S., most of them, in the Toronto area. In order to contain the contagion, The World Health Organization officially deemed Toronto as being unsafe for tourists to visit. This designation caused the largest city in Canada to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue. Toronto's local economy reeled, almost as much as the medical community did. So, when the S.A.R.S. outbreak finally stabilized, immediate attention was turned to revitalizing tourism and letting the world know that Toronto was a safe place to visit. One of the ways that was deemed best was to hold a high-profile event, such as a concert. Thus, under the leadership of The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Canadian comedy star, Dan Ackroyd, a large concert was planned for Downsview Park in Toronto. This concert became known as "SARS Stock". The first performer of the day was a young man from Montreal named Sam Roberts.<br />
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Sam Roberts grew up as a part of Montreal's burgeoning music scene, along with The Dears and Stars. By the time The Sam Roberts Band came to play the S.A.R.S. benefit concert, he was already riding high on the success of his debut album called <i>Brother Down</i> and the two hit singles that emerged from it, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/YLr4haPmnF4">Brother Down</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/5UJaHRTbfFE">Don't Walk Away, Eileen</a>. </i>Since then, Sam Roberts has produced a steady string of commercially and critically successful albums, with hits such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/qhPmRVbLXCc">Where Have All The Good People Gone</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/zwH_oWpv33c">Hard Road</a> </i>and<i> Bridge to Nowhere. </i>The Sam Roberts Band has won 6 Juno Awards, including "Album of the Year", "Artist of the Year" and "Video of the Year". <br />
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Sam Roberts plays good, solid pop-rock tunes that speak to his love of Canada and of his craftsmanship as a songwriter. While he has enjoyed a consistent rate of success, it was his great job launching the S.A.R.S. stock concert that is, perhaps, his most important and memorable moment as a Canadian musician. Thanks, Sam!<br />
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Finally, I will close out the "young turks" edition the letter "R" with a band that are, definitely, not young but, instead, have made a career of being inventive and unconventional, the iconic and influential, Rheostatics. If I was a true cool kid with my finger on the pulse of the Canadian music scene, I would tell you that I knew The Rheostatics when they were playing shows at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto and making a name for themselves with their obscure, quirky takes on such famous Canadian songs as Gordon Lightfoot's <i><a href="https://youtu.be/SpiXS62EwyI">Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald</a>.</i> But, during the 80s and 90s, my musical awakening was just beginning and my first real sense of who The Rheostatics were came from the opening line of The Tragically Hip's live album, <i>Live Between Us</i>, when lead singer, Gord Downie, famously declared, "<i>This is for The Rheostatics...we are all richer for having seen them tonight."</i><br />
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<i> </i>The fact that The Rheostatics were opening for the hugely commercially successful band, The Tragically Hip, is noteworthy on several levels. First of all, The Tragically Hip, like many Canadian singers and bands; especially those from Ontario, were hugely influenced by The Rheostatics. To include them on a stadium/arena tour was to, not only acknowledge a musical debt of sorts but, also, to showcase the band in front of larger audiences than they had ever played for before, as if to say, "Come on, folks! Don't you realize how great these guys are!?" Already a cult band, The Rheostatics never craved commercial success. They seemed content to be artistically excellent and to go against the grain of mainstream musical tastes. In fact, they have had only one Top Forty hit in their career; a song that won them a Genie Award (Canada's Motion Picture Awards) for Best Song for the movie, <i>Whale Music. </i>The success that they achieved as a result of<i> Whale Music </i>nearly broke up the band. So, to be included on a national tour with The Tragically Hip, was a creative and intellectual experience like no other. <br />
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The Rheostatics produced two albums that critics and fans routinely rate as being among the top dozen or so albums ever made in the history of Canadian music; <i>Whale Music</i> and <i>Melville. Whale Music</i> was based on the book of the same name by author Paul Quarrington. The "hit" song was called <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Q4U2q_EEUF0">Claire</a></i> and goes to prove the literary bent that was so characteristic of the band's approach. In fact, one of the key members of The Rheostatics, Dave Bidini, has gone on to achieve a fair measure of fame and success as a writer of books and as a newspaper columnist. To those who saw The Rheostatics live, for example, at their once annual eleven-night gigs at The Horseshoe Tavern which became known as <i>The Fall Nationals, </i> the essence of who The Rheostatics were was best seen and experienced at their live shows. A mixture of poetry, Canadiana, rock licks, sweat and defiance mingled with the smell of cigarettes and marijuana and the feel of sawdust and beer-soaked floors. The Rheostatics are, arguably, the band that most closely conveyed the <a href="https://youtu.be/oUjCdlK_QHw">Canadian identity</a> through their songs and live shows. Nary a hit but, a presence that reverberates across the land. <br />
Hopefully, you are richer for having read about them, too.<br />
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A final big tip of the hat to these awesome performers whose name begins with an "R":<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/4KP9PNSUME4">Robbie Robertson</a> (solo artist and, of The Band), Punk/New Wave provocateurs, <a href="https://youtu.be/YBGDlo1msZ8">Rough Trade</a>, Country star, <a href="https://youtu.be/VywUbb__rdA">Deric Ruttan</a>, Singer/Songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/djroSzaAkRU">Ian Robb</a> (of Fiddler's Green), Aboriginal Drag Queen/anti-bullying advocate, <a href="https://youtu.be/sawpzZyETNA">Iceis Rain</a>, Alternative band, <a href="https://youtu.be/3PA7_JVTcGg">Rusty</a>, Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/M0lVjky2roU">The Rainbow Butt Monkeys</a> (later, Finger Eleven), Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/D3byaThnXfI?list=PLbgzMpqiSQxYTuC6it75I2J9kj3n0BEJj">Rymes With Orange</a>, Alt-country singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/z-9lWcSkr2o">Justin Rutledge</a>, Family pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/ROdccG9fN1A">The Raes</a>, Acadian HipHop band, <a href="https://youtu.be/o-eRP84viVM">Radio Radio</a>, Two-time U.S. National Fingerstyle guitarist, <a href="https://youtu.be/TKupfayqB00">Don Ross</a>, Rappers, <a href="https://youtu.be/PL3i7zfSonc">Rascalz</a>, the first band I ever got drunk listening to, <a href="https://youtu.be/1SE47uJlPPY">Rational Youth</a>, Alternative band, <a href="https://youtu.be/-6-FKPRlK1Q">The Rose Chronicles</a>, 80s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/ZWp9QJoOHp4">Rubber</a> (later Harem Scarem), Indie band, <a href="https://youtu.be/H0UENJiVJhw">Rah Rah</a>, legendary rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/jy75njEwydE">Red Rider</a> (with Tom Cochrane) and, finally, the band and the song that started this series all off, Rueben and the Dark. It was <i>Bow and Arrow</i> that I listened to as I sank into my easy chair, decompressing emotionally and intellectually from the end of another school year and the return of my own life to me. From Rueben and the Dark, I found Lowell and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/5YgnrjHEx2M">Love You Money</a></i> and then, Hayden with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/oWr9zYvCkEU">Nowhere We Can't Go</a></i> and then, shortly thereafter, came the desire to turn my free time into the productive project that you are viewing now. Inspiration gives rise to creation. I hope you are liking my work. :) <br />
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<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-56157288531165627582015-07-30T11:39:00.001-04:002015-07-30T11:47:01.582-04:00R is for Stan Rogers, The Rankins and some band called Rush. June 2, 1983, Air Canada Flight 797 took off from Dallas and soared into the hot Texas sky. Approximately one hour into the flight, noxious fumes begun to fill the cabin of the plane. A fire had started in an electrical panel in a washroom, causing critical components of the plane's electrical system to shut down. The pilots were forced to make an emergency landing in Cincinnati, Ohio. As the crew opened the doors to deploy the emergency evacuation chutes, fresh oxygen was sucked into the cabin and a flash fire engulfed the remaining passengers and crew. A total of 23 people lost their lives that day, including Canada's greatest folk singer, Stan Rogers.<br />
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Stan Rogers (and his brother Garnet) are to Canadian Folk Music, what Woody Guthrie was to American Folk Music. Stan Rogers was born in Hamilton, ONtario but, spent much of his life near the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia. He wrote many songs that chronicled aspects of life in Canada or else, our history. He sang with a comforting, rich baritone singing voice. Some of his classic hits include <i>Northwest Passage, <a href="https://youtu.be/s0CvSIhF_tA">Barrett's Privateers</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/SXILc6hpfuI">The Mary Ellen Carter</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/DEzv_ZseeYc">Make and Break Harbour</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/jqGoTLkElz0">The Field Behind the Plow,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/lX9FoCuLzjk">Fogarty's Cove</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/NbDAiJiVC8Q">Forty-five Years</a>. </i><br />
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<i> </i>In this video, Rogers son, Nathan does a fine job of showing why <i>Northwest Passage</i> has been voted as Canada's alternate national anthem. The Rogers Family are a gift to our fair Nation. Their ability to bring our history to life in song is unparalleled. Stan Rogers is remembered and honoured at various Folk Festivals each year such as the Canmore Folk Festival, the Simmerfolk Festival in Owen Sound and, of course, The Stan Rogers Folk Festival, held in Canso, Nova Scotia, not far from my beloved Canso Causeway and its' "Welcome to Cape Breton" sign. <br />
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The death of those 23 souls aboard Air Canada 797 has not be completely in vain. The good that comes from such tragedy can be measured in the lives that have since been saved by improving passenger safety with measures such as installing smoke detectors in washrooms. For more information on Flight 797 and its' impact on passenger safety, click <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_797">here</a>. <br />
Stan Rogers ashes were spread across the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, becoming one with the water that so shaped his life and his music. He was 33 years old. <br />
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We often grow our families big back home on Cape Breton island. The Rankin Family had a total of twelve siblings in all. Originally, the elder Rankin children began singing at weddings and ceilidhs in and around their home town of Mabou in Nova Scotia. But, over time, as some moved away to pursue higher educational callings or to pursue a career, the members of the group that became known as The Rankin Family settled upon brothers, Jimmy and John Morris and sisters, Cookie, Raylene and Heather. <br />
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These five members began to coalesce as a band, around the same time as Rita McNeil was already becoming a star on our national stage. Rita was very generous when it came to sharing the spotlight with other Celtic acts and so it was that she gave a helping hand to The Rankin Family by inviting them to sing with her on tour or on her TV Show, <i>Rita and Friends.</i> Years of performing locally had prepared the Rankin clan well so that when their moment came to be introduced to Canada, they were ready with, what became a huge hit for them, <i>Fare Thee Well.</i><br />
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<i> </i>The success of <i>Fare Thee Well</i> paved the way for a string of hits that followed such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/DBD_faUIThQ">The North Country</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/fv0MW81Agxg">Gillis Mountain</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/42F12OUTkIo">We Rise Again</a> </i>and<i> </i>the haunting Gaelic classic<i>, <a href="https://youtu.be/42F12OUTkIo">An Innis Aigh</a> </i>or<i> "The Happy Isle", </i>which they recorded with Ireland's, The Chieftains.<br />
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The Rankin Family have represented Cape Breton Island well, winning 15 East Coast Music Awards, six Juno awards and multiple Canadian Country Music awards, too. Of the original five members, two have since passed away; John Morris in a car accident in 2000 and Raylene due to cancer in 2012. John Morris' daughter, Mollie is now gaining fame as the lead singer for the up-and-coming band, <a href="https://youtu.be/rZHPCcFmEjc">Alvvays</a>. <a href="http://jimmyrankin.com/">Jimmy Rankin</a> tours as a solo act now and has released several Celtic/country-oriented albums. Heather and Cookie perform sporadically but, just like Rita McNeil, who had her Tearoom, the Rankin Family own the <a href="http://www.redshoepub.com/">Red Shoe Pub</a> in Mabou and, if you visit on the right day, you may just find yourself privileged to hear the best in-house band anywhere in the country!<br />
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Finally, I give you, Rush!<br />
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For over four decades, Alex Leifson, Neil Peart and Geddy Lee have been writing and performing together. They are, without question, the most respected and successful rock band that Canada has ever produced. With record sales estimated at 40 million, Rush find themselves ranked among the luminaries of Rock History from all over the world. <br />
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Formed in Willowdale, Ontario, Rush's early work was heavily influenced by the complex, multi-chaptered prog rock that was being played by groups such as Yes, early Genesis and King Crimson. Some early songs typically reached twenty minutes in length. While the length and complexity of the arrangements helped each player to develop virtuoso-like skills, mainstream radio radio found their songs too long and, as such, Rush became more of a live, performance band rather than a chart-topping radio band.<br />
In the early 80s, Rush acknowledged the need to become more "radio friendly" and began producing some of the songs that most people now regard as their classic hits such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/FRBgRjqHN7U">Limelight</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Ikep_PKNUwg">Tom Sawyer</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/1nvNmNoFIa8">Subdivisions</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/GTgnqlJ36Rs">Closer to the Heart</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/WQgu0MpnKq8">Big Money</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/9RG5UV9vuxI">Spirit of Radio</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/tf6WQ_200HM">New World Man</a>.</i> Rush is, also, known for releasing Live albums, of which there are now <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Rush_(band)_live_albums">17 (!) versions</a> of full albums or specific tour scenes available. <br />
Over the course of their entire career, Rush has earned the most consecutive Gold records sales in music history, sitting only behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. They are members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, as well as, The U.S. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. <br />
But no matter how great their acclaim on the international stage, I adore Rush for the part they played in one of my favourite all-time Canadian television moments. Appearing on the raunchy TV Show, <i>Trailer Park Boys, </i>Alex Leifson and Bubbles (with the coke-bottle glasses) end the episode playing <i>Closer to the Heart</i> together. The episode is a classic but, it is not intended for a young audience. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Enjoy the whole episode.<br />
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A big tip of the hat goes out to the following performers whose name begins with an "R":<br />
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Children's star, <a href="https://youtu.be/-CSxGHve60E">Raffi</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/nHyYzezYWe0?list=PLX8uPwlkatwJYuaQYNYgucbV3QrR5E0He">Josh Ramsay</a> (of Marianas Trench), Pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/9BW5TTRXBOg">Alyssa Reid</a>, Quebec legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/0slOZv19g-k">Ginette Reno</a>, Loverboy lead singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/TnHm4ro_l8s">Mike Reno</a>, Alternative rising stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/MNsDc2RSxk0">Rural Alberta Advantage</a>, Mother and daughter, Gospel/Jazz/Blues queens, <a href="https://youtu.be/buJjKl3u0GI">Jackie</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/RL3U7J3ezv0">Kim Richardson</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/ihUIPlLw2ZE">Brad Roberts</a> (of Crash Test Dummies), <a href="https://youtu.be/AvAnfi8WpVE">Ed Robertson</a> (of The Barenaked Ladies), Composer of the French version of our nation anthem, <a href="https://youtu.be/9DIon9AZIjg">Adolphe Basile Routhier</a>, Celtic/Irish group, <a href="https://youtu.be/w7A4weQ23Us">Ryan's Fancy</a> and, finally, for today, producer extraordinaire, <a href="https://youtu.be/_LftgfoRWqI">Bob Rock</a>.<br />
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***Tomorrow: Part #2 of "R": the Young Turks Edition!!! So, if you don't see your favourite r-rated performer in today's post.....and yes, I mean you, Johnny.......they will be there Tomorrow. :)<br />
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Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-11210217789810066902015-07-29T10:44:00.001-04:002015-07-29T10:44:13.142-04:00Q is for Quartette and Utter Q-lessness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I would really rather be discussing a whole host of great new performers whose name begins with a "Q" but, in reality, there is only one group/performer of note; a group called, Quartette. They are a folk-country group whose members include, Cindy Church, Sylvia Tyson and, at one time, Colleen Peterson. Quartette have won two Juno Awards since their inception. Here is their moment in the @Cobourgcobbie spotlight: <br />
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They possess sweet, soulful and beautiful voices. I thank them for naming themselves as they did because, otherwise, I would be completely Q-less, as it were. :)<br />
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So, my plan with the rest of this post is to introduce you to a few performers that I have unintentionally omitted during the course of this series and to give you a bit of news at the end. So, here we go:<br />
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I can't believe that I missed Breeding Ground when I was creating <a href="http://cobourgcobbie.blogspot.ca/2015/07/b-is-for-breau-broken-social-scene-and.html">"B is for Breau. Broken Social Scene and Bahamas"</a>. When I was living in Toronto (attending Ryerson Polytechnical Institue), my musical universe was exploding! There were so many new singers and bands, so many parties and clubs to go to, so many good times waiting to be had. Breeding Ground was one of those new bands. This particular song, <i>Happy Now I Know</i> was very popular at the time of its' release in the early 80s. The female singer, as you may have guessed, is a young Molly Johnson, who was mentioned in an earlier post, "<a href="http://cobourgcobbie.blogspot.ca/2015/07/j-is-for-mendleson-joe-carolyn-dawn.html">J is for Mendleson Joe, Carolyn Dawn John and the Japandroids!</a>"<br />
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Another Ryerson-era favourite that slipped past my gaze was Blue Peter.<br />
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Blue Peter had big hits with <i>Don't Walk on Past </i>and with, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/9BEmaE7Xvn4">Radio Silence</a>. </i>But, more than that, Blue Peter had a "cool" look about him and, as a result, feel free to picture me, in all my late teen/early twenties gawkiness, wearing my hair the same way, donning my skinny ties and showing off my white-boy jerky-swaying dance moves at all of the parties. It was a glorious time in my life-long love affair with all things nerdy. <br />
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While I have missed a few of my favourite artists in the fog of nostalgia, I have, also, omitted two current artists, both of whom are making a big name for themselves in Canada and the U.S. The first in Lindi Ortega. Originally from Toronto, Ortega has recently recorded albums in Nashville that have been very well-received across North America. She has a folk-country style that has earned her nominations for The Polaris Prize, two Juno Awards, as well as, several Canadian Country Music Awards. She has enjoyed hits with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ZG_2rZ4UzN0">Tin Star</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/T3RVfOnuBKU">Little Red Boots</a> </i>and, with this video,<i> Cigarettes and Truckstops.</i> Ortega is certainly someone to keep an eye on. Her star is, definitely, on the rise. Enjoy.<br />
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The other performer is a young lady from Prince Edward Island named Jenn Grant. Jenn Grant sings a combination of Alternative and Adult Contemporary. She has been nominated for several Juno Awards, has been shortlisted for The Polaris Prize and has won three Eastcoast Music awards for Song of the Year for her hits called, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/GDWz6PSWXFA">The Beautiful Wild</a> </i>and<i> I've Got Your Fire. </i>Her song, <i>Dreamer, </i>is the theme song to the hit CBC TV show,<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/voCT6WsMQrY">Heartland</a>. </i><br />
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<i> </i>Jenn Grant is climbing the ladder to success but, as she does, she does so with a heavy heart. Two years ago, she released a song that was dedicated to her mother called, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/dCLDIxBxxVk">The Fighter</a></i>. Grant's mother lost her fight with cancer not long after the song was released.<br />
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As for me, my bit of news is that I am approaching 1000 page views for this series. While those numbers may not seem overwhelming for my successful published author friends, they are encouraging for me. In the course of those 1000 page views, someone from <i><a href="http://paper.li/Moose_Bait/1317388445?edition_id=b738c2a0-32e8-11e5-a22c-0cc47a0d164b">Moosebait.com</a></i>, a Cape Breton firm dedicated to promoting Hiking and Camping and all things Cape Breton, picked up my post, "M is for Rita, Ashley, Natalie, Buddy and the Barras" and has published it in their on-line newspaper called, "The Moose's Mouth". Again, The Moose's Mouth is a long way from The New York Times but, when you are a writer just starting out, it feels good to be noticed. <br />
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Thanks to every one of you for reading and sharing my work and for leaving such encouraging comments. It all means a lot. :)Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-37929106136651300302015-07-28T10:54:00.001-04:002015-07-28T10:54:12.205-04:00P: is for Plaskett, Purity Ring and, the Man, Oscar Peterson. Kids today! I have two daughters; neither one old enough to have her own newspaper route. But, both girls have their own iPods. Both girls primarily use the TV to stream movies and their favourite series On Demand. Both girls routinely set the wallpaper on the family computer, bookmark their own websites and immediately "Google" the answer to any question that may pop into their heads.<br />
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That these girls, aged five and nine, can seamlessly and innately interact with technology is not news. Today's youth are universally regarded as being technically proficient at a level, often, much higher than that of the adults in their lives; be it parents or classroom teachers. The scary or, proud, fact of the matter is that I have done very little to educate my daughters in the ways of cyberspace, I have merely allowed them to watch what I do and they have taken their own learning in their own hands from there.<br />
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My evolution from technological neanderthal truly began with iTunes. When I first drank the Apple Co. Kool-aid and bought a Mac computer, I was the proud owner of almost 1000 music CDs.<br />
I was very proud of my music collection. In fact, after I have digitized the collection onto iTunes and realized that I no longer had a need for a physical copy of an artist's music and went to sell my CDs, the guy at the used record store mistook me for a DJ!<br />
But, this post is not about my technological awakening but more, about the fact that I have a lot of music "in the Cloud" and that my two daughters have listened to much of it by rifling through the ranks of my records, digitally. Both girls have their own iTunes playlists that were created by listening to my songs and then clicking and dragging their favourites over to their own playlists where, the songs "magically" appear. As a teacher, I have always stressed the importance of reading aloud to children and of exposing them to rich literature. The same is true for Music. Creativity takes so many forms that, as a parent, I can never bring enough beautifully written lyrics or clever compositions into the lives of my children. So girls, have at my collection of music; one day you will grow to understand what Daddy sees in Radiohead and Bjork. But, for now, learn and grown and dance and sing your hearts out. It is all good.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNPHcoc64a4/VbRCbtQPfjI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/xi59Nhm6T8Q/s1600/DSCN0736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNPHcoc64a4/VbRCbtQPfjI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/xi59Nhm6T8Q/s320/DSCN0736.JPG" width="320" /></a> One of the songs both girls love is <i>Nowhere With You</i> by The Joel Plaskett Emergency. In the song, he sings the line, "<i>I took the Dartmouth Ferry into the Town, spent my pennies, bumming around.........".</i> Joel Plaskett has spent much of his musical career in Halifax, Nova Scotia and, like many people who reside there, he has taken the Dartmouth Ferry, back and forth across the harbour many times in his life. My sister lives in Dartmouth so, when we head home during the summer, the dartmouth Ferry has become a focal point for our stops.<br />
In this photo, my sister waves good-bye from that very same, Dartmouth Ferry, after spending the day with us in Halifax recently.<br />
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What I love about Joel Plaskett the most is how he writes about Canada as it really is. He doesn't shy away from writing and singing about the real places that exist in this country and the real people who live here. Like my daughters, Joel Plaskett grew up listening to his parents music. He was influenced by everyone from energy and anarchy of The Sex Pistols, to the folksy poetry of Joni Mitchell, to the sharply written rock of Neil Young. As a result, Joel Plaskett is a multifaceted performer whose music comfort zone spans the boundaries of many genres and styles. He was, originally, in a Halifax band called Thrush Hermit. But, the majority of his success has come from his solo career. He has had high praise from critics for songs such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/WlNvx2Zl_0M">Through and Through and Through</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/GKDgkcx9ric">Fashionable People</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/33nrix9iYyU">Lightning Bolt</a> </i>and, of course,<i> Nowhere With You. </i><br />
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Joel Plaskett has won a Juno Award, he has won 17(!) East Coast Music Awards, he recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from CBC Radio3 for his songwriting, too. He has won awards at several international songwriting contests such as The Billboard World Song Contest and The Great American Song Contest. Plaskett's musical catalogue is one of the most revered in Canada yet, he rarely receives airplay on mainstream radio. Hopefully, this highly acclaimed and very talented man will receive a slight push from the fifty or so readers of this post (who are encouraged to re-post my work and help to fan the flames of the careers of talented folks like Joel Plaskett.) <br />
I feel very proud every time my girls lend their voices to Joel Plaskett's <i>Nowhere With You </i> and allow his words to paint happy pictures in their minds of people and places that are important to them. It just reinforces the notion that music has the power to validate our souls and lift our hearts. How lucky are children who grow up in homes where good music is played!<br />
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As my girls sift through my music collection, they are doing so in ways that reflect their personalities. Both girls like to dance and move and so, both girls are drawn to the dance-oriented tunes that I own. One of the groups that has captured their attention is an Edmonton-based duo named Purity Ring. Purity Ring consist of singer, Megan James and musician, Corin Roddick. James and Roddick have been an official band for only the past four years but, in that time, they have quickly gained a large following both, of fans and, of music critics, who adore them. The band name was chosen because, just like an actual religious purity ring, the band wants their music to be "pure" and, as such, they write their own songs, create their own instruments and, even, design and sew their own clothes that they wear on stage. <br />
Their debut album, <i>Shines,</i> rose as high as #2 on Billboard's Dance Music chart. It was, also, so well-received that it was shortlisted for The Polaris Prize. They have had lots of success with singles such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/PmRraoL9v7k">Lofticries</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Xqw4wo8vdY8">Fineshrine</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/BOlwYR9VNlc">Belispeak</a>. </i>My girls are partial to <i>Heartsigh. </i>I prefer<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/ogomOb92El8">Begin Again</a>. </i><br />
I, actually, enjoy all of their songs but, it really tickles my fancy to know that around our dinner table, I am able to have intelligent conversations with my growing girls about music and about what the songs they listen to are saying and how they sound. I love how the fires of creativity are being kindled by bands such as Purity Ring.<br />
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The one area of my daughter's musical knowledge set that I am disappointed in, for the time being, is their willingness to embrace artists from the past. I will admit that they have a mild interest in classical composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms but, whenever I mention Jazz or The Blues, the conversation remains short-lived. That is too bad because they will have to read Daddy's blog in order to understand the significance of a gentleman named Oscar Peterson.<br />
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With some performers, a song is just a song. But, with some other performers, music becomes the voice of whole cultures or races. Its' soul yields the power to confront injustice, to stir passions in the masses and to give dignity to the oppressed and the ragged among us. So it was with Mr. Oscar Peterson.<br />
Peterson grew up in Montreal in a family setting where Jazz was loved and where classical music was respected. While still a young man, Oscar Peterson took formal piano training in the classical style. But, within his heart and mind, the lure of Jazz, Bebop and Boogie-Woogie music competed for his attention. Peterson was consumed by them all and practised relentlessly under the tutelage of the finest music teachers in Montreal.<br />
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Peterson is considered one of the finest Jazz pianists the world has ever seen. He has had this reputation most of his life. However, despite the universal acclaim that was directed toward him, Peterson's musical journey was anything but simple, simply because, Oscar Peterson was black. The ugly reality of racism and, in particular, of racial segregation played a great part in Oscar Peterson's career. He was refused entry to certain venues because of his colour. Sometimes, he would be denied his wages for having played, because he was black. There were other times when Oscar Peterson wasn't even allowed to share the same taxi with his white manager! Genius and virtuosity should grant the bearer a certain freedom to simply be. But, that was not Peterson's destiny. He was never to be "just a jazz player". The historical events of his time called upon Oscar Peterson to be a difference maker beyond the field of music. Fortunately for all of us, Peterson, like Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King, proved to be a giant upon whose shoulders the rest of us have been allowed the privilege of standing.<br />
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The fight against racism fuelled the passion of displaying and helped him bring that piano to the brink of flames, many a night on many a stage. While he played with fire in his fingertips, he comported himself with dignity, good humour and with class. His life was as above reproach as was his Jazz. But, as we all know, actions can speak louder than words. He faced racial hostility head on in the best way possible, by integrating his band. The Oscar Peterson Trio featured both, black and white players. The skill level of all three musicians was very high; so high as to disabuse everyone of the notion that the races could not work together in such harmony and with such complimentary skill.<br />
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Oscar Peterson is one of the most respected and decorated citizens Canada has ever produced. He has won too many wards to list but, some included, 8 Grammy Awards, multiple Juno awards, too. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Juno Awards Hall of Fame, The Jazz and Blues Hall of Fame and he has a star of Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Oscar Peterson has been awarded The Companion to the Order of Canada, The Order of Ontario, The National Order of Quebec and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France. Finally, Concordia University in Montreal has named their concert hall, The Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, in his honour.<br />
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For now, my daughters believe that I am the best man that there is. Some days, they believe that honour belongs to their Poppa. In time, however, they will grow to learn that there have been people in our country who have moved mountains in the course of their lives. They will learn the names and recognize the faces of these heroes who have endured so much and helped make the world a better place for their having been there. One day, my girls will come to know who Oscar Peterson is and, when they do, I hope the first thing they mention about him is how well he could really play!<br />
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Lots of great "P" performers today so, let's give them all a big tip of the old hat:<br />
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Toronto's own, <a href="https://youtu.be/pSDF8VvU13M">The Pursuit of Happiness</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/3VHbcPWXrSM">The Parachute Club</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/I4SOnBDe7qs">Platinum Blonde</a> and the <a href="https://youtu.be/-QfdHPoU300">Pukka Orchestra</a>, 80s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/jWYDVxIgA0M">The Payolas</a>, Children's entertainer, <a href="https://youtu.be/J2XgXStPms4">Fred Penner</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/fE3mFOwUxdk">Steven Page</a> (formally of the Barenaked Ladies), <a href="https://youtu.be/ttZIyNf6TS8">Neil Peart</a> (of Rush), Electro punk singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/9IZf-RuDtgU">Peaches</a>, Pop-rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/RtcCC_Y24FQ">The Partland Brothers</a>, Country band, <a href="https://youtu.be/VjebtZ4nq54">Prairie Oyster</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/mAqwxOG_-tA">Colleen Peterson</a>, the Original Bad girl, <a href="https://youtu.be/bN6b6cgc14Q">Carole Pope</a> (of Rough Trade), Pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/gH476CxJxfg">Daniel Powter</a> (of "American Idol loser"-fame), Two-time Juno nominee, <a href="https://youtu.be/7zzGiqOckPs">Peter Pringle</a>, Soul stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/X69RcMS6aew">The Philosopher Kings</a>, Stiff Records first ever punk signing, <a href="https://youtu.be/JYnaBXjFus0">The Pointed Sticks</a>, 70s stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/hBbmD20FuSE">The Poppy Family</a>, 80s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/sSyYqD9v_wo?list=RDdBmvElD_0Ow">Prism</a>, Pride of the Durham Region in Ontario, Metalists, <a href="https://youtu.be/NgB1HFZIh3c">Protest the Hero</a>, Rap-Metalheads, <a href="https://youtu.be/wKGYMKZS_50">Project Wyze</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/KCrsF0Y2XJY">Pure</a>, Vancouver folk-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/aaaZyVat6UM">Pink Mountaintops</a> and, finally, punk rockers/metalhaeads from Portage and Main, <a href="https://youtu.be/ezS7rgv5D90">Propaghandi</a>.<br />
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Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-22869280410836611442015-07-25T14:26:00.000-04:002015-07-25T14:26:02.207-04:00O is for Our Lady Peace and the Polka King Success means different things to different people. To many of us, the measure of success is purely quantitative; those who have the most are the most successful because, well, they have the most. The Education System is groaning under the weight of using standardized testing to measure success. In Music, record sales and concert ticket sales are often the standard by which the success of a singer or band is measured. But, is this fair? <br />
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In order for data-driven criteria to be the most valid indicator of a success in Music, an artist or band has to play that game as well. While record sales are always important, in so much as they generate income and help pay the bills that allow artists to produce albums and to hold concerts, for some artists, record sales are just a means to an end and are not the single most important measure of success for them. Sometimes, an artist is in it for something grander. Sometimes, an artist aspires to use their fame and notoriety to promote a cause that they champion that, is important to them and that, in their eyes, is more more than ticket sales and album units moved. Such a band was Our Lady Peace.<br />
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Our Lady Peace was a fairly successful pop-rock band. Over the course of their career, they were awarded four Juno Awards and nine Much Music Video awards (the most ever by a single band.) They had numerous Top Ten radio hits such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/o-bIGZoorPw">Is Anybody Home</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/VgUxPupx-JA">Starseed,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/RkUnlejMqjQ">Life</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/h1Z89zW-8sY">Innocent</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/8CBBtorFg2I">Superman's Dead</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/GkwwOk81zG4">Somewhere Out There</a> </i>and<i> Clumsy. </i>While never quite ascending to the lofty heights of stadium rock maintained by bands such as Rush or Bryan Adams in his day, Our Lady Peace still managed to be that band that would come to your hometown and sell out the local theatre or hockey rink. They were a made-in-Canada and maintained-in-Canada success story, as far as record sales are concerned. But, record sales do not tell the whole story.<br />
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Lead singer, Raine Maida, has always been noted for having one of the most powerful and unique voices in Canadian rock. He is handsome and personable, too. In the early days of Our Lady Peace, Maida was certainly being groomed to be a "rock star", in the mood of a Corey Hart, perhaps. But Maida, to his credit, had a higher purpose to his life and refused to be lured into the false trappings of stardom. Raine Maida is married to fellow singer <a href="https://youtu.be/HLEYR1N_OPs">Chantel Kreviazuk</a>. Lovely and talented as they both are, the potential to be a musical "power couple" was certainly there. However, both performers are Christians. Because of their personal beliefs, both singers have dedicated much of their adult lives to helping others in need. They perform at benefit concerts, they do mission work in third world countries and, at home, they have both dedicated sales of their hit songs to charity. In the case of Our Lady Peace, sales of one of their biggest hits, <i>Clumsy, </i>have all been directed to helping support an anti-bullying venture in Canada known as Kids Help Phone, where children who feel lost or scared and alone can call and talk to a supportive adult.<br />
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In my eyes, Our Lady Peace has to be considered a great Canadian success story. They have used their music to make a positive difference in the lives of others. At the end of the day, knowing that what you did mattered is among the most important measures of success there is. Ask any kid who was contemplating suicide but didn't because of that voice on the phone. Ask any refugee who was given shelter and a warm meal. Ask any church whose coffers were bolstered because Our Lady Peace and Chantel Krevizuk appeared, without fanfare, at their church hall for a benefit concert.....ask any of them and they will tell you that fame, itself, is not the measure of success but, instead, it is using fame as a tool to make a difference that can make one a success. Our Lady Peace had that figured out all along and, as a result, have enjoyed a most successful career as there has been.<br />
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Someone else who seems to have done a terrific job of not letting fame cloud his vision of what constitutes a good life is the man known as Canada's Polka King, Walter Ostanek. Ostanek has won three Grammy Awards and has been nominated thirteen times! He has won countless Juno Awards, he is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the U.S and Canadian Polka Halls of Fame and he even has his own star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. But, Canada's Polka King, remains incredibly grounded.<br />
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He still resides in his hometown of St. Catherine's, Ontario and, up until just recently, he worked at his own music store called, simply, Ostanek's. He plays few concerts but can always be counted on to show up in Kitchener/Waterloo during Octoberfest time. His good humour and warm personality help contribute to the aura that surrounds this man. He is as beloved a Canadian performer as there is. In fact, way back in the glory days of television show, SCTV, it was Ostanek upon whom John Candy based the <a href="https://youtu.be/8SbJIlEd6jA">Schmenge Brothers</a> polka skit.<br />
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There is a tendency, at times, to relegate genres such as polka music, to the lesser ranks of our musical canon. However, truth be told, music is music. It takes hours of practise to master the techniques required to produce beautiful notes and harmonies that emanate from guitars and drums and fiddles and, yes, even from accordions. Walter Ostanek is to be lauded and commended for mastering his craft like no other. He can be proud of everything he has accomplished because his skill has been nurtured with love and with dedication to excellence. Our Polka King has earned our respect. Well done, Walter. Well done!<br />
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Please join me in giving a big tip of the old hat to the following group of performers whose name starts with the letter, "O".<br />
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Ottawa pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/9uXIU6bn8Hk">One to One</a>, Gospel stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/f1iAaKHd7z8">Ocean</a>, the comedic stylings of <a href="https://youtu.be/ZV7aOnX7XeE">Organized Rhyme</a> (Can you spot the talented star who emerged from this group?), Vancouver pop-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/RZFPiG8dEBk">The Odds</a>, Conductor/composer, <a href="https://youtu.be/FIZ7OCubaqU">Peter Oundjian</a>, Edmonton's pop and Christian singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/GfHlACNmyrM">Maren Ord</a>, Alt-country singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/68o7A6UYGfo">Oh Susanna</a>, Alternative sister act, <a href="https://youtu.be/PbFeSfldC0w">Ohbijou</a>, Vancouver rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/af_1w33KgB8">The Organ</a> and finally, the lovely and talented singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/Z14wPTz6PdY">Mary Margaret O'Hara</a>.<br />
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<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-48475366963641970252015-07-24T09:28:00.000-04:002015-07-24T09:28:23.330-04:00N is for A Neon Rome and New Pornographers<div id="qt_341987" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
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<i>"We were sitting on the bus one day and there were 5 of us hanging out. There was only one beer left in the cooler and we actually all took a little cup and split it. It was a pathetic day in a rock and roll when five grown men have to be sitting there sharing a beer."</i><br />
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<i>Zak Wylde, guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne when they were all just starting out.</i><br />
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<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Rock n' Roll is <i>the new herion. </i>That was the motto put forth by Toronto punk band, A Neon Rome, back in the 80s when they were making waves in the burgeoning Toronto punk scene. Known for their outrageous and, even dangerous, live shows, A Neon Rome became cult favourites among those who craved the adrenalin rush of music being played completely without boundaries; threatening to careen wildly off the rails at any given moment. No one was supposed to feel safe at A Neon Rome show. After all, Rock n' Roll in its' purest form is supposed to be dangerous.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> A Neon Rome stand out from the myriad other bands that hurled <i><a href="https://youtu.be/YOLMQZEe0_A">anger as an energy</a>. </i> While they routinely rioted on stage, destroying everything in sight, they were very aware that chaos was their brand and their willingness to market that brand was very deliberate. A Neon Rome made their own handbills and would plaster them on walls and telephone poles all over the city. But, they never listed the date of their next show. Instead, they would create unique posters with their band name on them and, often, they would include philosophical ramblings such as <i>A Neon Rome being the new herion.</i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Not long into their career, they approached famed Canadian movie director, Bruce McDonald, to help them film a movie based on a idea that they had that revolved around recording live performances while fans were menaced by sharks. McDonald quashed that idea but, intrigued with the band, pitched the idea of making a documentary about them travelling through small towns in Northern Ontario. By the time it came to begin production, the lead singer of A Neon Rome had shaved his head and taken a vow of silence. The drummer had stopped bathing himself. A homeless man began appearing on-stage with the band and, well, yes, it all started falling apart. The band imploded. But, out of the wreckage of this implosion came one of the great Canadian movies of all time, <i><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlwfvy_roadkill_shortfilms">Roadkill</a></i>.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> As British band, Oasis, once opined, that bands often get hooked on the drug that is Rock n' Roll and want to <a href="https://youtu.be/i_2mWhfOhGU">live forever</a>. But, very few bands do actually stand the test of time. The average term of longevity for a band who has produced at least one album or EP is between two-four years. </span>A Neon Rome didn't live forever but, they have gained immortality just the same; their legacy, captured in all its' insanity, on film.<br />
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I will conclude our look at noteworthy "N" bands by showcasing a group who have won worldwide acclaim for all of their albums but, because of their name, have trouble being granted mainstream radio airplay. That group is The New Pornographers. <br />
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The New Pornographers are from British Columbia and have been together for over fifteen years. In that time, they have been hailed by such esteemed music magazines as Rolling Stone, which declared the second album, <i>Electric Version,</i> as one of the top 100 albums of the decade (2000-2010), Blender Magazine, which heralded their fourth album, <i>Mass Romantic, </i>as one of the top 25 Indie albums of all-time (and the second best Canadian Indie album after <i>Funeral,</i> by <a href="https://youtu.be/ajHgPWivCTw">Arcade Fire</a>) and, finally, The Village Voice, which has listed every album The New Pornographers have ever issued in their Top 40 Year end polls. And yet, how many New Pornographers songs are for sale at Walmart?<br />
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There is some mild dispute as to the origin of the band's name. In one interview, it was stated that the band was named after a Japanese documentary called, <i>The Pornographers.</i> But most people believe that they chose their name in response to a fundamentalist preacher from the southern U.S. who called Rock n' Roll, America's <i>new pornography.</i> Since the band played Rock n' Roll then, to them, they must be <i>The New Pornographers.</i><br />
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While there songs may not get as much radio airplay as they may warrant, The New Pornographers still get their music out. Their tunes have made their way on to soundtracks for everything like Canadian television shows such as <i>Queer as Folk, </i>U.S. television shows such as <i>The Gilmore Girls, Weeds and Ugly Betty</i>, movies such as Canada's own, <i>Men With Brooms </i>and the U.S. release<i>, Management, </i>as well as, video games such as, <i>Rock Band.</i><br />
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As was the case with Toronto bunkers, F**KED UP, The New Pornographers are challenging the mainstream music industry to look past monikers and just play their good music for the masses. Below is the really cool video for <i>Challengers.</i> Other well-received songs of theirs include <i><a href="https://youtu.be/fV-jX0OpUbE">Mass Romantic</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/LcyVi1Kspzc">Champions of Red Wine</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/p0cXXMOxZ0w">Brill Bruisers</a>. </i><br />
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A big tip of the hat for the following performers whose name starts with the letter, "N":<br />
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80s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/IPznPZLNQhI">The Northern Pikes</a>, The Pas' own rock star, <a href="https://youtu.be/0GzQd2mMxeA">Bif Naked</a>, FM's most unique band member, <a href="https://youtu.be/D4CuDEC3uO0">Nash the Slash</a>, Acapella singers extraordinaire, <a href="https://youtu.be/hi4XmAbA7JU">The Nylons</a>, New Waver, <a href="https://youtu.be/vPQgfaB3S1c">Aldo Nova</a>, 80s rock group, <a href="https://youtu.be/C_QkP5dINOI">National Velvet</a>, Stadium rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/DmeUuoxyt_E">Nickelback</a>, Metalists, <a href="https://youtu.be/zNaKtJN8BZI?list=PLWofvaD31L1pCOYRHeAMEWt0IucmGITUQ">No Means No</a>, Blink 182-soundalikes, <a href="https://youtu.be/_D3ZmJfxN20">Not By Choice</a>, Alt-country stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/Ryjy9hoKkIE">New Country Rehab</a>, Montreal punk rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/nz4vp-cu7lI">The Nils</a>, the only heavy metal/ska band I know, <a href="https://youtu.be/kTz7aLYn8O4">Ninjaspy</a>, Award-winning jazz group, <a href="https://youtu.be/lGVrBQLKZ5A">The Nuefeld-Occhipinti Jazz Ensemble</a>, the rock-pop stylings of <a href="https://youtu.be/ecSY3x4K0r0">Never-ending White Lights</a>, Quebec pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/4k5HzOe4PsM">The New Cities</a>, Winnipeg rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/p46wI-KwFuA">The New Meanies</a> and, of course, that most super of supergroups, <a href="https://youtu.be/VJN3u1wAWIk">Northern Lights</a>.<br />
<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-37292420926593619602015-07-23T09:01:00.000-04:002015-07-23T09:02:41.091-04:00Part 3 - M is for Metric, Mangan and Manning. It was Christmas time, 2008, and I was up late channel surfing. I came across a music show hosted by Damian Abraham of F*cked Up. I was just in time to see him introduce a new video called, <i>Help, I'm Alive. </i>That's how I was introduced to the band, Metric<i>.</i><br />
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<i> </i>Metric mainly consists of singer Emily Haines and keyboardist, James Shaw. They have actually been performing together since 1998 when they formed a band called, Mainstream. Mainstream morphed into Metric and Metric, in turn, proved, initially, to be a very malleable outfit, as Haines and Shaw collaborated with members of many other up-and-coming alternative bands such as <a href="https://youtu.be/Ty_LAi0dleU">Broken Social Scene</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/70-FiPK_LD0">Stars</a>, The Dears, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. As with all things, time helped all of the members of all those bands became more skilled as musicians and as songwriters. Being involved with such a supportive, collective community helped each band move forward, in ways that best suited them.<br />
For their part, Metric toured relentlessly in Canada and abroad. They opened for such diverse talents as <a href="https://youtu.be/NpVEP6vOj4A">Muse</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/FPkktfthLmo">Tricky</a>. They have played many important festivals such as Coachella and the Reading Festival. They have approached videos as short films and, as such, their work has received much critical praise, including being nominated for a Palme D'Or prize at The Cannes Film Festival in 2004. As the band has matured, Metric has produced increasingly more creative music. Their third album, <i>Fantasies,</i> produced several alternative radio hits such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/hwnaVwIrgzg">Help, I'm Alive</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/9i50D9y5Y2k">Dead Disco</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/0k9j0NuSARs">Gimme Sympathy</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/mymnTGtw7rw">Sick Muse</a>.</i> Metric won the Juno Awards for Group of the Year and Album of the Year for this work. For their next album, <i>Synthetica,</i> the band won Junos for Producer of the Year (Shaw), Alternative Album of the Year and for Record packaging of the Year (for their album's art work which they designed).<br />
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Metric have become stars in the Alternative music scene and are poised to make the leap, ironically enough, to <i>mainstream</i> success. In my opinion, that would be awesome because, the Mainstream airwaves could use an injection of artistic creativity that still manages to rock hard.<br />
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Sometimes, when you teach for awhile in a small school, you may end up teaching the same student more than once. This happened to me when I taught a young lady in Grade 2, Grade 3 and then, again, in Grade 5. Needless to say, by the time Grade 5 concluded, there wasn't much left to discover about each other. The one thing I really liked about this student was that she was incredibly artistic when it came to drawing. She could draw just about anything but, her passion was for Manga. As our grade 5 year rolled along, I introduced the kids to blogging. Among the things I taught them was how to place a video within their blog so that they could produce multi-media type work. We began by choosing music videos to watch and then, to talk about on the blog. As often happens, inspiration strikes at unexpected times. The night before I was planning to teach my lesson to the class, I happened to catch the Polaris Music Prize broadcast on TV. As I tuned in, there was a man performing on stage that I had never heard of called Dan Mangan, from British Columbia. He was performing a song called, <i>Robots,</i> which, I came to learn, has a great sing-along chorus at the end. I loved the song and immediately wondered if there was a video. There was. <br />
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The funky visuals reminded me of my young artsy friend at school so, on our class blog, I created a short post for her about this video. I encouraged her to follow her dreams and be fearlessly creative. She and the rest of the kids liked the video and had a great time blogging in the months that followed.<br />
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Now, as for Dan Mangan, being shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize was just the beginning for him, too. He is a singer/songwriter of great talent. He crafts his songs to play in our imaginations like movies. Songs like <i><a href="https://youtu.be/dDdD89jnnBY">The Indie Queens Are Waiting</a>, Rows of Houses, <a href="https://youtu.be/PtmvelyIZ9A">Post War Blues</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/4MojFIwIWCw">About as Helpful as You Can Be Without Being Any Help at all</a>, </i>are all richly layered, character-driven sagas of longing and triumph, of loneliness and of Life. Manga has been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize twice. He has won iTunes Album of the Year for <i>Nice, Nice, Very Nice *(</i>from which, <i>Robots</i> was recorded.) Dan Mangan has won two Juno Awards, three Western Canadian Music Awards, as well as, winning Best Song and Video of the Year Awards for <i><a href="https://youtu.be/EIvBPmv_rfg">Rows of Houses</a>.</i><br />
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When our Grade five year ended, this was the video that my young friend shared with me.<br />
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As for that young lady, she is still drawing away, as far as I am aware. Dan Mangan is still writing award-winning songs that make us look at ourselves and at Life, differently. In both cases, talent is as talent does, I suppose. In either case, I am the better because of it.<br />
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Finally, I give you, Dayna Manning. Dayna is a folk singer who was born in Stratford, Ontario but, who has toiled in relative obscurity behind Stratford's other singing star, Justin Bieber. In one of the comments on her YouTube video for <i>A Walk on the Moon,</i> it is lamented that such a beautiful voice could end up lost in the noise of celebrity. This, sadly, is all too true. Manning has been singing for almost two decades now and was once nominated for a Juno Award for most Promising New Artist after the release of her debut album. She performed in the line-up of the inaugural Lilith Fair concert. Recently, she teamed up with singers Emm Gryner and Laura Bates to form a folk supergroup called Trent Severn. Trent Severn had the distinction of being involved in the first inter-stellar song recording as they assisted International Space Station Commander <a href="https://youtu.be/KaOC9danxNo">Chris Hadfield</a> to record David Bowie's song, <i>Space Oddity.</i> He, in turn, <a href="https://youtu.be/8eA8Jzd0Da8">played with them</a> after he returned to earth.<br />
The Trent Severn Waterway flows all throughout my part of the world. Manning is currently married to local musician and one of the driving forces behind the wonderful <a href="http://www.sheltervalley.com/">Shelter Valley Folk Festival,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/TqZ_cUNB7j0">Aengus Finnan</a>. So, if the spotlight cannot find her in the place of her birth, may it shine forth from this blog because Dayna Manning is definitely a voice worth hearing.<br />
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We will say good-bye and farewell to the letter "M" by acknowledging the talented performers below: <br />
Bluesman, <a href="https://youtu.be/HL_Ia3xXdRs">Dutch Mason</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/c6TukZyXcAY">Sean McCann</a> (of Great Big Sea), <a href="https://youtu.be/2YznZZkDTyo?list=PLuarpOFQtHXCLqUkhvO2-zFQmPokR6RXT">Richard Manual</a> (of The Band), Rising pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/jrPc9WHIttQ">Mother Mother</a>, Technopop Remix Gods, <a href="https://youtu.be/Y0xzwSrfxMA">MSTRKRFT</a>, Rap/Hiphop innovator, <a href="https://youtu.be/L7mbhE3X_ic">Maestro Fresh Wes</a>, Folk singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/vwMr2Mh6Yw4">Catherine MacLellan</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/irtyqKbaCRI">Gene McLellan</a>, Creative pop group from Toronto, <a href="https://youtu.be/xpGV1jOqk4I">Moxy Fruvous</a> (can you spot the member who rose to stardom and ended in infamy?), Alt-pop group, <a href="https://youtu.be/Rska-Z3oDtY">Most Serene Republic</a>, Modern day rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/OfNmc9dvhUw">Monster Truck</a>, 70s hard rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/opVpTkoCCeo">Mahogany Rush</a>, Halifax alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/UVGmd2gk-5E">Mir</a> and, finally, British Columbian singer/songwriter (and, one time crush before I met my wife, Keri), <a href="https://youtu.be/wiKB9UGYPrQ">Mae Moore</a>. Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-53124503495853399142015-07-22T13:11:00.000-04:002015-07-22T13:19:17.426-04:00Part 2 - M is for Alanis, Joni, Sarah and Anne In my teaching career, I have had the honour of hosting student teaching candidates from various universities. I have hosted approximately one dozen young men and women; each attempting to gain the requisite real-life teaching experience necessary to prepare them for the responsibility of running their own classroom some day.<br />
When I first meet with these fine folks, I stress that <i>who</i> they are is just as important as anything that they will teach to my students during their stay. Being a role-model is important. Children are always looking for positive examples from those influential people in their lives. I find this to be especially true for the female candidates that enter my classroom. It is soooooo very important for young girls to see intelligent, confident females being successful at what they are attempting to do. It is equally important for young boys to see and respect strong female authority figures, too. Being a good role-model doesn't always translate into high test scores but, it does impact young citizens who are attempting to navigate their way through the social minefield that is Life. Therefore, having role-models to look up to is important.<br />
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In 1995, a young 19 year old woman from Ottawa, Ontario, became that very role-model for countless women and young girls when she released an album entitled, <i>Jagged Little Pill. </i>Alanis Morissette wrote her songs with an intensity and a vulnerability that blew through the Music Industry with gale force. <i>Jagged Little Pill</i> was alternately hailed/decried as a feminist manifesto due to lyrics that spoke confidently about sex from a female's point of view, as well as, scathingly attacking men for their treatment of women, whether they be in relationships or in the general population. <br />
For many female listeners, Alanis Morissette put words to their feelings and thoughts. She came across as a strong female voice at a time when strong females where looked down upon by the Music Industry and, quite often, by society at large. She refused to be put "in her place". She refused to still her voice. For that reason, <i>Jagged Little Pill</i> became a source of empowerment to thousands of young females; including singers <a href="https://youtu.be/W1y7X6shsMg">Katy Perry</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/IXLB-xeoOhk">Kelly Clarkson</a>, who both cite Alanis Morissette as having had a major influence on their decisions to pursue a career in music at a young age. I find that I hear the same clever word play at work in many of <a href="https://youtu.be/VuBLuIKQsVY">Taylor Swift</a>'s songs, as I do whenever I hear songs such as <i>Ironic, <a href="https://youtu.be/TS3oLs1JF50">You Oughta Know</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/zgV4iglxh_4">Hand in my Pocket</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/zgV4iglxh_4">You Learn</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/DKKCrMX9bRs">Head Over Feet</a> </i>or <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Np7WjmbtDgY">All I Really Want.</a></i><br />
<i> Jagged Little Pill</i> became Morissette's magnum opus, as it were. The album has gone on to become one of the biggest selling and most influential albums in Music history. Rolling Stone Magazine listed it as being one of the top 40 albums by a female artist of all time. It reached #1 on the record charts in every English-speaking country in the world. It has, also, garnered for Morrisette multiple Grammy and Juno Awards. As you read this post, <i>Jagged Little Pill</i> is celebrating its' 20th anniversary. Alanis Morissette is celebrating this milestone by being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.<br />
Twenty years ago, Alanis Morissette became the voice for an entire generation. Her influence is still being felt today. When Taylor Swift <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/07/21/taylor-swift-apple-lessons/">recently challenged </a>the mighty Apple Company's plans to withhold music royalties from artists, I am sure that Alanis Morissette was smiling. Having strong role-models is as important today as it ever was. <br />
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Halifax has always maintained a vibrant Arts scene. Even though my hometown of Glace Bay was a good four-five hour drive from Halifax, I grew up hearing tales of raucous times at venues like The Misty Moon. It all seemed so exotic back in those pre-internet times. But, just prior to the internet taking hold, there came music videos. Visual radio, as I like to call them, music videos allowed a broader range of artists to get themselves heard at a national or regional level. Consequently, in the mid-late 80s, thanks to MTV and Much Music, music lovers everywhere were introduced to a singer from Halifax named Sarah McLachlan and a song called, <i>Vox.</i><br />
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<i>Vox </i>was quickly followed by <i><a href="https://youtu.be/r-AL3QuZAy0">Path of Thorns</a></i> and <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ar6a1pkiGf8">Into the Fire</a></i> and suddenly, a new, dynamic, angelic voice burst onto the Canadian music scene. Sarah was artsy and beautiful and sounded completely unique. After signing with Nettwerk Records and moving west, to Vancouver, Sarah's career really exploded with an album entitled, <i>Fumbling Toward Ecstasy.</i> That album spawned several #1 hits including the autobiographical song, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/xHvpxjQsy9c">Possession</a>,</i> about a man who was stalking her.<br />
Sarah McLachlan has won several Grammy awards, multiple Juno Awards and is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In addition to the songs mentioned already, Sarah has had #1 hits with other songs such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/muEjDJ-ygw0">Building a Mystery</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/b94GybrNSJ0">Angel</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/Ol2Xt1aCC_c">I Will Remember You</a>.</i> But, as much as she is admired and respected as a singer/songwriter, many people still associate Sarah McLachlan with being the driving force behind a travelling music festival for female performers known as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/HT1WyL2mCsc">Lilith Fair</a>.</i><br />
Even at the height of her fame, Sarah found it difficult to convince concert promoters to book female acts to share the bill with her while she was on tour. Concert promoters, who were mostly male, contended that all-female bills would be poorly received by audiences. But Sarah refused to accept the notion that female performers could only succeed if supported by males, so she developed her plans for Lilith Fair. Some of the performers who graced the Lilith Fair stages included, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman, Jewel, Indigo Girls, Meredith Brooks, Pat Benatar and many, many more. Lilith Fair became a symbol of empowerment for female performers and Sarah McLachlan's stock as a powerful advocate for female artists grew exponentially.<br />
Sarah is still an active performer. She was part of the Opening Ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. She, also, helps run a school for the Arts in Vancouver, too. When she isn't singing, Sarah McLachlan performs at benefit concerts for a variety of worthy causes and is transitioning into a more philanthropic personality on the Canadian Music scene. <br />
Whether performing for packed stadiums, teaching at her school or being a mother to her children, Sarah McLachlan remains one of the most important and unique musical voices our country has ever produced. From Halifax to Vancouver Island and, all points in between, Sarah McLachlan is a Canadian success story of which there are few equal.<br />
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One of the songs that I can first recall listening to on the radio was <i>Snowbird</i> by Anne Murray. As I would sit at the kitchen table, eating cereal before school, the words, "<i>Spread your tiny wings and fly away..." </i>would fill the room. I always assumed that she was singing those words for me as I prepared for my day at school. Little did I know that Anne Murray was singing a song that was reaching the lofty heights of #1 in the U.S., making her the first Canadian female solo singer to achieve such success.<br />
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At that time in Canada, we were proud of our artists who achieved success in Canada but, when an artist like Anne Murray was recognized in America then, our level of pride went to a whole new level. Her success felt like our success and each of us puffed our chests out a little more with national pride. Anne went on to become a semi-regular performer on the Glen Campbell TV Show, as well as, appearing at the Grand Old Opry and even making a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live. During that appearance, Anne was introduced by 70s superstar actor, Burt Reynolds, as having "...the sweetest voice in the universe." All of Canada swooned at his words.<br />
Anne Murray's upbringing was not a precursor of success. She was born in a small coal mining town called Springhill in Nova Scotia. Although she had dabbled in singing, going so far as to take formal voice lessons as a teenager, Anne Murray didn't actually begin her singing career until she graduated from university. Although she had some modest success with her first album, Anne moved to Capitol Records and released her next album, which contained the hit song, <i>Snowbird. </i>In the years to follow, Anne Murray would sell over 50 million records and score #1 hits with a catalogue of iconic Canadian songs such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/e6nfpxZ2Nz4">You Needed Me</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/iE3z-6XO2Ds">Could I Have This Dance</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Gq8GRWX2GSY">Daydream Believer</a> </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/_R3sj4v4RtA">Nobody Loves Me Like You Do.</a> </i> <br />
Anne Murray has won four Grammy Awards, a record 24 Juno awards, countless awards from the Canadian Country Music Association, as well as, The U.S. Country Music Association, too. Anne has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, as well as, having a star in Nashville Walk of Fame and in Hollywood, too. She is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has received the Order of Canada. One of the accomplishments she is most proud of is having sung our national anthem at the first ever Toronto Blue Jays game in 1976, as well as, the first home game of the 1993 World series. Murray, also, sang <i>The Maple Leaf Forever</i> at the final game ever played in the Carlton Street Cashbox in Toronto, known as Maple Leaf Gardens.<br />
Anne Murray was the first really big female music star to come from Canada. Because of Anne, singers like Celine Dion, K.D. Lang and Shania Twain found it easier to be accepted beyond the borders of our country. Anne is, arguably, our biggest music star ever and, ironically enough, my first encounter with her beautiful voice was as I drank down my morning juice, swallowed my frosted flakes and believed that she was singing just for me. <br />
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Our final featured performer is none other than the legendary Joni Mitchell. Along with singers like Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young, Joni Mitchell is regarded as one of our country's best songwriters ever. She is respected world wide for the poetic quality of many of her most famous songs such as <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ZgMEPk6fvpg">Big Yellow Taxi</a>,</i><i> Both Sides Now </i>and<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/w5782PQO5is">Blue</a>. </i><br />
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<i> </i>Mitchell began her career in Western Canada and then, Toronto. However, for the most part, Mitchell is known for her work in the U.S. Unlike someone like Anne Murray, who achieved stardom south of the border but, who always found time to "come back home" to Canada, Joni Mitchell left and, for the most part, stayed away. She found her greatest level of success during the late 1960s in the Woodstock-era America. She travelled and collaborated with singers such as Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash and, later, James Taylor. As the 70s unfolded, Mitchell moved away from her folk-inspired roots and transitioned more toward jazz, working with the likes of Pat Methany and Herbie Hancock.<br />
Joni Mitchell was a singer, a songwriter, an artist and a poet. Distrustful of the business side of the Music Industry, Joni Mitchell withdrew from active performing and developed a more prickly relationship with fans and with Music executives. However, despite this, Mitchell remains one of our country's greatest writers of songs; a musical poet and an artist extraordinaire. She is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Mitchell has received the Governor General's Lifetime Achievement Award and was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, too. She has won multiple Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and has been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<br />
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A big tip of the hat goes out to the following performers whose name begins with the letter, "M":<br />
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80s pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/AjPau5QYtYs">Men Without Hats</a>, "Irish" punk rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/AjPau5QYtYs">The Mahones</a>, Modern day chart-toppers, <a href="https://youtu.be/QGQpxLaZvhg">Marianas Trench</a>, 80s hitmakers, <a href="https://youtu.be/QEQkIEkxm7k">Martha and the Muffins</a>, Folk act, <a href="https://youtu.be/upsZZ2s3xv8">Kate and Anna McGarrigle</a>, Top 40 rock band, <a href="https://youtu.be/kB0jBxv2S0Y">Max Webster</a>, Reggae stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/uPeFCOwIrgM">Messenjah</a>, Family pop stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/RHjWElLmNtE">The Moffats</a>, Raspy-voiced rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/Ol2Qt63bk28">Amanda Marshall</a>, 90s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/udxDx4yJv-0">Moist</a> and finally, world music performer and harpist, <a href="https://youtu.be/4zI8sI4Ddqo">Loreena McKennitt</a>.<br />
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<i> </i>Tomorrow we put this baby to bed and meet the young turks of the "M" crowd. Until then, thanks for reading my work and for your kind comments. They are gratefully appreciated. :)<br />
<i><br /></i>Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-8233904367291679992015-07-21T09:06:00.004-04:002015-07-21T09:37:48.977-04:00Part 1 - M is for Rita, Ashley, Natalie and Buddy MacMaster, the Barras and the Men of the Deeps "M!" Wow! <br />
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When it comes to Canadian music, "M" is definitely the motherlode! There are so many outstanding singers and musicians whose name starts with an "M", that I am forced to break this down into three parts. Today, I shall focus on the resurgence of Celtic music in Canada and the personalities who brought it back to life. Tomorrow, I will pay my respect to the legends.....the divas....our musical royalty. Finally, I'll shine a light on the young turks, as it were; the up-and-coming-stars whose tunes are on the lips of all the cool kids in town. So, sit back and prepare to be dazzled because this is as good as Canadian music gets. Let's go!<br />
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I recently spent a week back home at the place of my birth, <a href="http://www.gardeninn.ns.ca/images/capebretonmap.jpg">Cape Breton Island</a>. When I was home, I took my 84 yearly mother out shopping at the local mall. While there, I bought a t-shirt with the following picture on it:<br />
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Cape Breton Island forms the upper third of the province of Nova Scotia. It is joined to the mainland by way of a man-made causeway than stretches across the Strait of Canso and it known, simply as, The Canso Causeway. The bridge shown in the photo is a movable bridge; the kind you find at lift locks and the like. But, this bridge is held in the hearts of all who call Cape Breton home, not just because of its' role in helping water craft move about the island but, as well, because of the symbolism it possesses; for this bridge is the gateway to <a href="https://youtu.be/apD1IuE5Lwo">Cape Breton</a>. <br />
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One of the characteristics of Cape Breton Island, all throughout its' history, has been the outbound migration of its' youth. Unemployment rates have trended higher than the national average since before I was born and continue to do so today. Consequently, the siren song of a better life in manufacturing plants of Ontario or in the oil fields of Alberta has often been too much for Cape Breton's young citizens to ignore and, like me, they found themselves as Capers-in-exile in some far-flung part of this great land. But, regardless of where our houses are located, the home of our hearts has always been Cape Breton. Consequently, a secondary characteristic of the Island is that those who leave, like me, always come home as often as we can. When we travel back, we pass under the sign on this bridge and we cheer. To pass under it is to be home. To be home is everything. <br />
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I would have bought that t-shirt based on the emotional pull of the photo, alone. However, being under that sign on that bridge holds an immensely personal place in my heart; more than just the pull of the Island or of Family, for it was at this very spot that I asked my wife to marry me. <br />
In order to disguise my true intentions and to make my ruse seem as realistic as possible, I had asked my wife to take a photo of me in front of the "Welcome to Cape Breton" sign because, as she knew, from hearing me go on about it, that it held such strong emotional meaning for me. She agreed total the picture. So, on a cloudy, windy, rainswept afternoon, we drove to the Canso Causeway and the photo was taken. Immediately after, we walked back across the bridge and stood upon Cape Breton Island soil. Then, I fell to one knee and married one of the most special places in my heart with the most special woman I had ever met. Keri said, "Yes". To celebrate our engagement, we drove for about an hour and had tea at a wonderful restaurant called <i><a href="http://www.ritamacneil.com/pages/ritas-tea-room">Rita's Tea Room</a>. </i>The "Rita" in question is, none other than, Rita McNeil.<br />
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Rita McNeil is affectionately known as Cape Breton's First Lady of Song. Rising from the ashes of a childhood marked by sexual and physical abuse, Rita McNeil came to adopt feminist ideals in the 1970s; particularly, about how women were viewed by men and in the media. She channelled her anger by writing songs about women such as her mother or else, about people who exemplified what it was to live a hard-working, honest life. While her highest charting song in Canada was called <i><a href="https://youtu.be/mAulSf4iO0c">Flying On Your Own</a></i>, it is a song about Cape Breton coal miners that is her most beloved and which has become one of the unofficial anthems of Cape Breton Island. This song is entitled, <i>The Working Man.</i> While Rita has sung this song many times on her own, she is best known for sharing the stage with a group of real-life coal miners who formed a choir named <i><a href="https://youtu.be/-qD42gnAjo4">The Men of the Deeps</a>. </i>Rita and the Men of the Deeps have toured the world together, with <i>The Working Man </i>usually being the finale of each show.<br />
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Rita soon developed a sense of confidence in herself as a song writer and in having so many stories to tell based upon her life experiences as a woman and as a Cape Bretoner. She has won three Juno Awards, four Canadian Country Music Awards, countless East coast Music Awards and has been named a member of the Order of Canada and of Nova Scotia, for her contributions to enhancing the culture of the Island. Because of her success as a singer/songwriter and because of the warmth of her personality, she has lifted the profile of Cape Breton Island and served as a role model for many other singers and songwriters; encouraging them to create glorious music based on the Island, as well. <br />
But, for me and for my newly-engaged, soon-to-be wife, Rita's Teahouse was where we chose to celebrate our happiness. We discussed our wedding plans while Rita's songs played in the background. The tea was most excellent, as was the strawberry shortcake. Life was perfect. We felt welcomed. We felt at home.<br />
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Rita's star shone so brightly that, for a time, she developed her own television show on the CBC. The show was simply called, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ve4hoFmfY5w">Rita and Friends</a>. </i>While Rita welcomed music performers of all types, it was in her role of cultural ambassador that local performers such as fiddling prodigy, Ashley MacIssac came to attention of all Canadians; not just those in attendance at the kitchen parties or, ceilidhs, as we call them back home.<br />
Ashley MacIsaac is a multi-Juno Award winning fiddler, originally born in the village of Creignish. Honing his skills as a child, playing in the hotbed of celtic culture, MacIsaac soon developed a fiery playing style that has endeared him to audiences to this day. However, as talented a performer and musician as Ashley MacIsaac is, it is his personal life that has often claimed the media spotlight. MacIsaac came out and declared his homosexuality back in the 90s, when it was still not a widely accepted lifestyle choice. His career has suffered because of the prejudice he has encountered due to his sexual politics but, also, because of his attention-seeking antics he likes to employ. His most noteworthy incident occurred while appearing on the <a href="https://youtu.be/5tIT8VuZ92c">Conan O'Brien Show</a> in a kilt, wearing nothing underneath and then, flashing the audience during his musical number. But, at the end of the day, Ashley MacIsaac's talent raises him up above the controversy and, as such, he continues to be at the forefront of all that is good and innovative in fiddling music in Canada today.<br />
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As notorious as Ashley MacIsaac sometimes seemed, his cousin, fiddler Natalie MacMaster, seemed the exact opposite. Always appearing as sweet and lovely, with her long flowing blonde tresses, Natalie MacMaster is every bit as talented a fiddler as Ashley MacIsaac is. Playing since she was a little girl, Natalie was fortunate to be raised in a family that included her uncle, the incomparable fiddler, Buddy MacMaster. Under his dignified mentorship, Natalie MacMaster developed a playing style that incorporates all of the classic fiddling techniques, as well as, adding world class step dancing to her performances. <br />
Natalie MacMaster grew up in a musical environment and, as such, it is not all that surprising that, as a woman, she would choose to surround herself with musical talent, too. Natalie MacMaster is married to Donnell Leahy of the celtic band,<a href="https://youtu.be/s9qZg4pDVw4"> Leahy</a>. They have four children, all of whom, perform step dancing and fiddling. MacMaster has won several Juno Awards and East coast Music Awards over the course of her career and has represented Cape Breton Island with dignity and class.<br />
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For those of us "from away", the longing for Cape Breton never wanders far from our hearts. The sound of the fiddlers tune or the piper's lament, is enough to transport us all back to that <i><a href="https://youtu.be/zOqbMMLqeok">rock in the sea</a>. </i>However, Life being what it is, many of us have found ourselves far removed from that bridge on that Causeway. But thankfully, inspired by Rita McNeil's success, Celtic music has gained in popularity across Canada. As it has grown, so have the profiles of the performers who write and play with such style and passion. So, it is always a happy occasion when someone from <i>back home</i> goes on tour and comes to our home towns to play. Rita, Natalie, Ashley, The Men of the Deeps and The Barra MacNeils have all come to my town of Cobourg or neighbouring Port Hope to perform. God Bless their hearts for bringing Cape Breton Island to those of us far from home. <br />
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The Barra MacNeils, in particular, are very good to tour Canada. They have consistently done so near Christmas time and have produced several Christmas albums of traditional celtic holiday tunes. But, to simply say that about the Barra MacNeils is to sell them short, for they are a collective of immensely talented musicians and singers; all of whom embody the spirit of Cape Breton in their playing.<br />
The Barra MacNeils are all brothers and sisters. Their name derives from the Scottish Clan system which sees the island of Barra, in Scotland, as being the ancestral home of the Clan McNeil thus, they are The Barra MacNeils. Each member of the band is classically trained; combining the formal training they have received at Mount Allison University, with the rich experience of playing in kitchens and Legion Halls all across Industrial Cape Breton. They have won multiple East coast Music Awards. They have performed here in Ontario but, I have seen them at home at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, too. Regardless of the stage I have witnessed them play upon, they have brought a little of "back home" into my world and, for that, I am eternally grateful. <br />
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***For those of you interested in the trivia of my own life, as you watch the Barra MacNeils play at the Savoy Theatre, note that it was on that stage that I graduated from High School in 1982. There was no fiddling or step dancing involved but, on that very stage I once stood in all my nerdy teenage glory. It was, also, on that stage that U.S. Group, <a href="https://youtu.be/_YxGsX9bRfY">The White Stripes</a>, once played to a wild and rowdy crowd. Buddy MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac were the opening acts that memorable evening.<br />
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If Home is where the heart is then, for me (and, for my fellow Capers-in-exile) my heart is in Cape Breton. Although I can no longer call Cape Breton Island my place of residence, I can always rely on the storehouse of memories I have of having grown up there surrounded by the beauty of the land, the majesty of the Atlantic Ocean, the warmth of the people and the richness of the culture. I am honoured to share this history with all of you through this blog. I encourage each of you to come and visit Cape Breton Island, at least once, during your life time. It is a remarkable Island and the place my heart yearns to be. I will happily be your tour guide, if you'd like. :) <br />
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In the meantime, I have the great good fortune of still having family on the Island. It pleases me to know that my own daughters have driven across that Causeway and under that bridge and know the story of where Daddy asked Mommy to marry him. When we were in that very store in the Mall where I bought my t-shirt, we asked the girls if they wanted a Cape Breton t-shirt for themselves. Keri held up one that said, "Honorary Cape Bretoner" on it and asked my oldest daughter, Leah, if she wanted it. Leah, to my delight, immediately replied, "No thanks. I already am a Cape Breton girl."<br />
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Let me end this post by tipping a Scottish tam in the direction of these very talented performers whose name begins with the letter "M":<br />
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Singer/songwriting legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/aMamyalrTuU">Murray McLaughlin</a>, Rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/UW6Rk238rb0">Holly McNarland</a>, one of the stars of the TV Show, <i>Rock Star: INXS</i> , <a href="https://youtu.be/fsup8Z-tz3k">Sweet Suzie McNeil</a>, Modern day pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/VbfpW0pbvaU">Shawn Mendes</a>, Alternative darling, <a href="https://youtu.be/gvgTiOQfIB4">Amy Millan</a>, Pianist, <a href="https://youtu.be/AdEJmGGwMBY">Frank Mills</a>, Canadian icon, <a href="https://youtu.be/r2JeUuGZz-Q">Don Messer</a> and his Silver Jubilee, Maritime singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/NFaS5PkbzbE">Matt Minglewood</a>, Quebec pop curiosity, <a href="https://youtu.be/do_6YzvWqF8">Mitsou</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/xXJ9UoQCY5s">Chris Murphy</a> (lead singer of Sloan), Electronic Award winner, <a href="https://youtu.be/BARoIZzL2fQ?list=PL7BOCEhx_lepGWPWhAdE4hvc85x3tgP0-">Montag</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/bWxxgacXvaA">Gil Moore</a> (runner of the band, Triumph), 80s rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/tT4d1LQy4es">Alannah Myles</a>, Canadian-U.S. metal band, <a href="https://youtu.be/dXKZDflFzu4">Misery Signals</a>, Multi-talented percussionist, <a href="https://youtu.be/Fo_fQ45wtCI">Manitoba</a> (currently performing under the moniker, Caribou), Indie rockers from Montreal, <a href="https://youtu.be/UHwSk8bFS4M">Malajube</a> and, finally, for today, let's end with the musical and comedic stylings of <a href="https://youtu.be/w_m3vU6P68U">McLean and McLean</a>.<br />
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***Please note, all you passionate followers of this blog that, today is only Part #1!!! There are many, many more "M"-list performers yet to come. Send me any omissions after Part #3. :)<br />
Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-10342526090045707842015-07-13T10:49:00.001-04:002015-07-13T10:49:54.323-04:00L is for Lowell, Lovelies, Lang and Lightfoot A couple of weeks ago, just prior to Canada Day, I afforded myself the luxury of simply sitting back in a comfortable chair one evening and listening to music/watching videos for a couple of uninterrupted hours. I hadn't intended to do this but, I had just purchased <i>Bow and Arrow</i> from a group called Reuben and the Dark. Not knowing much about the group, I decided to check them out on Youtube. As many of you know, whenever you choose a video to watch, Youtube (for better or worse) offers you, what it believes, may be other videos that you may be interested in watching next. Fortunately, this led me to choosing a video by Hayden. Watching Hayden, in turn, led me to today's featured artist, Lowell. After watching three separate videos by Lowell and then, discovering that she and Hayden and Reuben and the Dark were all Canadian (How did I not know that!? Ok! I knew about Hayden but, the others........!), I was struck with the notion of creating this series of posts that you are now viewing. I figured that if I loved this music but, was unaware of it then, perhaps, others were missing this great music, too, and that it was my responsibility to promote these artists. So, here, in my own small way, I will shine the spotlight on a young lady named Lowell. I think that she has a chance to be a big star one day.<br />
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Lowell was born, Elizabeth Lowell Bolland in Calgary, Alberta. She moved to Toronto at age 18 and has been writing songs every since. She has written for the Backstreet Boys on their last album. This was her first moment where she claims she felt like she had the chops to make a go of it in the Music Industry. While scrambling to earn enough money to finance her own musical vision, Lowell supported herself by stripping. She became known for adding in musical elements to her adult shows. You can see the influence of this background in her videos. But as I watched all three videos, I was struck by how arresting they were with regards to the storyline, the lyrical content and the cinematography. Lowell's videos were very original, stylistically. That she had something intelligent to say just added to her appeal. So, without further ado, please allow me to introduce you to Lowell and her video for <i>The Bells</i>! I really liked, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/3ge0llqqeLU">I Love You Money</a></i>, too.<br />
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I<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> reside in a town called Cobourg, which sits in a County called Northumberland, in a province called Ontario. Northumberland County is not overly large, geographically or population-wise. We are bordered on the south by Lake Ontario and on the north by, what is known as, the rolling hills of Northumberland. Northumberland County is aesthetically pleasing. Because of its tranquil air, the area has long attracted those with artistic inclinations. As a result, Northumberland County has a thriving Arts scene. Amid an atmosphere that encourages those who paint, dance, recite poetry or play music, a trio of ladies came together to sing. They adopted the name The Good Lovelies and have seen their reputations grow beyond the borders of our fair County.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> The Good Lovelies are <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22px;">Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore. They employ a heartbreakingly-beautiful ability to harmonize. They sing like angels on the slower tunes in their </span><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">repertoire and blast forth with power and range on their more up-tempo pieces. They have already won a Juno Award for Best Roots or Traditional Album of the Year in 2010. As The Good Lovelies relentlessly tour, people all around the world are discovering, what those of us in Northumberland County have known for years, The Good Lovelies are an amazing musical act. Our secret is out and the world is the better because of it. Please enjoy The Good Lovelies!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> Kathryn Dawn Lang is easily one of the very best singers Canada has ever produced. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, K.D. Lang began her musical career, heavily influenced by the stylings of Patsy Cline. She won her first Juno Award in 1985 for Most Promising Artist, which she accepted wearing a wedding dress. She performed at the opening of The Calgary Winter Olympic Games in 1988 and sang, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/sxsUc6EdeRQ">Turn Me Round</a></i></span><i style="line-height: 22px;">.</i><span style="line-height: 22px;"> But, her image as a talented but, slightly eccentric, performer changed for good when she was asked to sing a duet with the great Roy Orbison. </span><i style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://youtu.be/4uNoAp7RNUA">Crying</a></i><span style="line-height: 22px;"> showcased the power of her voice and allowed the world to see her perform in a more restrained or, almost, mature manner. Lang and Orbison won a Grammy Award for their duet. K.D. Lang has won multiple Juno, Grammy and Canadian Country Music Awardson on her own. She is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">K.D. Lang is, also, a Lesbian. She came out years ago, during a time when being homosexual wasn't as accepted as it is today, in this rainbow-hued, thumbnail world of ours. In many respects, the way forward on equal rights would never have progressed to the point where it has, if not for high profile performers, such as her, coming forward. K.D. Lang possesses a great deal of courage to have taken the stand that she did for equality. Her passion and courage are only equalled by the power and beauty of her voice. As a musician and as a person, K. D. Lang stands alone. She has made us all very proud to be Canadians. Here she is, appropriately enough, with </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">Love is Everything.</i></div>
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Finally, I leave you with, yet, another singer who rates as one of the most respected, admired and adored performers of all time, Mr. Gordon Lightfoot. Gordon Lightfoot has been writing and performing on stages across Canada and around the world for over fifty years. He is, generally, regarded as Canada's greatest songwriter. His compositions have crossed genres to include folk, country, blues and pop. His hit records are some of the most noteworthy songs anyone in our country has produced; such as, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/ZFJ5Bj_put0">Early Morning Rain</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/MOOs-MqDOI0">Sundown</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/l-ij_iTQt2w">If You Could Read My Mind</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/8qZvSqESv3Q">Rainy Day People</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/N4IhoHB-w0A">Carefree Highway</a>, </i>the<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/IfM_cqOLnE8">Canadian Railway Trilogy</a> </i>and<i> The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.</i> </div>
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Gordon Lightfoot has won countless Juno and Canadian Country Music Awards. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. He has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. He was awarded a Companion to the Order of Canada, too. </div>
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Gordon Lightfoot is still performing, as health permits. His annual Massey Hall Concerts in Toronto are still regarded as one of the musical highlights of the year in that city. He is, without a doubt, one of the finest singers and songwriter Canada has to offer. Here is Lightfoot performing <i>The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald</i> live. Enjoy. </div>
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A huge tip of the hat to the following extraordinary performers, many of whom, were worthy of being featured in their own right:</div>
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Celtic star, <a href="https://youtu.be/4AwT7HydehA">Mary Jane Lamond</a>, Singer.Producer, <a href="https://youtu.be/KUnUv_395vY">Daniel Lanois</a>, Pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/PRmc-5CnjzQ">Avril Lavigne</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/6Ci_c77eQlk">Geddy Lee</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/0X_wUflADA8">Alex Lifeson</a> of Rush, Rising pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/fqVrDDohnkM">Lights</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/gjCjuU5joEs">Mike Levine</a> (bassist for the band, Triumph), the King of New Years Eve, <a href="https://youtu.be/A_SrZBlHr2k">Guy Lombardo</a>, 80s singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/aHVVZCzlkEI">Luba</a>, East coast folk singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/kIEEDYowZhA">Old Man Luedecke</a>, Country star, <a href="https://youtu.be/3D5YoLiqUa4">Corb Lund</a>, Quebec singer-songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/qnDl9a6FqSA">Lhasa</a>, Celtic band, <a href="https://youtu.be/rqg0l43dbv4">Leahy</a>, One-hit wonders, <a href="https://youtu.be/E1fzJ_AYajA">Len</a>, Toronto's own, <a href="https://youtu.be/D-Y4Svm0Pog">Leslie Spit Treeo</a>, New Wave band, <a href="https://youtu.be/Vub3l3Gw11g">L'estranger</a> (two of the three original band members are now members of Canada's parliament, Andrew Cash and Charlie Angus), 70s supergroup, <a href="https://youtu.be/6qB76FlXfvs">Lighthouse</a>, 90s girl group, <a href="https://youtu.be/QxTxFjuOj3M">Lillix</a>, Alternative band from Vancouver, <a href="https://youtu.be/IOrP4JOBEcY">Limblifter</a>, Dance faves, <a href="https://youtu.be/N_zLBsRYD8w">Love Inc.</a>, Alternative rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/hRAsDjQBAZ8">Lowest of the Low</a>, Gypsy-Jazz(!) stars from Quebec, <a href="https://youtu.be/-f47eQhGkck">The Lost Fingers</a> (they are huge in le belle province!), Psychedelic folkster, <a href="https://youtu.be/2yF-UkmsCUk">LeE HARVeY OSMOND</a> (and yes, that is how he types his name!!!), my personal friends, <a href="https://youtu.be/reuVlIZjiHw">Loco Zydeco</a>, and, 80s supergroup, <a href="https://youtu.be/BaJ00sEgLEU">Loverboy</a>!!!</div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><i> </i></span></span>Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-11747297262470679092015-07-11T12:30:00.003-04:002015-08-24T17:10:55.795-04:00K is for Kid Koala, Kiva, Pierre Kwenders and Kiesza Post #11 in our musical journey across this great country of Canada takes us to meet those performers whose name starts with the letter, "K". These "Special K" list of artists is a mixed bag of up-and-comers, grizzled veterans, as well as, several who are gaining the notice of the music community while mastering musical genres that are, to say the least, obscure and/or cutting edge. So without further ado, let's meet our featured artists.....<br />
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Legendary composer Henry Mancini composed the lovely and lilting, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/Q7SI7N22k_A">Moon River</a>, </i>while Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics. <i>Moon River</i> won an Academy Award for Best Song in the Audrey Hepburn classic, <i>Breakfast at Tiffany's.</i> As time has gone by, the tune for this song has become one of the most instantly recognizable pieces of music ever written. It is, definitely, a timeless classic.<br />
It is, also, the signature song performed by rising Canadian DJ/turntablist, Kid Koala. Kid Koala (Eric San) was born in British Columbia and has used his turntable virtuosity while performing as a solo act, as an opening act for tremendous artists such as <a href="https://youtu.be/Ks_6DCCuJMg">Radiohead</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/EuooE29-wX4">Bjork</a>, as a contributor to the albums of others (such as Gorillaz) or, as a member of influential groups such as <a href="https://youtu.be/s7FxVSDLonY">Deltron 3030</a>. When performing, Kid Koala usually uses four turntables at a time....or more. In his most famous piece, Kid Koala samples from four separate turntables simultaneously to recreate the lilting violin sounds from <i>Moon River</i> and he does so, live, in front of his audience. Nothing is pre-recorded, aside from the sounds on the LPs he is scratching. <br />
As I mentioned in a previous post, sometimes, an artist can be a huge hit in their specific genre but remain, relatively unknown, to the larger music community. This is probably true for Kid Koala. In the techno/electronica scenes, Kid Koala is a big, big star on the world stage. Please check out his version of <i>Moon River</i> and see a wonderful young Canadian performer at the peak of his creative powers. Ladies and gentlemen, I present, Kid Koala live! Enjoy. :)<br />
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Equally "out there" as far as mainstream music is concerned is a singer called, Kiva. Kiva is regarded as one of the world's experts on a style of singing called Harmonic Overtone Singing. Harmonic Overtone Singing is a style of vocal theatrics in which the singer amplifies the sound waves they are creating by changing the shape of the air cavities located in the mouth, the larynx and the pharynx. By doing this, the singer can create more than one pitch at the same time while maintaining a single frequency via their vocal cords.<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Harmonic Overtone Singing is the musical cousin to the increasingly famous Inuit Throat Singers (in particular, Tanya Tagaq, who won the Polaris Prize last year.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> Kiva was born in British Columbia and has recorded several albums of original compositions, as well as, teaching whole choirs in her technique. When we listen to music, we don't always dwell on the science behind the sounds we hear but, there is a ton of science involved in the very unique genre of Harmonic Overtone Singing and one of our own, a Canadian lady named Kiva, is at the forefront of this movement. Here she is, Kiva! Be prepared to experience music in a whole new way....scientifically, as well as, artistically. The creativity and intelligence on display here blows my mind! It is crazy brilliant, at a very profound level.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> Pierre Kwenders was born in the Democratic Republic of the </span></span></span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Congo but came to Canada as a child and remains here to this day. Kwenders combines jazz, funk, rap and world beat music together in multiple languages. His work has seen him receive nominations in the World Music Album of the Year at the 2015 Juno Awards, as well as, the 2015 Polaris Prize. In this video, he is performing his most well-regarded song, </span><i style="line-height: 22px;">Mardi Gras,</i><span style="line-height: 22px;"> with Montreal group, Radio Radio.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> Finally, we have a pop-star. Kiesza was born in Calgary and spent time involved in the unlikely combination of pursuits as enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy, training to be a ballerina, as well as, entering the Miss Canada Pageant. Kiesza is gaining fame across North America and Europe thanks to her infectious pop melodies, as well as, her energetic dance choreography. She sprang to international attention as a result of her dance performance in her breakthrough video for the song, </span><i style="line-height: 22px;">Hideaway. </i><span style="line-height: 22px;">She followed that up by transforming the hit, W</span><i style="line-height: 22px;">hat is Love?,</i><span style="line-height: 22px;"> made famous in the movie, </span><i style="line-height: 22px;">A Night at the Roxbury </i><span style="line-height: 22px;">and on </span><span style="line-height: 22px;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/jFnqQbtHeDE">Saturday Night Live</a>. </i>She is currently working with Techno heavyweights, <a href="https://youtu.be/w6EOovTTbBg">Diplo</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/ONHEBwqPWIQ">Skrillex</a>. Pop stars have a historical tendency to go supernova and then fade away into obscurity. Time will tell if that is true for Kiesza or if we are witnessing the beginning of a long and illustrious career. But, in the here and now, Kiesza is making a big splash. Let's enjoy her talented stylings, as showcased in her award-winning video for <i>Hideaway.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><i> </i>Here are the best of the rest. Please extend a big tip of the hat to the following performers whose name begins with the letter, "K":</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> From Peterborough, <a href="https://youtu.be/2zNZEhYci1o">Rev. Ken and the Lost Followers</a>, Poet/rapper, <a href="https://youtu.be/X1uAKPQfP_Q">K'naan</a>, from Quebec, <a href="https://youtu.be/2TpH32HVkXE">Karkwa</a> (the only Francophone winners of the Polaris Prize), Hip Hop/Rap stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/eKWTxy_zxUA">k-os</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/9W6Jl3beOlY">Kardinal Offishall</a>, singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/hnyAeh_w1XA">Chantel Kreviazuk</a>, Blue Rodeo co-founder, <a href="https://youtu.be/67SL5KGyN5Q">Greg Keelor</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Sd3RYN5EZUg">John Kay</a> (Lead singer of Steppenwolf), The Canadian Beatles, <a href="https://youtu.be/JNBV5hofD_U">Klaatu</a> (*They actually wrote <i>Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft</i>. The Carpenters covered it later and had their own big hit with it.), Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/u_T04rO50po?list=PLx_GTR46UPvByTpxmJ3ffKxWLB0rqAeRP">The Killjoys</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/FWFCl2oHnaI">Jesse Keeler</a> (Lead singer of Death From Above), 70s star, <a href="https://youtu.be/9ym3RlvVR9M">Andy Kim</a>, Jazz legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/3h-dwY1Y2dc">Moe Koffman</a> and modern jazz star, <a href="https://youtu.be/it1NaXrIN9I">Diana Krall</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/gaXoI3tyKgw?list=PLq4x6EPw6-6_ONMzrFgjkpySblXNc4sFs">Joe Keithly</a> (Joey Shithead, lead singer of D.O.A.), Ontario's own, <a href="https://youtu.be/sfBvShxf-Gs">King Cobb Steelie</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/1cQh1ccqu8M">Chad Kroeger</a> (Lead Singer of Nickelback), <a href="https://youtu.be/bkODPAqcxvQ?list=PLCga9qvZ20HmgXgvv4EnNyiqwJasQxgjj">Benjamin Kowalewicz</a> (Lead singer of Billy Talent), Children/Folk singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/OT5xEDhyztw">Connie Kaldor</a> (who was the final guest ever on Peter Gzowski's famous CBC radio show called, </span><i style="line-height: 22px;">Morningside), </i><span style="line-height: 22px;">Rapper/Spoken word artist, <a href="https://youtu.be/jhcusUOZADI">Ian Kamau</a>, New wavers, <a href="https://youtu.be/w2cA86GhAZA">Kinetic Ideals</a> and finally, Alt-Ska band, <a href="https://youtu.be/-6_a4MEyYaU">King Apparatus</a>.</span></span>Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-41170905641336049402015-07-10T10:26:00.004-04:002015-07-10T10:26:21.888-04:00J is for Mendleson Joe, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Japandroids!!! Art seeks Truth.<br />
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I have always been a firm believer, in times of confusion and darkness, either personal or on a national level, that The Arts act as a beacon of enlightenment. Our poets, artists and songsmiths can be counted on to lead the way forward, cutting through the propaganda and spin, bringing clarity and reason to us through their creativity and honesty.<br />
For that reason, I have always been a strong supporter of the Arts and of the creative process, in general. It is important to think creatively, to think "outside the box" when faced with problems and, to believe in the vision that exists within your heart. To be an artist, of any stripe, is to answer one of the highest and most important and noble callings a society can have. <br />
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Please allow me to introduce Mendleson Joe. <br />
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Mendleson Joe is an artist and musician who has lived most of his life in the Toronto area. He has produced a variety of songs; some for children, some about Canada, too.<br />
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But, he is most well-known as being someone who is not afraid to make political statements and observations via his music and his paintings. His BS detector is highly-tuned and he is quite comfortable taking politicians of all parties down a peg or two should their egos become too grand. His paintings are simple and direct and their messages are usually very clear. <br />
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I am thankful to Mendleson Joe and to Margaret Atwood and to Neil Young and to anyone and everyone who calls themselves an artist and who has the courage to speak the Truth in times when an honest thought or observation may be the most valuable contribution that can be made. </div>
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As <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Dufy">Raoul Dufy</a> states, </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i> My eyes were made to erase all that is ugly.</i></span></div>
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Thanks, artists! Thanks, Mendleson Joe!<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/AW7HM38v0Dw">Jay Onrait</a> is a television sportscaster. He came to fame in Canada as sports anchorman on The Sports Network. He is known for his funny observations and pronunciations of the names of the athletes he reports on. I follow Onrait on Twitter. He doesn't post very often. But, one Saturday night, after Hockey Night in Canada had ended and I turned on my iPad, I was greeted with a tweet that simply said, "TONIGHT! LEE'S PALACE! JAPANDROIDS!" I figured that if Japandroids were good enough for Jay Onrait then, they must be worth a look-see. Thanks, Jay, for the tip because I loved what I saw.<br />
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Japandroids are from Vancouver and consist of singer, Brian King and drummer, David Prowse. Their sound has been described as a combination of classic rock and punk. Their shows have lots of energy. Although relatively new on the music scene, they have already garnered lots of positive attention from music critics across North America; with both of their first two albums being nominated for Music Awards, such as the Polaris Prize and both, being included in year-end polls of the Best Albums of the Year from around the world. In fact, good old Spin Magazine named them as 2012 Band of the Year, while Rolling Stone Magazine named their album, <i>Celebration Rock,</i> as one of "the top ten Summer albums of all time!!!"<br />
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Japandroids came to me from a tip; a tip I now gladly share with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. :)<br />
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It is funny how some performers can be incredibly successful within their own genre of music but, relatively unknown, outside of that genre. That was the case for our final performer, Carolyn Dawn Johnson. In preparation for this post, I asked six relatively intelligent adults who happened to be nearby, if they had ever heard of Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Five of the six replied with a shoulder shrug and a quizzical, "Who?" The sixth adult, who was a Country music fan clapped her hands together and emphatically said, "Of course, I know who she is, doesn't everybody?!"<br />
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Carolyn Dawn Johnson is a Country music singer/songwriter and is one of the most critically-acclaimed in Canada's history. Johnson has had #1 hits multiple times in Canada and in the U.S. She has won the Juno Award for Best Country Artist and has won 15 Canadian Country Music Awards! Carolyn Dawn Johnson has won awards for her songwriting, her singer and for her music videos. She is multi-talented and much-respected all across North America.<br />
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Growing up in Alberta, as she did, listening to her parents Jim Reeves and Don Williams collections, she is quoted as wondering how anyone could live without music in their lives. Johnson has written songs for Nashville's headliners such as Reba McEntire and Martina McBride. She has opened for legends such as Sara Evans, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson. She, now, headlines her own shows and is drawing raves reviews for her performances.<br />
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So, if you are into Country music then, enjoy an old friend. If, like me, Country really isn't your thing then, please allow me to introduce one of the most successful and respected Country Music artists Canada has ever produced......Carolyn Dawn Johnson! <br />
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Please join me and giving a big tip of the old hat to the following artists whose names begin with the letter, "J":<br />
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Country/Folk singer and frequent guest on the <i>Vinyl Cafe, </i><a href="https://youtu.be/lmXiWd4BYng">Reid Jamieson</a>, one of the CBCs original tv personalities, singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/JEFkkOT3Uf8">Juliette</a>, Blues rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/U2Kn774ucWE">Colin James</a>, Jazz chartreuse, <a href="https://youtu.be/lPAl7sFnH5M">Molly Johnson</a>, Singers <a href="https://youtu.be/EY9_50eSqqw">Terry Jacks</a>/<a href="https://youtu.be/vq-G9NJsE6k?list=PLtWaiGbvRJgPPUALgSa_0yOir3gq-IvAR">Susan Jacks</a> (The Poppy Family), Francophone technopop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/xXSeLJRzZ7w">Jacynthe</a>, 80s star, <a href="https://youtu.be/3YeBTNM--mk">Paul Janz</a>, Rapper, <a href="https://youtu.be/I_ODpkTHD78">Jelleestone</a>, Modern day pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/lEsPhTbJhuo">Carley Rae Jepson</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/xN82gSo85O4">Danko Jones</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/pXszj2j_ArA?list=PLm4NtpmtTyvtgsh8jz2gd5SPZEayrD-os">Marc Jordan</a>, Rocker/host, <a href="https://youtu.be/p5zDq0rLR28">Sass Jordan</a>, Violinist, <a href="https://youtu.be/KXbApI0Ils0">Leila Josefowicz</a>, Jazz Pianist, <a href="https://youtu.be/IzTFnu23d1Q">Oliver Jones</a>, 80s singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/BuJurIOYiaM">Martha Johnson</a> (of Martha and the Muffins), Dance/Rapper, <a href="https://youtu.be/-NAujGdowTE">Jon James</a>, Hamilton's synth-popsters, <a href="https://youtu.be/BiI-3uRfaSc">Junior Boys</a>, Snger/songwriter, Singer/songwriter/Actor <a href="https://youtu.be/zwEj1AuLil8">Sterling Jarvis</a> and the star of Canadian show, <i>Instant Star, </i>as well as<i>, So Weird, </i><a href="https://youtu.be/65FQSarX_og">Alexz Johnson</a>.<br />
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Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-78843390688005862832015-07-09T10:32:00.002-04:002015-07-09T19:08:22.332-04:00I is for The Irish Rovers and In Codes It is all fun and games until somebody loses an eye!!! Or, in this case, an "I"!!!<br />
After eight posts in a row that told the stories of some of the most influential performers in our country's history, such as Bryan Adams, Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion and Glenn Gould, today we find ourselves taking a bit of a pause. There are no titans of industry whose names begin with an "I".<br />
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However, there are a surprising number of singers and bands whose names you will remember and whose work you are familiar with. So, with that in mind, let's enjoy our lemonade.<br />
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When I first attended Ryerson University in the early 80s, I lived in a co-ed residence. That meant that there were apartments with separate bedrooms for between four and six young men and women to share. One of the young women that I lived with was a girl named Lisa W. Lisa was studying broadcasting, like I was. But, unlike me, she already had connections in the industry; her father owned a management company. One of the groups that her Dad managed was a Canadian group of some renown at the time, The Irish Rovers. <br />
The Irish Rovers were a group of Irish singers and musicians who settled in Canada and created their own television show. This variety-type show was set in a faux pub and featured many Irish and Celtic bands and singers who were popular back in the day. One time, Lisa invited all of us to attend a taping of their show. It was a very eye-opening experience to be in the "studio audience" and see all the behind-the-scenes things that went into making the show that appeared on television. I remember being surprised at how staged it all was and how many stops and starts there were. On TV, the show looked like it flowed effortlessly from one segment to the next. But, in reality, segments were taped in isolation, often several times from different angles. All the while, the pub-like atmosphere had to be maintained so that any time a camera showed the audience, sitting at our tables as we were, we had to look like we were having the time of our lives. One way they managed to help us achieve this state of euphoria was to constantly....and, I mean constantly......fill our mugs with real beer! Our mugs were filled at the beginning of taping and then, during each break, production crew would scurry amongst the tables and top up everyone's mug. It didn't take long to twig on to this and soon, people were chugging down the golden nectar with vigour just before each break. By the end of the taping, we had all had five or six full beers. For someone as slight as me, that was about three or four beer too many. Everyone was hammered by the time it came for the closing theme to be sung but, believe me when I tell you, we sang with gusto and a sense of harmony unrivalled in the history of studio tapings......or so, I think. :)<br />
Anyway, The Irish Rovers were a popular musical act across the country for several decades, winning one Juno Award for being the Folk Group of the Year. They became Canadian citizens at the behest of then, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who invited them to become Canada's "musical ambassadors" on the world stage. They represented Canada at five consecutive World Expos. They enjoyed one #1 Hit during their career (<i>Wasn't That a Party) </i>and are known worldwide for their song called, <i>The Unicorn. </i>The Irish Rovers were as entertaining a band as Canada has produced and, as such, they have left an indelible mark upon our musical history. <br />
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One of the great things about using social media is the ability to connect with people who, otherwise, you would never meet. Since I started posting this series, I have tweeted the link to each post and have used the hashtag, #canadianmusic. For those unfamiliar with how Twitter works and, in particular, hashtags well, a hashtag is an organizational device that helps place tweets in categories where they are more likely to be seen by like-minded people. So, by using the hashtag #Canadianmusic, all of my tweets are being read by people who have an interest, commercial or otherwise, in Canadian music. As a result, I have been "followed" by several new bands since I began posting these articles. They are appreciative of having the spotlight directed toward Canadian music and they are hopeful of being promoted via my blog. OK. No problem helping a band out.<br />
So, please allow me to introduce the nation to an Alberta band called <a href="http://www.cochranetimes.com/2015/06/10/band-in-codes-making-inroads">In Codes</a>. These folks contacted me after I posted "G". They were the recipients of an Alberta Government Arts grant and are premiering their first video in a couple of weeks. They are a bit of a rock-punk outfit at present. I wish them well on their musical journey and hope that by posting their work here and then, tweeting about it on Twitter, that it helps gain them some much needed publicity. Good luck, my friends and thanks for the "follow".<br />
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A tip of the hat to a small but, mighty list of performers whose names start with an "I":<br />
90s rockers,<a href="https://youtu.be/8rK6RlHOK14"> Idle Eyes</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/CEYvKFJxveo">I Mother Earth</a>, modern rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/jaYF0IBsABE">Illscarlett,</a> 80s New Wave stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/oEBDgS-ydgI">Images In Vogue,</a> bunkers, From Kingston to Halifax, alternate stars, Toronto-based Funk-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/AsOJIEKuQAo">The Infidels</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/CAQNaA8LEAc">The Inbreds</a>, Montreal Indie band, <a href="https://youtu.be/5lSKd7lBwFY?list=PLR55aa7MQqj6n4ZLyA1XNHVJZaWJF39f7">Islands</a> and Prog. rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/h00FoivKBW4">Inner Odyssey</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/0ipv_l7KoSI">The Intervals</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/hhRHd4rPJoY">Innerspace</a>. <br />
<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-77393909404202449212015-07-08T09:05:00.001-04:002015-07-08T09:05:26.192-04:00H is for Hunter, Hart and Hey Rosetta!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Life seemed much simpler when I was a child. I grew up in a small town by the sea called Glace Bay, in the province of Nova Scotia. When I was a boy, our television had only two channels; CBC English and CBC French. There was no internet. There was no instantaneous access to every type of information at your fingertips. Local news was our informational currency in those days. The gatekeepers of that information were the folks at the CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). Their news stories painted a picture of the world for us. Their programming defined our culture, to a great extent. The shows we viewed were "wholesome family entertainment." For me, growing up, one of the shows that defined my childhood was The Tommy Hunter Show. <br />
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Tommy Hunter was a country music singer and was known fondly as "Canada's Country Gentleman". His show was a variety-type show that ran for almost thirty years. He had a regular cast of characters who appeared with him each week (such as Donna and Leroy and fiddler, Al Cherney, who all appear in the video above.) But, Hunter, also, had a Whos-Who of Country Music legends, from both sides of the border, perform on his stage, such as Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, Ernest Tubbs, Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, Hank Snow and so on. Feeling small, as we did, at times, in our little part of the country, we viewed Tommy Hunter as being an important person because he was able to attract such a star-studded roster of guests. His show helped stoke the fires of our nationalism, all the while, reassuring us that everything was going to be alright. He helped to make us feel good about being Canadians. That felt important back then.<br />
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Tommy Hunter is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, he has a star on our Walk of Fame in Toronto, he has been awarded the Order of Canada and has won countless Juno Awards and Canadian Country Music Awards, too. <br />
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Hunter ended every episode with a song called, <i>Travelling' Man.</i><br />
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<i> I am a travellin' man</i><br />
<i> following the breeze.</i><br />
<i> Travellin' here, travellin' there</i><br />
<i> Gatherin' memories</i><br />
<i> So let me.....wander</i><br />
<i> All my life away</i><br />
<i> Just a gathering' memories.</i><br />
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Reassuring words that passed for poetry in my home when I was a boy.<br />
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As the 1980s rolled on, music videos became an important route for musicians to take to get their songs noticed by audiences. Television became, quite literally, a visual radio. Songs could appear in "high rotation" and make stars out of their heretofore unknown performers. Such was the case for a young man named Corey Hart. <br />
Born in Montreal, Hart travelled around the world as a young boy. His musical aspirations were aided and abetted by having access to singers such as Paul Anka (in Las Vegas), Tom Jones (in Miami) and Billy Joel (when he performed in Montreal). Eventually, he was able cobble together enough songs and make enough connections to get a record produced. The "hit" song released was a tune called <i>Sunglasses at Night. </i>It went almost nowhere in Canada. But then, the music video was shot and debuted on MTV in the States and on various music video programmes in Canada. Hart appeared movie-idol handsome and his fame soared all throughout North America. <br />
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Corey Hart doesn't know who I am but, ironically enough, he is primarily responsible for my decision to become a teacher. Like many performers who experience "overnight success", Corey Hart appeared, seemingly, everywhere, all of the time. His popularity caused huge demands on his time and, as a result, after years on incessant calls for more product and more performances, eventually, Corey Hart's songs lost some of their pop sensibility and, in my opinion, devolved into cliche and parody. As Hart began to have his Icarus moment, I found myself living in London, Ontario. I was transitioning from my life at Ryerson University in Toronto and beginning what I believed was to be a long and fruitful career in broadcasting. I had landed a job at a local radio station as Assistant Promotions Manager. Essentially, I was the person who appeared at events and handed out stickers and merchandise to "contest winners". I was, also, responsible for distributing the weekly Top 40 hit lists to record stores and to the newspaper. As it turned out, this was a joe-job and I was not even making minimum wage. But, I loved music and I loved writing and I believed, in my heart of hearts, that I had found my way into the industry. It was then, that Corey Hart's career trajectory and mine collided at an event in London called The Western Fair.<br />
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The Western Fair is a huge Fall Fair that takes place to honour southern Ontario's agricultural roots. It is timed to occur just as London fills back up with students returning to the University of Western Ontario for the new school term. As Assistant Promotions Manager, I was expected to man the radio station booth at the fair and hand out Corey Hart merchandise because he was scheduled to appear and perform. His latest "hit" was an Elvis Presley remake called, <i>Can't Help Falling In Love.</i><br />
The young twenty-something in me thought this re-make was atrocious. Most of the university students openly mocked it. Yet, at my station and across the country, the song quickly rose to top spot on the charts. You may call it "growing up" or "losing my innocence" but, as I stood in that radio station booth taking money from children in exchange for a Corey Hart pin or photo, I began to understand the business side of our Music industry. Corey Hart was as hot as they came in Canada and industry folks were going to make every last dollar from him while his star shone so brightly. I started to see how much greed and callous manipulation were a part of the industry I had hoped to build my life around. Right then, right there in that booth, I decided to quit broadcasting. Teaching was always my fall back position so, later that Winter, I applied to, and was accepted at, Teacher's College at the University of Western Ontario. Twenty-seven years later, I am more than thankful to Corey Hart for having a life that so neatly intersected with mine.....although, as I said, he has no idea who I am. :)<br />
Not long after the Western Fair, Corey Hart collapsed on stage from exhaustion. He removed himself from music to rest and recuperate. A few years later, when he recorded a new album, sales failed to meet expectations and, just as suddenly as he burst onto the scene, Corey Hart's career was over. He had risen higher than anyone and had touched the sun. Now, Corey Hart is a fifty-something husband and father, just like me, who will forever be remembered as that handsome guy with the pouty lips who wore his sunglasses at night. <br />
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I will end this post with a bit of a shout-out to a group who can trace their roots to that glorious province of Newfoundland.....Hey Rosetta! In much the same way that a band like Alvvays owe a debt of gratitude to bands like The Rankin Family and Rita McNeil, who inspired the Celtic revival on Cape Breton Island, Hey Rosetta! can thank groups like Great Big Sea for revitalizing the Newfoundland music scene. Rising stars on the Indie and Alternative scenes in Canada, Hey Rosetta! sound a lot like Of Monsters and Men, as well as, Mumford and Sons. Feel free to be one of the cool kids in your circle and start name-dropping this great new Canadian group. <br />
You're welcome. :)<br />
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A big tip of the hat to another impressive list of performers who have made their mark in this great country and who, in this case, happen to have names that start with the letter, "H":<br />
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This list begins with a true legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/X85xbGhfml4">Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins</a>, Alternative star, <a href="https://youtu.be/oWr9zYvCkEU">Hayden</a>, British Columbia popsters, <a href="https://youtu.be/i_K36y-iLUk">Hot Hot Heat</a>, Hard Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/U_oBjinZQ7k">Helix</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/hwnaVwIrgzg">Emily Haines</a> (lead singer of Metric), Pianist, <a href="https://youtu.be/0GmLi7w6WFY?list=PLjX4DkyztTU4zl1swmfdXYh84pEvBBAut">Hagood Hardy</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/eN2TL59FCQg">Sarah Harmer</a>, Cellist, <a href="https://youtu.be/b5nQBvHybjM">Ofra Harnoy</a>, Blues rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/-j3-EXejYao">Jeff Healey</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/9g7-mKjjIpY">Bill Henderson</a> (lead singer of Chilliwack), Canada's most famous one-hit wonder, <a href="https://youtu.be/mb-VjT5C2VI">Dan Hill,</a> the man who should have won Canadian Idol, <a href="https://youtu.be/f_UHDrO3APc">Jacob Hoggard </a>(Hedley), <a href="https://youtu.be/k7LBlByFC2E">Garth Hudson</a> (of The Band), 80s rocker, <a href="https://youtu.be/OKOY0K2Iqx4">Paul Hyde</a>, 80s groups, <a href="https://youtu.be/uK0AmgDGpPo">Honeymoon Suite</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/HEHltD1Lc6g">Haywire</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/x8bO9YrI6Nk">The Headpins</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/836tLLKfx-Y">Harlequin,</a> Rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/vs6FkQ2M6e0">The Headstones</a>, Indie rising stars, <a href="https://youtu.be/o3Vca2JLG_o">Hidden Cameras</a>, From Quebec, <a href="https://youtu.be/KkabBUZhTDA">Harmonium</a>, Tenor, <a href="https://youtu.be/tfvqBLtbfCk">Ben Heppner</a> and, finally, even though it is sorta, kinda stretchhhhhhhhhing the truth a bit, I give you <a href="https://youtu.be/RBq_THTWNM4">Heart</a>! Yes, Heart! *(They began in Vancouver, as a result of dodging the Vietnam War, and recorded their first big hits in that city.......thanks for the heads up, Davey-boy!)Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-30545136448973779022015-07-07T10:27:00.000-04:002015-07-07T21:56:48.146-04:00G is for Gould, Good and Great Big Sea!!! Glenn Gould was a classical concert pianist and is most famous for his recording of <i>Bach's Goldberg Variations</i>. His is respected and admired around the world for his technical prowess on the piano, which has been likened to the greatest composers of all time. He was prodigy-like in his ability to understand the heart of complicated compositions without having to play them. When he did play, he employed a style of pulling down on the keys from below, rather than striking them from above. Sales from his recording of <i>The Goldberg Variations </i>have topped the two million mark; a record total for classical music in Canada, placing it among the leaders on classical sales worldwide, as well.<br />
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Glenn Gould has been given almost every major Canadian Music Award imaginable. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, he has a star in his honour on the Canadian Walk of Fame, he was awarded a Companion to the Order of Canada (but declined, stating that he was "too young" to receive such an award), he has won numerous Juno Awards and has received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in the United States. <br />
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In Toronto, there sits a statue of Gould in front of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters, in recognition of his many appearances on the C.B.C. and his fervent belief in promoting the Arts in Canada. <br />
Gould is noted for being "eccentric" in his performing life and in his private life but, then again, most prodigies are. Glenn Gould! What a talent! What a great Canadian!<br />
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What is your "happy place"? For some, I know it is a cottage by the lake. For others, it is riding along on a bicycle, wind flowing through their hair. For me, my happy place (aside from time spent with my family, of course) is the space between my two ears. I enjoy the solitude of my own mind. I have no problem being alone with my thoughts. I like my thoughts. I like to think. I am, what I would describe as a "mull-er". I like to chew things over in my mind; sorting them out, organizing the important pieces into useful information and then, deciding how best to act. Almost all creative types will understand when I say that I derive a great deal of satisfaction from being able to go "into the zone", as it were, in my mind. For me, the mind is a wonderful thing and creativity fuels my thoughts. The great thing about this for me, is that it doesn't just have to be my own creativity that fuels my thoughts, I can go to great places on the creative coattails of others. <br />
One such performer who helps to illuminate my happy place is British Columbia's own, Matthew Good. Matt Good has been a fixture on the Canadian music scene for over two decades now; always hovering just below superstar status. Very well-respected as a singer and songwriter, Good has created some of the most distinctive and evocative songs in the Canadian musical canon. His subject matter is often deeply personal. The characters he creates seem very real, as are their emotions and issues that he so aptly chronicles. He is equally adept at rocking it out on stage or else, being quietly acoustic. His voice is powerful and distinctive and is unique among all singers in our country.<br />
As much as Matt Good is creatively brilliant, it is his openness with mental illness that elevates him in my mind. Suffering from anxiety attacks all throughout his career, Good has made a clear choice to avoid the trappings of fame. He has won four Juno Awards for his work but has refused to appear on stage to accept any of them. He finds fame daunting and, because of this, his songs are infused with a delicate balance of strength and vulnerability. He is political and yet, reclusive. He is outspoken yet, he shuns the spotlight. Good was officially diagnosed as being bi-polar several years ago. For him, he felt the diagnosis was a relief because he now understood his own mind better.<br />
In this busy, rush-rush world of ours, I strive to find time to listen to Matt Good's music. He helps fuel my thoughts and adds to the happiness of being in my own mind. I do find it difficult to capture serene moments during the work week but, I do make the effort to try. Each morning, after dropping my girls off at school, I have a ten-minute drive from their school to my school. I use that time wisely. I often play Matt Good. In particular, I play a song called, <i>Avalanche</i> as I drive. By the time that song ends, I am usually more than half way to school and, often, I have no recollection of having made the drive. One day, for sure, I am going to have an accident and, on the police report, they will put down as the cause of the accident, "lost in his happy place."<br />
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The first time I became aware of <i>Avalanche</i> was while watching Hockey Night in Canada, during the Montreal Canadiens/Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Playoff series a few years ago. At the time, the C.B.C. had a habit of starting their broadcasts with a hockey/musical montage. These montages were created by a young man named <a href="https://twitter.com/b0undless">Tim Thompson</a>. He is a storyteller, a historian, a hockey fan and a film-maker extraordinaire. His great work introduced me to Matt Good's great work. I have had several opportunities to talk to Thompson via Twitter. He is a fine young man and a true Canadian talent in his own right.<br />
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Let me end with a shout out to my friends, Erin and Jo-Anne! Here is our third and final performer of the day.......from The Rock, Newfoundland, Great Big Sea! I was fortunate to be in the audience for a free concert by Great Big Sea in Peterborough a few years back. They are very talented singers/songwriters, as well as, accomplished musicians. Several times during that free concert, the boys sang acapella and did so with power and with range in their voices which were fine instruments for the occasion.<br />
Great Big Sea have built their reputation upon promoting the culture of Newfoundland through singing sea shanties and other songs associated with a life lived by the Sea. As cultural ambassadors go, Great Big Sea have done a wonderful job of taking culturally-significant music and helping to popularize it on a national scale. Sales of their records have reached gold or platinum status consistently over their careers. They are the winners of several Juno Awards, as well as, East Coast Music Awards, too.<br />
Here is what all the fuss is about! Enjoy!<br />
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Here is a big tip of the old hat to a long and illustrious list of talented performers whose name begins with a "G":<br />
80s Top 40 staple, <a href="https://youtu.be/bxFbVa1PBTM?list=PLQVxATPFTnWG01OY42tNpERgdlqmDcoQ8">The Grapes of Wrath</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/UHYtsnSlCg0">Glass Tiger</a>, from my neck of the woods, Northumberland County's own, <a href="https://youtu.be/v8rP6pGrBTE">The Good Lovelies</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/IrcTIOX7SXE">Gentleman Husbands</a>, Alt-pop stars of today, <a href="https://youtu.be/T3E9Wjbq44E">Gym Class Heroes</a>, Noted pianist, <a href="https://youtu.be/F_CqCBWnclA">Andre Gagnon</a>, New Waver, <a href="https://youtu.be/QoIyfEH8Bn0?list=PLN5AZGo04tiloImVReC3FgufEV4y_vZee">B.B. Gabor</a>, East coast stalwart, <a href="https://youtu.be/qONe8HuvFl4">Lennie Gallant</a>, a Star from NY to LA, <a href="https://youtu.be/TohEJPjyi-U">Patsy Gallant</a>, Modern day pop rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/mth5BdRCUqc?list=PL6D365A25AF71398C">Hannah Georgas</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/rmBEl94JSOs">Emm Gryner,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/usWQOPTORn8">Myles Goodwyn</a>, lead singer of April Wine, <a href="https://youtu.be/d02k10Bz6ro">Nick Gilder</a>, 70s rocker, Oldies crooner <a href="https://youtu.be/y_RWUD3Kpuc">Robert Goulet</a>, 80s pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/3ceiyHuW-JQ">Gowan</a>, Electronica singer, <a href="https://youtu.be/L1KXlXwb4RA">Alice Glass</a> (of Crystal Castles), Techno/raver, <a href="https://youtu.be/ui1hRmvizmY">Grimes</a>, lead singer of Alexisonfire, City and Colour AND frequent duet partner with Pink, <a href="https://youtu.be/5WkwKL_aQQw">Dallas Green</a>, of course, <a href="https://youtu.be/IJbFVJvRqOQ?list=PLYO0tcD5DbUWI2eFiOUVpFU1-EhI5HEiS">The Guess Who</a>, 2013 Polaris Prize winners, <a href="https://youtu.be/jCEsL9wX-uQ">Godspeed You! Black Emperor</a>, Modern folk/alternative band, <a href="https://youtu.be/Jh2dCx54Ajk">Great Lake Swimmers</a>, Maritime legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/mDCkeRbjR5E?list=PL90TY25-k2hfEAY57QK3rYUaX1N07qFX5">Bruce Guthro</a> and a regular at <a href="https://youtu.be/Uo7OGchbRh0">Gasworks</a> in Toronto, <a href="https://youtu.be/aa96Ct1el3o">Goddo</a>! <br />
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<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-67675553265979204652015-07-06T10:58:00.000-04:002015-07-06T15:22:50.687-04:00F is for Maureen Forrester and for F****d Up The Barenaked Ladies are a Canadian band of some renown. They are known for their clever wordplay and their tight yet, fun, <a href="https://youtu.be/k5YIJ1pZEBc">pop tunes</a>. For the most part, there is nothing controversial about the band in anyone's mind today. However, in light of the nature this post, it is instructive to note that The Barenaked Ladies were once banned from performing in Nathan Phillip's Square (the public square at City Hall in Toronto) early in their career simply because "concerned citizens/politicians" thought it inappropriate that a band with "naked" and "ladies" in their name should be permitted to play in a civic space. <br />
Sometimes, books are judged by their covers and bands are judged by their names. Please allow me to introduce you to a band with an even more imflammatory name, F*ucked Up. <br />
F*ucked UP is a hard core punk band out of Toronto. Their members were culled from many other punk/thrash/hard core bands but, their lead singer, the increasingly popular and charismatic Damian Abraham, is the person best known nationally. The band's name was chosen, mainly, as a political statement regarding the state of the world as the band saw it. But, it was, also, chosen to make the mainstream music business uncomfortable. Being loud, angry and in-your-face has long been a staple of most punk and hardcore bands but, what makes F*cked Up different is the intelligence with which they write, organize and present their material. They knew that they had something creative to say and they knew that they has original ways of presenting their work (i.e., they have released a record called <i>Chemistry of Common Life</i>, which won them the 2009 Polaris Music Prize and which was praised universally by almost every major music magazine in North America and Europe.) Then, they released a "rock opera" called <i>David Comes To Life,</i> which SPIN Magazine hailed as the #1 album of the year in 2011. <i> </i>Their latest little bit of cleverness comes in the form of releasing a series of records based on the years of the Chinese Zodiac signs. F*cked Up is prodigious in their output and crackingly-crisp in their content. Critical acclaim is sweeping over them as they, literally, dare the mainstream music industry to recognize them and simply say their name on air. Their very existence is a challenge to the forces of censorship and of self-limitation.<br />
They are loud. They are angry. They are in-your-face. But, truth be told, F*cked Up are, increasingly, becoming one of the most respected bands on the planet. Question is, can you look past their name and find out why? <br />
***Note how the Nation's Broadcaster chose to handle the band's intro. :)<br />
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When I first decided to create this series of posts about the Canadian music scene, it was always my intention to introduce my readers to excellent musicians who, for one reason or another, were toiling in anonymity or to celebrate those performers who have risen to the tops of their genres and have carried themselves off in as professional and consistently excellent manner as possible or else, to simply showcase someone that has personal meaning to me. <br />
With that in mind, I present the supremely talented operatic superstar, Maureen Forrester. I can imagine that if my 84 year old mother was reading this post, she would be as pleased by my selection of Maureen Forrester as she would have been appalled by my choice of F*cked Up to lead things off.<br />
Maureen Forrester was born in Montreal in 1930. In her time as a professional contralto, Forrester sang with such luminaries as Beverly Sills and performed on famous stages around the world such as the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. While best known for her interpretations of Gustav Mahler's work, Forrester was, also, well known for championing the work of Canadian composers and performers all throughout her career. She has been the recipient of many major awards such as induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, becoming a Companion to the Order of Canada, as well as, receiving a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. <br />
Maureen Forrester always conducted herself with dignity and with class. She represented our great nation confidently, elegantly and with tremendous skill on the stages of the world. She died in 2010 at the age of 79 years. <br />
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Time to tip the old hat and acknowledge the following terrific performers whose name begins with the letter, "F":<br />
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Alternative star (runner-up to Amy Winehouse for the Grammy Award for Best New Performer) and proud, occasional member of Broken Social Scene, <a href="https://youtu.be/iXf915LwMXk">Leslie Feist</a>, Jazz legend, <a href="https://youtu.be/hNbsnBZOwqE">Maynard Ferguson</a>, Modern pop groups, <a href="https://youtu.be/BJk6gZuPKRE">Finger Eleven</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/ByyogpFT08s">Danny Fernandes,</a> Country crooner, <a href="https://youtu.be/0A8AIfGLftY">George Fox</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/Jx6_-urg5fo">Alan Frew</a>, lead singer of Glass Tiger, Singing sensation, <a href="https://youtu.be/Qie4S16TTQs">Nelly Furtado</a>, Ottawa-based, ska-punters, <a href="https://youtu.be/PEmKn5CoITk">Furnaceface</a> (Way to inform, Johnny-boy!), Polaris Prize winner in 2006, <a href="https://youtu.be/NB05Lt3VbNg">Final Fantasy</a> (Owen Pallett), Vancouver's own, <a href="https://youtu.be/vGD1rmjkbBU">54-40</a>, Producer/songwriter extraordinaire, <a href="https://youtu.be/mHF4QkFD28U">David Foster</a>, Blues/folk singer-songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/sFxmVIWaYGM">Sue Foley</a> and, finally, one of the most original bands in Canadian musical history, <a href="https://youtu.be/sNb41CUhQDs">FM</a> (with Cameron Hawkins and Nash the Slash.) <br />
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<br />Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-39617645314209802462015-07-04T13:02:00.001-04:002015-07-04T13:02:22.776-04:00E is for Eric's Trip and for Kathleen Edwards When the annals of Alternative rock or, more specifically, Grunge rock are written, bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam usually given much of the credit and deservedly so. However, nothing ever happens in isolation. In music, bands gain their influences from many sources. In the Kurt Cobain biography, <i>Heavier Than Heaven, </i>he is quoted as saying that one of his big musical influences was a band called Sonic Youth. In their heyday, Sonic Youth recorded a song called, <i>Eric's Trip. </i>That song was heard by a couple of kids from Moncton, New Brunswick who, in turn, were profoundly influenced by it. So much so that they decided to form their own band and called it, Eric's Trip.<br />
In the annals of Canadian musical history, Eric's Trip are revered. They recorded many songs which sounded unlike anything being played on Canadian airwaves at the time. Their music had a pop sensibility but, it wasn't pop. It could be loud but, it really wasn't classic four-chord rock n' roll, either. Much in the same way that Dream Warriors, Devon and Maestro Fresh Wes were pioneers in the Canadian Hip Hop scene, Eric's Trip helped bring Alternative music into the mainstream of Canadian radio, too. At one time, they were even noticed south of the border, signing a recording contract with grunge label Sub Pop in Seattle. They are as influential to today's legion of alternative artists as bands like Sonic Youth were to them. Ladies and gentlemen, from Moncton, New Brunswick, I proudly present, Eric's Trip!<br />
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Kathleen Edwards, the daughter of former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Leonard Edwards, had seen a lot of the world before ever finishing high school. Spending much of her youth shuttling back and forth between Europe and Canada, Edwards had plenty of exposure to a variety of music styles and genres. Drawn as she was toward the literate, classic rock poetry of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, it is not surprising that Kathleen Edwards has gained acclaim as a story teller and a creator of memorable characters in her songs. She has been nominated numerous times for Juno Awards in the categories of Songwriter of the Year, Roots Album of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year. Her songs are deeply personal and, as well, uniquely Canadian. <br />
I am leaving a video for the song, <i>Hockey Skates,</i> for you. This song title makes you think that it is a stereotypical Canadian song about hockey but, as you listen to it, you will easily see that she is singing about much, much more than a game at the rink. AS well, you will notice that she is a bit of a cheeky monkey when it comes to her wit. I follow her on Twitter. She goes by the Twitter handle @kittythefool for those who are interested.<br />
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A tip of the hat is extended to a small but, talented group of "E"-list Canadian performers:<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/GH9RG_eADaM">Rik Emmitt</a>, guitar virtuoso and member of the band, Triumph, 70s star, <a href="https://youtu.be/yPeAL657lnk">Edward Bear,</a> performance artist, <a href="https://youtu.be/L5RDJDFZNV8">Eva Everything</a> and 90s rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/4IgzeHKFDn8">Econoline Crush</a>.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519288249692657296.post-47255472852354686722015-07-03T10:53:00.001-04:002015-07-05T01:24:26.117-04:00D is for Celine Dion, Dream Warriors/Devon and Aselin Debison Quite simply, Celine Dion possesses one of the purest, most beautiful singing voices in the world! We are all very proud of everything that Celine Dion has been able to accomplish throughout her singing career, which started when she was barely a teenager in Quebec. Her voice, which seems to flow almost without effort, knows few peers (Barbara Streisand? An early Whitney Houston, perhaps?) As much as Celine Dion is to be commended for her talent, she is equally well-respected for the classy manner in which she lives her life. Family-oriented, altruistic, compassionate....Dion has lived a relatively private life for someone so squarely in the public eye.<br />
Celine Dion has won virtually every major singing award for which she is eligible. Her first award came way back in the early 1980s when she won the Eurovision song contest, entering under the banner of the Swiss flag. From there, she began expanding her repertoire of English-language songs and soon began to achieve success that won her Juno Awards, as well as, her first Grammys. But, it was with the main love song for the movie, Titanic, that Celine Dion achieved her greatest level of success. Sales from <i>My Heart Will Go On </i>soared to record levels on a worldwide scale. <br />
Whether it is her family life, her music or her charitable interests, Celine Dion pours her heart into everything she does and, as a result, has become one of the most popular and respected musical artists the world has ever seen. We are happy that she calls Canada her home.<br />
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It isn't always easy to go first. Being a pioneer or a trailblazer can be lonely work. But, sometimes, an artist will come along and not see their style of expression evident in their surroundings or among their peers. However, part of being an artist is remaining true to the vision that exists within your heart. So it was in the early 1980s with Rap and HipHop artists. "Street poetry" was not something pouring forth from Top 40 playlists. In the United States, the rappers of today can point to the like of Run-DMC and Public Enemy for helping to bring Rap and HipHop to a wider, more mainstream audience. In Canada, along with Maestro Fresh Wes, we can point to the emergence of "D"- name legends Dream Warriors and Devon, for helping to raise the awareness of what a potent art form Rap can be.<br />
All three pioneers honed their skills in the Jane-Finch housing complexes of Toronto. Their songs spoke to the politics of oppression felt by those affected most by Race and by Poverty and by Injustice. Their lyrics were often be fuelled by anger but, also, by hope for a better deal from Life. In any case, being original is never easy. Standing up and standing out, never comfortable......unless you are utterly comfortable and confident that yours is a message that simply has to be heard...on your terms....in the loudest, funkiest possible voice imaginable. That was what Devon and the Dream Warriors accomplished during their time on Canada's HipHop throne. Their contributions are respected by an entire nation, as a result.<br />
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Finally, I would like to introduce you to a young performer who holds a special place in both, Keri's and my heart....Aselin Debison. When Keri and I were first dating and the time came for Keri to meet my mother on Cape Breton Island, we had no idea that we would become part of a live concert taping and that the eleven year old performer would end up impacting our lives for.....well, forever. Upon arrival in Glace Bay, my hometown, my mother informed us that there was to be a special concert taking place down by the harbour and asked if we were interested in going. We agreed to go and ended up listening to a young celtic singer named Aselin Debison singing a variety of Cape Breton favourites, all the while, the seagulls swooped and the fishing trawlers sailed in and out by the wharf. The concert was taped by the local CTV affiliate and later aired on national TV in Canada. In the video, you cannot see us but, trust me, I was sitting there, holding Keri's hand, along side my mother who had hoped I would propose to Keri at the concert, with the Celtic music as a backdrop to our union. Sorry Ma. Didn't turn out that way.<br />
However, flash forward few years. We were awaiting the birth of our first daughter and were discussing names. We had decided that we wanted our child's first name to be something uniquely hers but, that her second name should have some family meaning. Eventually, after much back and forth discussion of this name and that, we settled on our daughter's first name being, Leah. For her middle name, we decided not to go with any of our mother's or grandmother's names but, instead, to acknowledge where we had gotten married (which was in Glace Bay, not far from the sight of the Aselin Debison concert.) So, when the hospital officials had us fill out the birth certificate, we proudly wrote our daughter's name as Leah Aselin MacInnes. "Aselin" after Aselin Debison, the young lady who sang of Cape Breton on our first date with Ma. :)<br />
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As always, a proud shout out to the following "D"-list musicians:<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/Q53twA7I02Q?list=PLkBq8LxsQrhf5ku4oVEvP2FagDnUrZNJP">Rick Danko</a>, from the legendary group, The Band, modern pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/DokzpIulRhI">Shawn Desman</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/U2lHbvPEtk8">The Darcys</a>, Techno/Electronica superstar, <a href="https://youtu.be/AnPKNinEwDI">Deadmau5</a>, R&B sensation, <a href="https://youtu.be/RcikxZK-JXo">Fefe Dobson</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/upYPlIld-yg">Denny Doherty</a>, from the Mamas and the Papas, Rap megastar, <a href="https://youtu.be/k3HCDwDSzO0">Drake</a>, Pop star, <a href="https://youtu.be/LpM91Bi5CZs">Victoria Duffield</a>, Singer/songwriter, <a href="https://youtu.be/YaxosG2R6nk">Damhnait Doyle,</a> Broken Social Scene co-founder, <a href="https://youtu.be/sDI49X7koGE">Kevin Drew</a> , Crooner, <a href="https://youtu.be/uO-X22mYkNo?list=PLEA3B4A089B62860D">Matt Dusk</a>, Alt-rockers, <a href="https://youtu.be/Ty41BuLsc1A">The Dears</a>, Current chart-toppers, <a href="https://youtu.be/fPPa-rpVsEU">Death from Above 1979</a> and, of course, no list of Canadian "D"-listers would be complete without punk pioneers, <a href="https://youtu.be/SMJ_UgsejqE">The Diodes</a> and, of course, <a href="https://youtu.be/twSREBowTwQ">D.O.A</a>.Thomas Charles MacInneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11331362298948608531noreply@blogger.com0