May
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Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards@Rebel-Thurs.,May 9th,2019
By Wayne Baggs
Canadian Music Week held its annual Celebration for the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards May 9th at the Rebel. The 3-hour gala dinner honours the Music Industries innovators, and achievements as recognized by their peers. The event was full, with approximately 750 guests from all corners of the music business. All the big players are here. The special lifetime achievement honours are a big part of the Gala, presented thru-out the evening between the live acts and award winner announcements. Thirty-seven of these awards were announced on the screen without much ado. The Canadian Music & Broadcasting Industry Hall of Fame inductees, of which there are 3, on the other hand, are given the full treatment. This year’s inductees include Michael McCarty whose credentials and leadership in the music industry make for an easy induction. He is the Chief Membership and Business Development officer for SOCAN, for many years before that, the head of EMI Music Publishing Canada. He was inducted into the Hall by Glass Tiger singer Alan Frew. McCarty several times mentioned great songs and their writers for his inspiration and success. He also mentioned his inspiration from Jack Richardson. “He showed that Canadians can have global success in the music business and inspired me to believe that I could do it too,” He also added “I figured he must know the secret to making a magic record, so I decided I was going to find him and learn the secret or die trying.” He got his start with Richardson after attending Fanshawe College for recording arts. The second Hall of Fame Inductee is a great leader in the touring and booking side of the biz. Steve Herman, SVP of touring at Live Nation. Steve’s speech was humorous and gracious. Now at the top of the game, he proudly mentioned the people that helped him get there. From family, his dad was there, to music industry greats like Bruce Allen, Gary Slaight who inspired him to work hard. He mentioned the late Joe Summers and Dan Gallagher. With an extra mention to his partner, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino. Like McCarty, he added “The most important thing is to thank the artist because they’re the ones that gave me the opportunity and there’s one artist — and I don’t know how it happened — but it was Prince, and every day he was a real asshole. He inspired me and made me work harder and I don’t think I’d be here either if it wasn’t for him, so thank you Prince”. Emotionally recalling his youth, Steve reminisced about being a young boy dreaming of living a rock star life in the Hollywood Hills. “But soon after I realized I was a really bad guitar player. I started promoting — but now I live in the Hollywood Hills,” bringing the biggest laughs of the night. The 3rd inductee is Robbie Robertson, receiving a well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. Being one of the worlds great songwriters, guitar players having spent almost six decades making and promoting music is why. He was not only a Band member but also a musician that promoted music from many genres. He also worked for Geffen records briefly. His awards and accolades are many, google his name. Wow. He mentioned that he is still busy. Working on part 2 of his memoir, part 1 Testimony released in 2016, and finishing up on a new album coming out shortly. Anticipation for the new release was upped by Robbie adding that he thinks it is the best work he has done. Now that’s saying something. I’m looking forward to it. The other Live presentations included the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award bestowed upon the late Gord Downie. Reconciliation with First Nations was a big cause for Gord helping set up The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. Gord’s brother Patrick Downie accepted this award. Adding “This award will always be a very special, important piece for his legacy, he represented so much to so many people, his body of work and the impact he continues to make both as an artist and that activist speaks for itself, but nonetheless is always hard for me to try to encapsulate. In the context of this award, however, it’s very easy to reference how deep Gord’s humanitarianism went. If you knew him, you could see it in his daily life, far away from the spotlight. It really was the core of who he was. I’m not sure if Gord ever considered himself a humanitarian or not. With him, I think it was much simpler than that. Gord just wanted to be known as a guy who gave a shit — his words. He admired the hell out of anyone who made that their living. And he knew, most importantly that it was his responsibility in life. And in death. And he treated it like one. It’s a responsibility our family proudly carries on his name.” This award comes with a $30,000 donation from the Slaight Family Foundation. Well done!
The Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards also recognized the following winners:
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR MAJOR MARKET
Lisa Grossi – CHUM FM – Toronto
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR SECONDARY MARKET
Barry Stewart – Hot Country 103.5/Jewel 105 – Halifax
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR SMALL MARKET
Shilo Bellis – New Country 96.9 – Moncton
ON AIR TALENT OF THE YEAR MAJOR MARKET
Garner Andrews – Sonic 102.9 – Edmonton
ON AIR TALENT SECONDARY MARKET
Jeff & Rachel – 97.5 Virgin – London
PROGRAM DIRECTOR MAJOR MARKET
Sarah Cummings – CHUM FM – Toronto
PROGRAM DIRECTOR SECONDARY MARKET
(A Tie!)
Brad Gibb – FM96/Fresh –London
Jim McCourtie – 89X/93.9 The River – Windsor
PROGRAM DIRECTOR SMALL MARKET
Matt Cleveland – Capital FM 106.9 – Fredericton
PROMOTION OF YEAR
Kiss Your Ashby Goodbye – CHUM FM – Toronto
STATION MEDIUM MARKET
96.3 Cruz-FM – Saskatoon
STATION A/C
98.1 CHFI – Toronto
STATION CHR
The New Hot 899 – Ottawa
STATION CLASSIC GOLD
Boom 97.3 – Toronto
STATION COUNTRY
Country 105 – Calgary
STATION MULTICULTURAL
CHIN – Toronto
STATION NEWS/TALK/SPORTS
680 News – Toronto
STATION ROCK
Indie 88 – Toronto
STATION SMALL
K-Rock 105.7 – Kingston
INDUSTRY AWARDS
TALENT DEVELOPMENT STORY OF THE YEAR
Loud Luxury
BOOKING AGENCY
The Feldman Agency
CASINO/SPECIALTY VENUE
Casino Rama Resort, Orillia
DIGITAL MUSIC STREAMING SERVICE
Spotify
INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR
eOne Music
INDEPENDENT LABEL
Arts and Crafts
INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE
Dine Alone Store/Wax on Wheels, Toronto
MUSIC JOURNALIST
Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
MAJOR FACILITY (OVER 8000)
Budweiser Stage, Toronto
MAJOR FACILITY (UNDER 8000)
Brandt Centre, Regina
MANAGEMENT COMPANY
Bruce Allen Management
MAJOR RETAILER
Sunrise Records
MUSIC PUBLISHER
Universal Music Publishing
MUSIC SCHOOL
(A tie!)
Fanshawe College – London
Metalworks Institute – Mississauga
PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (over 1500)
The Sony Centre For The Performing Arts, Toronto
PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (under 1500)
Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
PROMOTER
Live Nation
PUBLICIST
Joanne Setterington, Indoor Recess
RECORDING STUDIO
Revolution Recording, Toronto
MAJOR LABEL
Universal Music
