Photo by courtesy/courtoisie, of/de Chris Buck

“Good Ol’ Days” wins SOCAN Songwriter honour at 2019 BC Country Music Awards

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday October 23rd, 2019

Chris Buck won the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year honour, for co-writing the song “Good Ol’ Days” (performed by the Chris Buck Band), at the 43rd annual British Columbia Country Music Awards (BCCMAs), held Oct. 20, 2019, in the Molson Canadian Theatre at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver.

The winning song was co-written by SOCAN members Ryan Stead, and Anthony Fiddler, and is co-published by Hyvetown Music Inc. and Strathcona Music.

The other nominees were:

  • “Ain’t Gonna Be Lonely Long,” written by Chrystal Oudijk, Gavin Slate, Jimmy Thow, Travis Wood, performed by Sons of Daughters
  • “Holy Smoke,” written by Mitch Merrett, Jimmy Thow, performed by Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion
  • “She Gets Me,” written by Aaron Grain, Chris Duncombe, David Roberts, Gordie Sampson, performed by The Washboard Union
  • “Somethin’ To Roll On,” written by Kadooh, Jeff Johnson, Carly Dawn Campbell, Jesse Wainwright, performed by Kadooh

The big winner of the night was Aaron Pritchett, who took home the honours for Entertainer, Male Artist, Single (“Better When I Do”), and Album/EP (Out on the Town) of the Year.

SOCAN congratulates all of the winners, and their entire teams. For a complete list of winners, click here.

Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard

Gala Country Awards: Where’s the Country Scene at in 2019?

Story by Eric Parazelli | Wednesday October 23rd, 2019

The seventh edition of the Gala Country Awards was held at Salle André Mathieu, in Laval, on Oct. 19, 2019, and it was the ideal time and place to take the pulse of the Québec country music scene in 2019. Is there a renaissance of the genre, with the increasing popularity of so-called “new country”? Is commercial radio more open to the genre nowadays? Is there a schism between the veterans and the upstarts in Québec? We asked Paul Daraîche (Show of the Year), Mack & Ro (Group of the Year), Annie Blanchard (Covers Album of the Year), and Matt Lang (Breakout Artist, Anglophone Album and Male Entertainer of the Year) for their takes on all of that.

Photo by Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame/Panthéon des auteurs et compositeurs canadiens.

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to induct six songs that helped define the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday October 22nd, 2019

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) has announced that it will induct six influential songs from the Toronto music scene of the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, that will be celebrated at a special concert on Nov. 21, 2019, at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre.

The songs are:

  • “Let Your Backbone Slide,” by Maestro Fresh Wes, written in 1989 by Wesley Williams, Anthony Davis, and Peter Davis
  • “Rise Up,” by Parachute Club, written in 1983 by Billy Bryans, Lauri Conger, Lorraine Segato, Steve Webster, and Lynne Fernie
  • “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want,” by A Foot in Coldwater, written in 1972 by Paul Naumann and Danny Gordon Taylor
  • “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft,” by Klaatu, written in 1976 by John Woloschuk and Terry Draper
  • “Opportunity,” by Mandala, written in 1967 by Domenic Troiano
  • “I Would Be the One,” by Kensington Market, written in 1968 by Keith McKie

The inductions will be celebrated at an industry and public event,  DECADES: The Toronto Sound of the ‘60s, ‘70s & ‘80s, with tickets available on sale now via TicketWeb.

“We’re very excited to honour some of the amazing songs that were inspired by, and reflect, the unique city of Toronto –  from a group of talented songwriters, who bring different perspectives from three distinct decades,” said Vanessa Thomas, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. “It will be a night filled with nostalgia, fantastic music, and heart. Many thanks to Crowe Soberman and Gowling WLG for their support of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to produce this inaugural, not-to-be-missed celebration.”

The evening will feature performances by Maestro Fresh Wes, Lorraine Segato (Parachute Club), Alex Machin (A Foot in Coldwater), George Olliver (Mandala), Keith McKie (Kensington Market), and other surprise guests.

For more information on each of the six songs being inducted into the Hall of Fame, click here.