CANADIAN SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2024 INDUCTEES: TOM COCHRANE, JIM CUDDY AND GREG KEELOR (BLUE RODEO), SARAH MCLACHLAN AND DIANE TELL
AMAZON MUSIC ANNOUNCED AS NEW TITLE SPONSOR OF THE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to announce the inductees for the class of 2024. This illustrious group includes Tom Cochrane, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor (Blue Rodeo), Sarah McLachlan and Diane Tell. The distinguished songwriters are set to be celebrated at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by Amazon Music, at the iconic Massey Hall in Toronto on September 28, 2024.
Ticket sales commence with an AMEX presale tomorrow, May 29, with the general public able to purchase tickets beginning Friday, May 31, at 10 AM ET via Ticketmaster. Details regarding presenters, performers and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.
Founded in 1998, the CSHF honours and celebrates Canadian songwriters and their significant contributions, both domestically and globally. Throughout its history, the CSHF has inducted more than 65 songwriters and 190 songs at music events that unite the world’s brightest stars.
The CSHF is proud to welcome Amazon Music as the new title sponsor of Canada’s biggest night in songwriting, a collaboration that will amplify the awards’ recognition and celebration of songwriters on both a national and global scale.
“We are thrilled and honoured to announce this year’s esteemed group of inductees. Their immeasurable influence on fellow songwriters and profound impact on Canadian culture and music globally serve as a testament to the enduring power of song – Canadian song,” says Nick Fedor, Executive Director of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. “We look forward to welcoming our honourees, special guests, partners and music fans to Massey Hall on September 28.”
The iconic Tom Cochrane is a born storyteller, his songwriting informed by a deep social conscience. Born in the northern Manitoba town of Lynn Lake in 1953 and raised in Etobicoke, Ontario, Cochrane has released a grand total of 17 albums as solo artist and band leader. Cochrane is a member of the Order of Canada, Canada’s Walk of Fame and the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. He is a 25-time JUNO Award nominee with eight wins (including the JUNO Humanitarian Award), a SOCAN Cultural Impact Award recipient and a Grammy Award nominee. Cochrane continues to headline festivals across Canada with Red Rider and as a solo artist.
Those who have followed Blue Rodeo realize that the magic of the band’s sound is that co-leaders Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor are distinctly different personalities that complement each other. There are two definite songwriting voices within the band – and whatever they’re doing to bring those voices together has worked. In the nearly 40 years since forming in Toronto, quickly electrifying the Queen West scene and dominating venues around the nation still to this day, Blue Rodeo has sold more than four million albums, received countless JUNO Award wins and nominations, been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, been named to the Order of Canada and been honoured with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.
Sarah McLachlan is one of Canada’s most celebrated singer-songwriters with over 40 million albums sold worldwide. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada, the recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Achievement and is a Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee. In addition to her personal artistic efforts, Sarah founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians and brought over two million people together during its three-year run. Lilith Fair raised over $7 million for local and national charities and was the most successful all-female music event. In 2002 she founded her non-profit Sarah McLachlan School of Music, which provides high quality music education and mentorship free to children and youth facing various barriers to access. Sarah is currently on the road with her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour and just announced additional dates across Canada this fall.
Diane Tell is one of Québec’s pioneering female singer-songwriters, an emblematic figure of the Francophonie, recognized for her exceptional talent as a lyricist and for her unique voice. Her rich and diverse career spans several decades and is marked by hits that have transcended borders and generations. She first developed a passion for composing and writing in her teens, and during her prolific career, she has released a dozen albums of original songs, an album of previously unpublished adaptations of great jazz standards by Boris Vian and a musical, Marilyn Montreuil, in which she composed the music and played the leading role in over 180 performances. Diane’s career has been recognized with several awards and distinctions for her significant contribution to music: she won a Victoire de la musique in France and six Félix Awards, in addition to being nominated 15 more times, and was named Chevalier des arts et lettres de France in 2023. Diane Tell remains appreciated by audiences thanks to her inexhaustible creativity, her gift for touching hearts and awakening consciences, and her ability to evolve while preserving the essence of her art.
Amazon Music and CSHF’s work together demonstrates Amazon Music’s ongoing commitment to supporting songwriters. Amazon Music will utilize its cross-category capabilities to showcase iconic Canadian music creators through exclusive content offerings and support CSHF’s mission of celebrating our nation’s most remarkable songwriters globally. In addition to recognizing songwriting icons, Amazon Music will also present and support the CSHF’s Breakthrough Songwriter Award, providing access to tools and resources that will help them rise above the saturation and expand their craft and network of music collaborators globally. Additionally, each awardee will receive a customized development plan, which will include Amazon Music playlisting, high-profile songwriting sessions and camps, travel support, and access to international recording studios.
“Amazon Music is proud to be working closely with the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on their mission to recognize the outstanding contributions of this years’ honourees and support the next generation of Canadian songwriters. We can’t wait to celebrate this moment globally, and shine a light on Canada’s incredible songwriting talent,” says John Murphy, Head of Amazon Music.
Following the Induction Ceremony celebration in Toronto, the Class of 2024 inductees will be indelibly honoured at the CSHF’s permanent location at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre in Calgary, which features exclusive artifacts and one-of-a-kind memorabilia celebrating Canada’s greatest songwriters and inductees.
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