The Royal Mail released commemorative stamps in 1996 to mark 50 years of one of the greatest bands, Pink Floyd.
Did The Beatles Put A Message To Fans When They Played “I’m So Tired” Backwards?
At the very end of The Beatles’song I’m So Tired, what seems to be nonsensical mumbling can be heard in the background. The mumbling, if played backwards can be imagined as something along the lines of “Paul is a dead man. Miss him. Miss him. Miss him.” This only adds to the many supposed references to the “Paul is dead” conspiracy scattered throughout the White album. Mark Lewisohn has said that the nonsensical mumbling is actually Lennon muttering, “Monsieur, monsieur, how about another one?”
Photo Gallery: The Trews with Arrested Development at Buffalo’s Canalside
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
Colin James Announces New Studio Album – Miles To Go – Out September 21
With his 19th album, Miles to Go (out Sept. 21, on Stony Plain Records in the USA and True North Records ROW), Colin James is getting back to the blues.
Miles to Go, Colin James’ ambitious sequel to the critically acclaimed Blue Highways, continues James’ story with a collection of carefully curated songs handpicked from some of the greatest blues artists.
In the months leading up to the recording, as James was reflecting on songs for the album he decided to reacquaint himself with a beautiful red Gibson ES-335. It was just like the guitar he played as a teenager but regretfully had to sell for rent money.
While James reconnected with this guitar, Miles to Go seemed to just flow onto the studio floor.
This album blends songs old and new, some of them completely reimagined and some almost perfect homages. But all are unified by a theme of undying love for the blues and the highest respect for the creators that led the way.
Known as one of Canada’s best blues musicians, it wasn’t until 2016’s Blue Highways that James found himself on a blues chart: the album spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report’s Blues Chart. It also landed him one of his biggest hits: “Riding in the Moonlight”. A Willie Dixon song that James once covered when busking in the streets and subways of Toronto and Montreal that landed on a Spotify playlist garnering millions of streams.
When James set out to make Blue Highways, an album of blues covers recorded with his touring band, he always intended it to be the first of two installments. Now we have Miles to Go, in which James records nine new covers of his favourite artists (Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Little Willie John, Robert Johnson, etc.) and adds two originals, “I Will Remain” and “40 Light Years.” “Blues has always been a pass-it-forward kind of thing,” says James. “It’s also surprisingly hard to write. You have to be careful how modern you get in your phrasing. Certain writers can write a song that sounds like it was done 40 years ago, but it’s deceptively hard.”
To be a blues musician is to always have a dialogue with the past. As with much blues music, it’s the performances on the original versions rather than the actual song that drew James to them. That said, what could he possibly bring to them in 2018? “You bring what you can,” he says. “If I feel like I’ve brought enough, then I put it out. I knocked a bunch of songs off this record when I realized that I can’t bring anything to them that isn’t there already. All my life I’ve tried to bring vitality to older songs. Hopefully my dedication to it is what floats it over the mark. That’s a subjective thing; some people will always prefer the original. However, there’s always a group of people coming up to see me after a show who might say, “Oh, I never would have heard ‘One More Mile’ by James Cotton—nothing in my life would have pointed me there.”
So much of Colin James’s career has pointed him to this moment: joyfully tangled up in the blues, which, as he notes, “is the only genre where you can maintain a young profile at the age of 53.”
07/13/18 Windsor, ON Bluesfest Windsor
07/14/18 Ottawa, ON Ottawa Bluesfest
08/17/18 Grande Prairie, AB Bear Creek Folk Music Festival
08/19/18 Salmon Arm, BC Salmon Arm Roots & Blues
08/25/18 London, ON London Bluesfest
09/08/18 Blue Mountain, ON Blue Mountain Village
Fab 5 Freddy on The Creation of Yo! MTV Raps
Fab 5 Freddy: It was a guy named Peter Dougherty, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, he was a friend on the downtown scene in New York. He knew moves I was making with the movie Wild Style, like, just doing my art, making moves on the downtown scene; having linked Blondie to the culture and that turned into a No. 1 record [“Rapture”] for her. So when the music was selling crazy with no marketing and no promotion, Peter was a big fan and he got with another dude that worked at MTV, named Ted Demme, who was also a fan of the music. And they were basically like ‘we should do something’ and MTV finally gave them a shot and Peter said I got just the person, I know him. He explained all the stuff I did, so they said ‘give it a shot.’ And that guy was me and the rest, they say, is history. It was the highest-rated show the minute it went on the air and that started the ball rolling.People tuned in, they liked what they saw. At that point in time – I like to point out – rap radio, where you could hear rap records on the radio all day, every day was nowhere in existence, except maybe AM radio in California, a station called K-DAY. But in New York, the shows were on the weekends for a couple of hours, so it was a revelation and people tuned in. The concept of my show, from the beginning, was I didn’t wanna be cooped up in the MTV studios like the other VJ’s that were on the air cause I just thought it was corny how that looked and they was on for real long spectrum of times. And Peter said, ‘How would you wanna do it?’ I said ‘Man, well I would be more comfortable being on the street, going to the basement, whether artists is making music in Harlem or the Bronx.’ See where they live, let’s go to Compton, let’s go to Liberty City in Miami, that’s what I did. I went to the 5th Ward [in] Houston with the Geto Boys, so I traveled around and took it to the streets and that was the blueprint and the formula that actually worked and spread the culture around the world.
https://vimeo.com/35643246
Pianist Plays Classical Music For Blind Elephants At Thailand’s Sanctuary
Paul Barton, an artist and musician living in Thailand performs classical piano piece for a blind elephant named Lam Duan at Elephant World. Just watch how the soothing music comforts the sightless elephant, who swayed happily with the tempo of the music. I wonder if there are any Spotify playlists to play for other blind animals?
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Prime-Time Special Following Robert Kennedy’s Assassination
In response to Robert Kennedy’s assassination, Fred Rogers produced this primetime special to help parents with this difficult tragedy and to give them ways to talk with their children about tragic events in the news.
Bob Dylan’s Hofner Harmonica and Neckstand From 1961
Check out Bob Dylan’s Hohner “Marine Band” harmonica and metal neckstand, similar to the one used by Folk Rock paragon Bob Dylan at his very first paid gig, at Gerde’s Folk City on April 11, 1961, where he supported Blues legend John Lee Hooker.
Jess Moskaluke and Brett Kissel Tie For Lead With 6 Nominations At Canadian Country Music Awards
The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) has announced the full list of 2018 CCMA Award nominees. Leading the race with six nominations each are three-time Female Artist of the Year winner, Jess Moskaluke and reigning Male Artist of the Year, Brett Kissel.
Moskaluke is nominated for the Apple Music Fans’ Choice Award, FORD Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Video of the Year and Songwriter(s) of the Year. Kissel will be competing for wins in the Apple Fans’ Choice Award, FORD Album of the Year, Interactive Artist of the Year, Record Producer(s) of the Year, Video of the Year and Male Artist of the Year categories.
Reigning SiriusXM Rising Star and Female Artist of the Year Meghan Patrick has earned five 2018 CCMA Award nominations. Patrick is competing for top honours in hopes of taking home the FORD Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Video of the Year and Songwriter(s) of the Year Awards.
Taking home three awards in 2017, Dallas Smith has earned four 2018 CCMA Award nominations today: Apple Music Fans’ Choice Award, Male Artist of the Year, Single of the Year and Video of the Year. Smith has also been announced as a performer for the 2018 CCMA Awards show which will broadcast live from Hamilton, ON on September 9.
The Apple Music Fans’ Choice Award, the most honourable award for many country artists as the winner is chosen by Canadian country music fans, was announced late last night. Nomination leader Jess Moskaluke goes head to head with Canada’s biggest names in country music — Gord Bamford, Dean Brody, Chad Brownlee, Tim Hicks, Dallas Smith, James Barker Band, High Valley and Canada’s country powerhouse and 2018 CCMA Awards host Shania Twain.
The 2018 CCMA Award Show will broadcast live from Hamilton, ON on CBC and cbcmusic.ca/ccmas on Sunday, September 9 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Tune in this September to see the winners live in action!
Tickets to the 2018 CCMA Awards Show are available for purchase in-person at the FirstOntario Centre Box Office and online at ticketmaster.ca. For each ticket sold, $1 will go directly to the MusicCounts in support of their year-round music initiatives.
ARTIST AWARDS
APPLE MUSIC FANS’ CHOICE AWARD
Gord Bamford
Dean Brody
Chad Brownlee
Tim Hicks
High Valley
James Barker Band
Brett Kissel
Jess Moskaluke
Dallas Smith
Shania Twain
FORD ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick
Past The Past – Jess Moskaluke
The Project – Lindsay Ell
We Were That Song – Brett Kissel
What We’re Made Of – The Washboard Union
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lindsay Ell
Madeline Merlo
Jess Moskaluke
Meghan Patrick
Shania Twain
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Gord Bamford
Chad Brownlee
Brett Kissel
Dallas Smith
Bobby Wills
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
High Valley
Hunter Brothers
James Barker Band
The Reklaws
The Washboard Union
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Lovelocks
Jessica Mitchell
Lindi Ortega
The Washboard Union
Donovan Woods
SIRIUSXM RISING STAR
Dan Davidson
Aaron Goodvin
Hunter Brothers
Leaving Thomas
The Reklaws
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Chills – James Barker Band
Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick
Drive Me Away – Jess Moskaluke
Lonely Drum – Aaron Goodvin
Side Effects – Dallas Smith
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
The Bad Guy – Meghan Patrick
Drive Me Away – Jess Moskaluke
Hometown Kids – The Reklaws
Sky Stays This Blue – Dallas Smith
We Were That Song – Brett Kissel
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Dean Brody, Matt Rovey
Song: 8th Day (Performed By: Dean Brody)
Dan Isbell, Meghan Patrick, Jeremy Stover
Song: Country Music Made Me Do It (Performed By: Meghan Patrick)
Zach Abend, Corey Crowder, Jess Moskaluke
Song: Drive Me Away (Performed By: Jess Moskaluke)
James Barker, Gavin Slate, Travis Wood
Song: It’s Working (Performed By: James Barker Band)
Alexander Black, Aaron Goodvin, Cathy Gravitt
Song: Lonely Drum (Performed By: Aaron Goodvin)
INTERACTIVE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Tenille Arts
Hunter Brothers
Brett Kissel
Leaving Thomas
Nice Horse
MUSICIAN AWARDS
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kirby Barber
Chris Byrne
Lisa Dodd
Justin Kudding
Travis Switzer
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Matthew Atkins
Ben Bradley
Flavio Cirillo
Rich DaSilva
Chad Melchert
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Denis Dufresne
Ali Raney
Mike Sanyshyn
Tyler Vollrath
Mark Whitehead
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Derek Caven
Paul Chapman
Matt McKay
Darren Savard
Geoff Torrn
KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Scott Galloway
Mike Little
Bart McKay
Dale Wallace
Brendan Waters
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Barber – Banjo
Denis Dufresne – Banjo
Shane Guse – Mandolin
Mitch Jay – Dobro
Connor Riddell – Banjo
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris Altmann
John Ellis
Mitch Jay
Doug Johnson
Mark Whitehead
RADIO AWARDS
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR- LARGE MARKET
Larry Donohue – CFCW – Edmonton, AB
Steph Hansen – CISN-FM/CKRY-FM – Edmonton, AB/Calgary, AB
Amanda Kingsland – CKBY-FM – Ottawa, ON
Peter Walker – CJKX-FM/CHKX-FM – Oshawa, ON/Hamilton, ON
** Less than five nominees
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR- MEDIUM OR SMALL MARKET
Shilo Bellis – CJXL-FM – Moncton, NB
Jenn Dalen – CKGY-FM – Red Deer, AB
Paul Ferguson – CHCQ-FM – Belleville, ON
Cal Gratton – CJVR-FM – Melfort, SK
Cory Noel – CKFM-FM – Olds, AB
INDUSTRY AWARDS
BOOKING AGENCY OF THE YEAR
APA Agency
The Feldman Agency
Invictus Entertainment Group
Sakamoto Agency
United Talent Agency
COUNTRY CLUB OF THE YEAR
Cook County Saloon – Edmonton, AB
The Dakota Tavern – Toronto, ON
Gabby’s Country Cabaret – Langley, BC
Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall – Calgary, AB
The Roxy – Vancouver, BC
COUNTRY FESTIVAL, FAIR, OR EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR
Big Valley Jamboree – Camrose, AB
Boots And Hearts Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, ON
Calgary Stampede – Calgary, AB
Cavendish Beach Music Festival – Cavendish, PE
Rockin’ River Country Music Fest – Merritt, BC
COUNTRY MUSIC PROGRAM OR SPECIAL OF THE YEAR
Canadian Coast To Coast – Fabmar Communications
The Casey Clarke Country Countdown – Casey Clarke Productions
The Casey Clarke Show – Casey Clarke Productions
The Dungarees Christmas Special – Rogers Media and The Dungarees
Jess Moskaluke – Home Movie – Corus Entertainment
MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Big Loud Management LLC.
Invictus Entertainment Group
MDM Artist Management Services
RGK Entertainment Group Inc.
Starseed Entertainment Inc.
MUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
ole
Royalty Music Publishing Inc.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada
Universal Music Publishing Canada
Warner/Chappell Music Canada
RECORD COMPANY OF THE YEAR
MDM Recordings Inc.
ole red dot
Open Road Recordings Inc.
Universal Music Canada
Warner Music Canada
INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Steve Coady – Vice President, Radio Promotions – Warner Music Canada
Jim Cressman – President – Invictus Entertainment Group
Mike Denney – President – MDM Recordings Inc.
Shannon McNevan – Director of A&R – Universal Music Canada
Robert Ott – Chairman, CEO – ole
CREATIVE DIRECTOR(S) OF THE YEAR
Design Team: Rory Gardiner, Loren Stevenson Photography: Doyle Smith
Interactive Video Brochure, Associate Booklet, Album: Be You (Artist: Rory Gardiner)
Design Team: Jason Graham, Photography: John Gaucher
Album: In Comes The Night (Artist: Bobby Wills)
Design Team: Mitchell Nevins, Photography: Margaret Malandruccolo
Single: Loud (Artist: Tim Hicks)
Design Team: Antoine Moonen (Mediavandals) Photography: Delaney Royer
Album: Past The Past (Artist: Jess Moskaluke)
Design Team: Mitchell Nevins, Photography: Phil Crozier
Album: The Squeeze (Artist: The Road Hammers)
RECORDING STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Barrytone Studios – St. Clements, ON
Bart McKay Productions – Saskatoon, SK
MCC Recording Studio – Calgary, AB
OCL Studios – Chestermere, AB
Revolution Recording – Toronto, ON
RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Gord Bamford, Phil O’Donnell
Album: Neon Smoke (Artist: Gord Bamford)
Spencer Cheyne, Brett Kissel, Justin Kudding, Bart McKay, Matt McKay, Luke Wooten
Album: We Were That Song (Artist: Brett Kissel)
Jeff Dalziel
Album: What We’re Made Of (Artist: The Washboard Union)
Danick Dupelle, Tebey
Album: Love A Girl (Artist: Tebey)
Dan Swinimer
Album: Downtown Kids (Artist: David James)
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Apple Music
Spotify Canada Inc.
Sunrise Records
**Less than 5 nominees
RON SAKAMOTO TALENT BUYER OR PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Paul Biro – Sakamoto Agency
Jim Cressman – Invictus Entertainment Group
Emmanuel Patterson – Live Nation Entertainment
Julia Rambeau – MRG Group
Denise Ross – Live Nation Entertainment
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Stephano Barberis
Video: The Bad Guy (Artist: Meghan Patrick), Video: Coming Clean (Artist: Shirley Gnome), Video: Dirt Covered Rhinestone (Artist: Jade Mya), Video: Heart Of A Woman (Artist: Johnny Reid), Video: Hold The Line (Artist: Jesse Mast), Video: Might As Well Be Me (Artist: Chad Brownlee), Video: Neon Smoke (Artist: Gord Bamford), Video: Out Of The Blue (Artist: Chad Brownlee), Video: Sky Stays This Blue (Artist: Dallas Smith), Video: Something To Wrap My Heart Around (Artist: JoJo Mason), Video: What We’re Made Of (Artist: The Washboard Union)
Gavin Michael Booth
Video: Born and Raised (Artist: Hunter Brothers), Video: Slide Over (Artist: Tim Hicks), Video: Sombrero (Artist: Scotty James), Video: Those Were The Nights (Artist: Hunter Brothers), Video: You Get To Me (Artist: River Town Saints)
Ben Knechtel
Video: Chills (Artist: James Barker Band), Video: Drive Me Away (Artist: Jess Moskaluke), Video: Hometown Kids (Artist: The Reklaws)
Travis Nesbitt
Video: Anywhere With You (Artist: The Dungarees), Video: Ring The Bells (Artist: The Dungarees), Video: Say We Did (Artist: Dan Davidson), Video: Shine (Artist: The Washboard Union)
Joel Stewart
Video: All About Her (Artist: Paul Brandt), Video: In Comes The Night (Artist: Bobby Wills), Video: Kill Your Love (Artist: Jess Moskaluke), Video: Past The Past (Artist: Jess Moskaluke)
SOCAN Foundation and SiriusXM Launch Young Canadian Songwriter Awards
SOCAN Foundation awards emerging Canadian musical and audio-visual composers and songwriters producing high-quality original works that deserve to be recognized. A wide variety of awards are available to recognize the remarkable talent we call Canadian music-creators across genres.
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers – Deadline: 2019 (TBD)
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Emerging Audio-Visual Composers (Sponsored by RBC) – Deadline: 2019 (TBD)
SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Canadian Songwriters (Sponsored by SiriusXM) – Deadline: July 16, 2018 at 11:59 PM EDT
TD Indigenous Songwriter Award – Deadline: 2019 (TBD)
SOCAN Foundation hires renowned Canadian composers to serve as jury members, who meet over several days to review applications submitted for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers, Emerging Audio-visual Composers (Sponsored by RBC), and Young Canadian Songwriters (Sponsored by SiriusXM). Juries for each competition are balanced to ensure representation from the West, Central/East and Quebec regions. Each jury comprises three members, who report their results in meetings with the SOCAN Foundation manager.
Applications for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers are reviewed anonymously. Applications for the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Emerging Audio-Visual Composers (Sponsored by RBC) and for Young Canadian Songwriters (Sponsored by SiriusXM) are not reviewed anonymously.
Go here to apply.