That Eric Alper

The National Music Centre (NMC) is pleased to launch a new temporary exhibition at Studio Bell, honouring the two 2017 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees—Paul Brandt and Harvey Gold—and four 2017 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees—Bruce Cockburn, Beau Dommage, Stéphane Venne and Neil Young.

The exhibition, called Showcase: 2017 Inductees, displays personal items and instruments from this year’s members, including one of Young’s practice guitars—a vintage 1970s Epiphone acoustic—on which Young wrote the song “Natural Beauty” from his 1992 album, Harvest Moon. Other treasures include song books of lyrics for Cockburn’s 1984 political anthem “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” and 1988’s “If A Tree Falls,” along with a 6-string Manzer acoustic guitar owned and played by Cockburn.

Visitors will also see conga drums owned and played by drummer Réal Desrosiers from French-Canadian rock band Beau Dommage and a handwritten note from Quebec songwriter and composer Stéphane Venne, describing his writing process for the song “Un Jour, Un Jour,” which was chosen as the official theme song for Expo ’67 in Montréal.

“Many of popular music’s most iconic songs have been written by Canadian artists, forever etched in the hearts and minds of music lovers everywhere,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO, NMC. “Thanks to our national halls of fame partnerships, we’ve been able to help celebrate and share the stories of some of Canada’s most beloved music creators.”

Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, is the physical home of three Canadian music halls of fame—the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection, and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame—all of which are located on level five of Studio Bell, a floor entirely dedicated to celebrating and recognizing Canadian artists that have made a significant contribution to music nationally and internationally.

“As the 2017 inductees into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, Paul Brandt and Harvey Gold have each made a lasting impact on country music in Canada and are excellent examples of the calibre of talent that exists in this country,” said Tracy Martin, Interim President of the Canadian Country Music Association.

“After an extraordinary tribute to our 2017 inductees—Bruce Cockburn, Beau Dommage, Stéphane Venne and Neil Young—at Massey Hall last fall, we are thrilled to see the celebrations continue with the launch of this exhibition,” said Vanessa Thomas, Executive Director of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Showcase: 2017 Inductees is accessible with paid admission to Studio Bell, and will run from December 13, 2017 until the fall of 2018.

Regular admission to Studio Bell is $18 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, $11 for children (3-12 years of age), and free for children under 3 years of age.