TORONTO — Music rights management organization SOCAN announced today 24 Canadian visionaries will be recognized at this year’s SOCAN Awards for the roles they played in helping to raise the stature of music made in Canada.
“Fifty years ago, they understood the need to protect and amplify Canadian music, giving rise to Cancon. These trailblazers will be awarded the SOCAN Guardian Award for their efforts in preserving and boosting Canadian culture,” reads SOCAN’s press release.
At a time when home-grown music was often considered inferior to foreign records dominating the charts, making it difficult for Canadian artists to get airtime on radio, a group of music industry entrepreneurs, journalists and artists “stood up and called on the federal government to mandate fair airplay of Canadian music,” says the release.
In June 1970, the CRTC introduced a new regulation requiring radio stations to devote at least 30% of their playlists to Canadian music, and thus Cancon was born, says SOCAN
“Now, in today’s online world, the role of Cancon and the CRTC is again in the spotlight,” says the release.
“Cancon regulations created space for Canadians in broadcast media, but in the new digital streaming world, it’s déjà vu all over again,” said SOCAN interim CEO Jennifer Brown, in the release. “SOCAN’s data shows that the future of Canadian culture is once again in jeopardy as the consumption of streamed Canadian music by Canadians has fallen off a cliff. It’s clear that we need the music industry to unite once again to fight for the future of Canadian music, this time working with our partners in digital services to find a solution that works for everyone.”
In a special video message recorded for the 2021 SOCAN Awards, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says: “Investing in Canadian content is not only a smart thing to do for our economy, but it also has a personal connection for me. I learned the importance of promoting and supporting Canadian content in large part from my father. My dad always knew that broadcasting Canadian content was important to maintaining and promoting our country’s unique culture and heritage. Together, we will build on this legacy and create a better future for our creators.”
For the second year in a row, the SOCAN Awards will be held online due to the pandemic. During the week of May 24, more than 50 SOCAN awards will be presented to this year’s most successful music creators and publishers.
The recipients of the SOCAN Guardian Award (some of whom are being honoured posthumously, including the prime minister’s father) are:
- Terry Brown, Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Paul Clinch, Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder*
- Frank Davies, Love Productions/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Don DiNovo, Lighthouse*
- Bob Ezrin, Nimbus 9/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Bernie Finkelstein, True North Records/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Tommy Graham, Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Walt Grealis, RPM Magazine*
- Greg Hambleton, Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Kelly Jay, Crowbar*
- Pierre Juneau, CRTC chairman*
- Stan Klees, RPM Magazine/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Betty Layton, SOCAN/BMI Canada*
- Allan MacMillan, Nimbus 9/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder
- Alexander Mair, Early Morning Productions
- Ben McPeek, Nimbus 9/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder*
- John Mills, SOCAN/CAPAC*
- Harold Moon, SOCAN/BMI Canada*
- Skip Prokop, Lighthouse*
- Jack Richardson, Nimbus 9/Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder*
- Mel Shaw, music manager
- Art Snider, Canadian Independent Record Production Association co-founder*
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada*
- Ritchie Yorke, Billboard/The Globe & Mail journalist*
*posthumously awarded
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