TORONTO – The New Country 95.3 announced this week that it has signed Juno Award-winning country artist George Canyon as the headliner of the third annual Canada Day Jam.
Taking the stage before Canyon is Juno-winning brother-sister group Leahy.
Presented by Corus Entertainment’s The New Country 95.3, and sister companies Max Trax Digital Music and CMT Canada, Maple Lodge Farms Canada Day Jam is a free daylong country music festival beginning at noon, Friday, July 1, at Sunnyside Park in Toronto.
Nova Scotia native Canyon shot to fame thanks to his second-place standing on Nashville Star’s second season in May of 2004. Canyon has enjoyed success on the charts and has been honoured as Chevy Trucks’ Rising Star at The Canadian Country Music Awards, East Coast Music Awards’ Entertainer of the Year and most recently won the Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year for his Universal South release, One Good Friend.
An eight-piece sibling ensemble, Leahy boasts double platinum sales and an opening stint for Shania Twain. They have become renowned for their genre bending, their step dancing and their wide appeal. The group has three Junos in its collection, and like the spirit of the group, the Junos land in different categories. Leahy released their current album, In All Things, in 2004.
Canyon and Leahy join Canada Day Jam’s talented lineup, including Canadian favourites Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Aaron Lines and Johnny Reid. The first act of the day will be the winner of Corus Entertainment’s country music talent search, hosted by Corus’ network of country music radio stations in Edmonton (103.9 CISN FM), Red Deer (CKGY Country 95.5), Calgary (CKRY Country 105) and Hamilton (CING The New Country 95.3).
Canada Day Jam, the largest free country music festival in Canada, features a main stage for performances, a midway and petting zoo in the Family Fun Zone with YTV’s Weird on Wheels, and an evening fireworks display from Ontario Place. Last year’s event brought together more than 100,000 country music enthusiasts. This year CMT will broadcast live on location – details to be announced. Canada Day Jam is a rain or shine event, and runs from approximately 12 p.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET.
