Richard Todd, singer/songwriter/guitarist for Toronto band Redpath Traffic, accepted a Community Service Award in the Arts & Culture Leaders category for spearheading his ensemble project, Artists Against Homelessness. The award was presented by Chris Glover, MPP, Spadina Fort-York, at his annual Community Recognition Ceremony. 

“This award acknowledges the work we’re doing to help end homelessness in our communities,” Todd says. “But it also underscores how much work there is still to do.”

At the center of the project is Todd’s song, “The Forgotten Homeless”, which tells the heart-wrenching stories of people struggling while living on the street. Twelve all-star indie singers appear with Todd on this “We are the World”-style production, including Anna Goldsmith, Shari Tallon, Chris Birkett, David Moses, Michael Quattro, Sarah Siddiqui, Luciana Santaguida, Chatrisse Dolabaille, and Signe Miranda, along with singers Osaze Dolabaille, Esmaeel Abofakher, and Rahaf Alakbani. Watch it on YouTube here:

Since he was five years old, Simon Roosé wanted to be a musician. Coming from a musical family, music was already in his blood. What started out as an interest became at the age of thirteen a complete obsession with listening to, playing and creating music.

For the past nine years, he has experimented with many musical genres, everything from pop, rock, indie all the way to hip-hop, jazz, funk, and fusion.From singing in choirs to attending Christian 4:s Gymnasium in Kristianstadto study songwriting and production in Stockholm, Blekinge and Skåne. (Sweden). At the same time, he also studied a variety of instruments to finally fall in love with the guitar which has been his main instrument since.

Ken Tizzard has released his debut album “The Dagg Sessions” and has some insight on the background of this new offering:

"I am once again looking to release another album of original music with the current line-up of Music For Goats; Neil Lucy (guitar) Ken Grant (bass) and Dave Lawrence (drums) and Steve Dagg (RIP - drums). This album titled “The Dagg Sessions” celebrates the songs created before our original drummer Steve Dagg was diagnosed with Cancer. After a year-long battle of treatments Steve passed away in the winter of 2023. We had recorded the drums for the entire record in September before Steve’s illness was terminal".

Check out the first single "Barstools And Broken Hearts" here:

It’s one thing for a couple to stay together for decades while plying their trade in different corners of the same business. It’s another for them to collaborate on a project that celebrates the durability of their bond with the deepest sincerity. And it’s still another thing entirely for them to sit on that document for a quarter century, then have it feel as fresh and honest as a newly written wedding vow when it finally does come out.

Toronto TD Music Hall - October 10th, 2024 6:00pm
$20 Adults, $15 Student Tickets Now Available Here
Sudbury Grace Hartman Amphitheater - July 21st, 2024 7:00pm (tickets are free)

Some of the best, most innovative musical acts ever started out when they were merely teens – The Runaways, The Strokes, The Arctic Monkeys, to name just a few – and Canada’s Teen Jam, a first-of-its-kind performance showcase, is aware of the immense talent and creativity that can be developed during that wonderful time of life. 

Canada's Teen Jam’s Discovery Program has proven hugely successful in uniting undiscovered musical teens and providing high-level opportunities such as performing on the same concert stages used by iconic Canadian music stars, and absorbing the professional world that surrounds them!

Back in July, Canada’s Teen Jam hosted its inaugural launch at the Wayback Festival in Kitchener ON, receiving a whopping 300 submissions in their search for teen talent.Now, Canada’s Teen Jam has acquired a major Sponsor, United Van Lines Canada, for a multi-year deal!

The first-ever musical episode of the CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries was a hit with just about everybody. The fans loved it. Bill Brioux of Brioux.tv called actor Thomas Craig’s big number, “Bloody Hell,” “bloody marvelous.”

And on March 25, the night before the episode aired, JUNO Awards host Nelly Furtado even gave this melodic milestone, a special shout-out from the stage of Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre. The episode subsequently premiered on Alibi in the U.K. on April 4 and on Ovation in the U.S. on April 6. It will also air on Acorn in the U.S. soon.

Check out The Making of

Burton Cummings & his Band are set to headline opening night at the PNE (Vancouver) Sat, Aug 17th, 2024, with special guest Colin James.

Join Burton Cummings, the unmistakable voice of the original The Guess Who’s classic hits, and his band playing the songs you know, sung by the voice on the records and the writer/co-writer of the hit songs such as “American Woman”, “These Eyes”, “Laughing”, “No Time”, “Star Baby”, “Albert Flasher”, "Clap for the Wolfman", “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature”, “Share the Land” and from his solo career, “Stand Tall” and “My Own Way to Rock”.

VOTING NOW OPEN AT INDIES.CA/VOTING

Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce the nominees for the 23rd Anniversary Jim Beam® INDIE Awards taking place June 6, 2024 at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. Allison Russell, Charlotte Cardin, and The Beaches lead with four nominations each.

Finger Eleven, nominated for Rock Artist/Group or Duo of the Year, will be closing out the Jim Beam® INDIES with a headline set. Tickets are currently on sale and can purchased at the following link: ticketmaster.ca/event/10006056D8592BE7

On March 21, way back in 1952, rock and roll music was close to being born…but suffered its first setback. However, the setback would turn into a win eventually.

 “The Alan Freed Moondog Coronation Ball” was a concert of acts performing what the pioneer DJ Alan Freed coined “rock and roll” music at the Cleveland Arena. March 21, 1952 was a Friday night. The event turned into an unmitigated disaster.

 That's because there were as many counterfeit tickets sold as legitimate ones. When some 22,000 people tried to cram into a building meant to hold only about 12,000, a full-scale riot erupted. Extra police had to be called along with firemen who'd use their hoses to break up the mess. To escape injury, Freed had to be hoisted via a rope to the upper level announcer's booth. 

Sultans of String & Indigenous Collaborators across Turtle Island Create Trailblazing Musical Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action

Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 8:00pm

Hugh’s Room Live presents
‘Walking Through the Fire’ – Indigenous Collaborations with Sultans of String

Featuring Dr. Duke Redbird, The North Sound, Shannon Thunderbird, Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, Marc Meriläinen (Nadjiwan), and a multimedia extravaganza including Northern Cree, Kendra Tagoona, Tracy Sarazin, and more!

Hugh’s Room Live
296 Broadview Avenue,
Toronto ON M4M 2G7

TIX: $45 in advance, $50 at the door, 647-347-4769

showpass.com/sultans-of-string-walking-through-the-fire/

What sets businesses apart and makes a good business a great business is the ability and foresight to continue to grow and change with market demands and needs.

Eric Alper of Eric Alper PR is an embodiment of that mindset, embracing change and fluidity “Change is constant – not a bad thing. And change in the music business is happening at an ever-accelerating pace.”

Eric Alper has been at the forefront of the Canadian entertainment industry for the past 25 plus years and his forward thinking is what keeps him at the top of his field.

Bif Naked has garnered a coveted nomination for the prestigious Screen Award for Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series by The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. This esteemed recognition is in tribute to her outstanding portrayal in the captivating new CBC Gem original series, ‘I Hate People, People Hate Me’.

‘I Hate People, People Hate Me’ has picked up 4 Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Bif Naked's unparalleled talent, dedication, and enduring impact continue to captivate audiences worldwide. As she embarks on this remarkable journey, the celebration of her illustrious career and the anticipation surrounding her latest accolades reach new heights.

About Bif Naked

Bif Naked, a dynamic force in music, TV, film, and dance, boasts a storied career as a multi-platinum and gold singer-songwriter. Celebrated and notorious in equal measure, her journey reads like a whirlwind—a gripping saga of resilience, rebellion, and unwavering advocacy.

Art During Wartime, a podcast that examines the beauty and richness of Ukrainian culture, kicks off its second season with an interview with rapper OTOY, one of the most conceptual Ukrainian rappers today.

The podcast was conceived by Ohio native David Junk, who first started working in Ukraine in 1999, not long after the fall of the Soviet Union, as a record executive for Universal Music. At the time, no other Western record label had ventured into Ukraine. David played a pivotal role in opening Universal's first branch office in the country, which was a major boost to the early development of the Ukrainian music industry. Check out the podcasts here: podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/art-during-wartime/id1716447606

April 24 to May 11, 2024: Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Ontario

Tickets to Beautiful Scars the musical are $25 and up at www.theatreaquarius.org, or call the box office at (905) 522-7529

Tom Wilson’s identity crisis began in earnest at the age of 4, when his mother looked him square in the eye and told him “There are secrets I know about you that I’ll take to my grave.” What she meant, and how he finally figured it out, is a topic the Canadian writer-musician explored to stunning effect in his best-selling 2017 novel, Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home, and a 2022 documentary film of the same name. Now his gripping story is coming to the stage as a world-premiere musical created by Wilson and Shaun Smyth, under the direction of Mary Francis Moore.

We're excited to announce the hiring of established label owner and manager Brian Hetherman of Toronto’s Cerberus Management & Consulting to handle international programming for this year’s Canadian Music Week conference, June 3-5.

Brian — who will continue to operate his labels, Curve Music and Sonic Envy — will work alongside CMW president Neill Dixon, and the rest of the CMW team, to bring the top names and topics to the leading music industry conference, held in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle.

“CMW is always adapting with the times,” says Brian. “I was the international ambassador at Canadian Music Week for many years, working with them on their international marketplace and attending conferences around the world on behalf of Canadian Music Week, as well as my own entities. It a natural progression to help put together panels, both domestic and international.”

The fusion of UK-based GeorgieJettEvents.com and Canadian powerhouse HerRoyalMajestys.com marks the union of two exceptional and talented women, pooling their resources to offer comprehensive music and event management, marketing, consultancy, and distribution services for artists across Canada, the UK, EU, and North America.

Celebrating milestones - Bif Naked's 25th Anniversary with her multi-platinum I, Bificus XXXV Album on her private label HerRoyalMajestys.com in Canada, and Georgie Jett's 25 years of live events in the UK and EU—underscore the depth of experience and dedication these two bring to the table.

Their bond, forged through shared values of animal protection and a passion for music and live events, embodied a profound connection. Bif Naked, reflecting on their very first meeting facilitated by her Manager, Peter Karroll, describes Georgie as a kindred spirit, sharing not only their love for music, "Georgie is committed to music and knows more about music history than any person I have ever met, and we share a deep- seated commitment to animal welfare."

Tilly Kingston today releases her single Youth Is Wasted. Youth Is Wasted follows 2023 debut single Best Break Up Ever, which received support from BBC Introducing, has so far racked up 1.4million YouTube views, and hundreds of spot plays across UK radio stations.

With her hard edged, punk-rock & metal fused pop, Tilly wants to connect with anyone who’s ever felt like a misfit. She explains ‘Youth Is Wasted is a tongue in cheek ‘Piss Off’ to all the people who look down on me and say I am wasting my life and having too much fun. Well if this is wasting my life than fuck yeah, I am, and loving every minute of it!!”

Watch the official video for Youth Is Wasted HERE

A refreshing, unorthodox counter to the typical pop artist, Tilly Kingston was born for the stage – a good thing, too, seeing as she has spent her whole life sleeping in a bed just a few feet away from one.

“Sweet Alberta” is the new single off the Sultans of String album entitled Walking Through the Fire, the most ambitious and important project of their career, a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island. The song started as a poem penned by Grammy nominated and legendary Chippewa/Anishinaabe Elder Dr. Duke Redbird, set to music by Chris McKhool and Sultans of String.

This track features the gorgeous vocals of The North Sound, formed in 2014 by lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Forrest Eaglespeaker along with his wife Nevada Eaglespeaker who composes and provides vocal harmonies.

Keeping true to the traditions of Forrest’s heritage, The North Sound was created to share stories of Forrest’s Blackfoot identity and traditions from Treaty 7 Territory. This track was perfectly suited to these award-winning artists, with their connection to the land.

From fashion to film and television, recent years have seen a massive resurgence of the glitz and glamour of the ‘80s in popular culture. Even music is no exception, with model and television host Heidi Klum recently releasing a cover of the ‘80s song ‘Sunglasses At Night’ as her new single. Prior to Klum’s cover, musical artist and composer Loïk Gome (BFRND) has also reworked the same tune, originally sung by Canadian singer Corey Hart, to show off Balenciaga’s SS21 collection.

The original ‘Sunglasses At Night’ was released in 1984 as the first single of Hart’s debut album, ‘First Offense.’ Due to its unique melody and catchy hook, the song was an instant hit, peaking at No. 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Now that it has been 40 years since the song was released, fans and casual listeners may be wondering where Hart is now and what he is up to. So, we look at Hart’s legacy as a talented musician and one of Canada’s biggest ‘80s artists.

“People Like You And Me”

The older audience magic hour seems to be Sundays two and six, the new Hugh’s Room Live was packed. It’s a classic neighborhood church 296 Broadview Avenue in Toronto.

Very simple stage , bar no food, chairs. Nice balcony.

Classic coffee house vibe with no coffee or tea?

Love the pews on the side, on the stage no place to hide.

Went to see my old friend Robert Priest, backed by some of the greatest musicians in the city to launch his new record “People like you and me!”

I have long since been a fan of Robert Priest poetry, he made poetry accessible to everyone who wanted to pick up a pen or perform poetry live.

Today at Hugh’s room backed two bands first a more traditional folk duo that changes into more jazz ensemble , including guitarists Bob Cohen ,David Hines and special guest Alison Young on saxophone and guitarist supreme Kevin Breit. The performance flowed well and Robert’s trumpet playing was a wonderful surprise addition to the jazz feel of his latest release.