In 1960’s, when music had become immersed in drug related songs (Magic Carpet Ride, Itchycoo Park, Kicks, Inna Gadda Da Vida) Edwin Hawkins hit the charts with ‘Oh Happy Day’. An unlikely hit  for 1969.

“Oh Happy Day” paved the way for seismic changes in gospel music. An exuberant paean to the spiritually cleansing powers of Jesus.  It was a hymn written in the mid-18th century, but it was Edwin Hawkins  who popularized it and turned it into a global standard.

The song became a hit in 1969, credited to the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and reached No 2 in the UK and No 1 in France and Germany, as well as No 4 on the US’s Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold more than a million copies in two months, and would eventually sell 7m internationally.

Dolores O'Riordan, whose urgent, powerful voice helped make Irish rock band The Cranberries a global success in the 1990s, died suddenly on January 15, 2018, at a London hotel. She was 46.

The singer's publicist, Lindsey Holmes, confirmed she died in London, where she was recording,"No further details are available at this time," Holmes said, adding that the singer's family was "devastated" by the news. London's Metropolitan Police force said officers were called just after 9 a.m. Monday to a hotel where a woman in her 40s was found dead. The police force said the death was being treated as "unexplained."To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians, and the performing arts, her death will be a big loss," Higgins said in a statement.

O'Riordan was born on Sept. 6, 1971, in Ballybricken, southwest Ireland. In 1990, she answered an ad from a local band in nearby Limerick city — then called The Cranberry Saw Us — that was looking for a lead singer.

Beginning Monday, January 22, 2018, The Shift with Drex will hit the airwaves on talk radio stations across Canada.

Hosted by Justin "Drex" Wilcomes, this late-night program will offer a fresh take on the day's biggest headlines and the untold stories that matter to listeners. Packed full of interviews with newsmakers, columnists and celebrities. The Shift with Drex will be a go-to source for late night banter and lively debate with content driven by its audience. From listener calls to comments online, Drex will interact with audiences every night, to get them involved in the conversation.

"It’s stories, it’s opinion, it’s culture, it’s irreverent and it’s Canadian," said Troy Reeb, Senior Vice-President, Global News and Corus Radio. "The Shift with Drex will tap into the common humour, pride and honesty that pulls our country together."

“I’m looking forward to a fun ride ahead hosting a show where the phone lines are always open," said Wilcomes, Host of The Shift with Drex. “My goal is to challenge the status-quo by delivering a program that's both entertaining and thought-provoking."

Blues Hall of Famer/“Godfather of British Blues” John Mayall will release an album of live recordings titled Three for the Road on February 23 via the Forty Below Records label. Produced by John Mayall and Forty Below Records president Eric Corne, the new album was recorded live in Dresden and Stuttgart, Germany, in March of 2017. The nine tracks on Three for the Road include fan and personal song favorites played by his trio: John Mayall (vocals, keyboard, and harmonica), Greg Rzab (bass) and Jay Davenport (drums).

The Fugitives are a modern folk group based out of Vancouver, BC. They have released three full length albums and two EPs, with a new full length, “The Promise of Strangers”, released last fall. Recent highlights include touring to twelve countries, being nominated for multiple Canadian Folk Music Awards and a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Roots Album, opening for Buffy Sainte-Marie across Western Canada, and playing UK’s Glastonbury Festival.

When not touring as musicians, current frontmen and songwriters Brendan McLeod and Adrian Glynn are active in other artistic pursuits. McLeod is an award winning novelist and former Canadian SLAM poetry champion, while Glynn is a working actor who received rave reviews for his role in Chelsea Hotel, a play based on the songs and poems of Leonard Cohen. Their band is similarly eclectic, boasting prominent former members like Mark Berube and CR Avery, and current violinist/vocalist Ali Romanow, a singer-songwriter in her own right, and multi-instrumentalist Steve Charles.

The Manitoba country music industry has suffered the devastating loss of artist manager Janice Starodub on New Year’s Eve at the age of 49. Janice Anne Starodub passed away peacefully at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre surrounded by her family, husband Phil and three children, after a yearlong battle with cancer.

Janice began her career as a teacher whose creativity led her to songwriting, which in turn took her to Nashville, where networking introduced her to connections within the publishing community. It was also the place where she discovered where she fit in with the music industry. Her teaching experience, can-do attitude, and patience made her an ideal fit to fill the much-needed role of advising and developing young artists, initiating imaging and media training sessions, working on grants and arranging successful songwriting trips and showcases in LA, Nashville, and domestically.

Now in its 15th year, Indie Week Canada (IWCAN) is one of Canada’s top emerging artist festivals hosting 300+ artists, 25+ venues in 6 days. Indie Week puts industry and artists together, acts have made connections and have built new business furthering their career. Along with artist showcases, Indie Week hosts the Indie101 Music + Tech Conference with industry leaders and over 80 speakers – artists have the opportunity to participate in mentorship, classroom and 1-on-1 sessions along with the regular industry panels. Indie Week is a great launch pad for artists wanting to enter into the North American and Canadian markets and make the connections that can help take your band to the next level.

Indie Week Canada has become one of Canada’s premiere indie music festivals showcasing 300+ acts from all over the world in front of music industry professionals.

Indie Week offers 6 nights of showcases, late last call after parties serving until 4am, 25+ venues, music industry panels, industry mixers, demo listening sessions, mentorships, sponsored stages and more.

On March 9th, Stax Records will release Tearing at the Seams, the highly anticipated new album from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Tearing at the Seams follows the band’s critically and commercially lauded, self-titled debut album, which is certified Gold in the U.S., Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands, Platinum in Canada, and Silver in the U.K.

You Worry Me, the lead single from the new album, has premiered worldwide today, In addition to the 12-track standard edition, Tearing at the Seams will be available in a 14-track deluxe edition that features two bonus tracks and exclusive photos. Vinyl editions include the (2-disc, 180gram) 12-track standard edition and the (2-disc, 180gram) 14-track deluxe edition, which features an exclusive photo book and special 7” single. Initial writing and recording sessions for Tearing at the Seams took place in Rodeo, New Mexico, where Rateliff & The Night Sweats re-established their dynamic off the stage and in the studio.

On the heels of a transformative and ultra-productive 2017 (releasing five studio albums) Melbourne's King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard will return to the U.S. and Canada this spring for a major cross-country tour hitting nineteen cities including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. The band will play their largest venues to date such as LA's Hollywood Palladium, San Francisco's Warfield Theatre, and NYC's Brooklyn Steel.

As promised at the beginning of the year, King Gizzard successfully released an unprecedented five studio albums in 2017 with the release of Gumboot Soup arriving this past New Year's Eve. 2017's other previous four records - February's Flying Microtonal Banana, June's Murder of the Universe, August's Sketches of Brunswick East and November's Polygondwanaland - have all received critical acclaim and contributed to a whirlwind year for the band. Some benchmarks include their first Coachella performance, their worldwide TV debut on Conan and headlining sold-out shows at landmark venues including two nights at Chicago's Lincoln Hall, two nights at New York City's Webster Hall and San Francisco's The Fillmore.

Marlene (Joan) Palmer, who worked with some of the biggest names of Canadian music, died of ovarian cancer on Saturday, December 30th, at the Victoria Hospice in Victoria, British Columbia, according to husband Phillip Hurst.

She was 62.

Unfailingly cheerful, a valued colleague, friend and confidant to all, Palmer was a much sought-after publicist and a tenacious advocate for her clients. She had an incisive wit, great creative instincts, and came from a PR tradition that the media was to be treated with respect.

At one time or another during her nearly four-decade publicity career, her client list included: Anne Murray, Bryan Adams, Loverboy, Rita MacNeil, The Rankin Family, Steve Smith (aka Red Green), Tommy Hunter, Frank Mills, and George Fox.

She also oversaw the national media surrounding the historic “Tears Are Not Enough,” the all-star charity single recorded in 1985 by leading Canadian artists, under the name Northern Lights, raising funds for the relief of the famine in Ethiopia.

Nashville’s own alt-rock-five-piece band, Moon Taxi, has released their new song, Good As Gold off their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Let The Record Play, which is set for release on January 19th via RCA Records. The feel-good anthem will have everyone ready to dance for days with its use of upbeat horns and keys. The band also released a lyric video for the track. Click here to listen/buy/watch.

Good As Gold, as well as Let The Record Play, and single, Two High, are available as instant-grat tracks when fans pre-order the upcoming album. Pre-order is available at all digital retailers here. Good As Gold, the most recent instant-grat track, has already become a fan favorite with over 1.5 million streams on Spotify in less than a month, available here.

“Good as Gold is a song about empowerment. It’s about reaching that moment, that place where all your hard work pays off. It’s no coincidence that we wrote it as the Nashville Predators were fighting for the Stanley Cup last season. Team colors inspired the lyrics for sure,” says Wes Bailey (keyboardist).

Ottawa has a best kept secret that is about to be a well known fact. Tribe Royal, with their sophomore album “Colours of the Sun’, are a breath of fresh air in the indie market.

On Saturday, February 10, 2018 Tribe Royal will be hitting the stage at the Babylon Nightclub, along with their special guests LUX. Tickets are only $10 to see two smoking hot bands.

Tribe Royal garnered attention last year with their release of their first single, “Wasting Time” and the again when they performed for the RBC Bluesfest with Sam Roberts.

Tribe Royal consists of Terry O’Brien, voice and guitar, Chris Kerwin, voice and guitar, bassist and vocalist Bram Al-Najjar and drummer Mike Giamberardino. 

In O’Brien’s words, “I love playing 60s-style pop songs that are done in under two minutes but I also love longer, jammier deep-feel stuff. With us, it really is a balance trying to get everything in there without compromise.”

Fresh off the success of the critically acclaimed album,Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues, 36 Chambers ALC has released a remix to the original track, Hood Go Bang, which now features Redman, Method Man, Raekwon, Mathematics, and U-God. The Saga Continues is now a complete project highlighting every member of Wu on the Mathematics-helmed album, with the final addition of U-God's distinct vocals on the track. Get this remixed banger today on all major streaming platforms .

Previously, a music video for the track, People Say , was released via Complex.com. Watch the video here .

36 Chambers ALC is a lifestyle company founded by RZA and Mustafa Shaikh to house innovative efforts in the music, art, fashion, and literary spaces. The highly successful Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues was the company's inaugural musical release.

Sony Music proudly announced the release of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), featuring music by Henry Jackman. The soundtrack to the new film by Jake Kasdan was released on December 15th. The film will be released in Canada and the US on December 20th, 2017.

France is bidding farewell to its biggest rock star, honoring Johnny Hallyday with an exceptional funeral procession down the Champs-Elysees, a presidential speech and a parade of motorcyclists -- all under intense security.

Few figures in French history have earned a send-off as elaborate as the one Saturday for the man sometimes dubbed the French Elvis. It was ordered by President Emmanuel Macron -- a Hallyday fan himself, like generations of others across the French-speaking world.

Hallyday's death Wednesday at age 74 after fighting lung cancer unleashed emotion across the country, where the man known to the public simply as Johnny had been an icon for more than half a century.

Johnny HalladayFans chanting "Johnny! Johnny!" massed in Paris as the funeral cortege headed past his home in a Paris suburb near Versailles to Napoleon's Arc de Triomphe monument. The procession will then head down the Champs-Elysees, through the Place de la Concorde plaza on the Seine River, and then to the columned Madeleine Church.

The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) has announced the recipients of and nominees for the third annual CIMA Celebration & Awards Gala, taking place on Monday, June 12, 2017 at Toronto's Glass Factory. This year's recipients will be recognized for their incredible contributions to independent music. Performers for the Gala and Awards Celebration will be announced in the coming weeks.
"We are thrilled to return for our third year to celebrate those who create, support and strengthen Canadian independent music," said Stuart Johnston, President, CIMA. "We are pleased to recognize this year's recipients for their impressive contributions to the Canadian music industry."

2017 Award Recipients

Stony Plain Records announces the signing of acclaimed roots guitarist/singer Sue Foley and will release her label debut CD, The Ice Queen, on March 2, 2018.

Produced by Mike Flanigin, who also plays organ on the new disc, The Ice Queen was recorded at Firestation Studios in San Marcos, Texas. Joining Sue Foley as special guests is a trio of legendary Texas guitarslingers – Jimmie Vaughan, Z.Z.Top’s Billy F Gibbons and Charlie Sexton - as well as a host of other Lone Star State all-stars, including Chris “Whipper” Layton (formerly of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble) and George Rains (drums), Derek O’Brien (guitar), Chris Maresh and Billy Horton (bass) and The Texas Horns: John Mills, Al Gomez, Jimmy Shortell, Randy Zimmerman and Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff.

“I’m extremely excited to be working with Holger Petersen and Stony Plain Records,” Sue Foley says about the new CD. “Holger is one of the most knowledgeable ‘real music’ people in the business. Stony Plain is known to put out great music and I know The Ice Queen has found her home.”

THE 16TH ANNUAL WINTERFOLK BLUES AND ROOTS FESTIVALis when some of the finest folk, roots and blues artists will take the stage at Toronto’s Black Swan Tavern on Saturday, December 9th. Doors open at 7:30 pm and music starts at 8:00 pm for this event to benefit Winterfolk. Artists will include The Achromatics, David Storey, Tony Quarrington, Brian Gladstone, Piper Hayes w/ Carson Ritcey-Thorpe, The Mini-Clan Hannigan and more. There will also be an open mic for anyone who would like to add a tune or two.

WHO: The Achromatics, David Storey, Tony Quarrington, Brian Gladstone, Piper Hayes w/ Carson Ritcey-Thorpe, The Mini-Clan Hannigan and more
WHAT: Winterfolk XVI Preview & Benefit + Birthday Bash WHERE: The Black Swan Tavern, 154 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON 416-469-0537
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 9th – Doors 7:30 pm / Music 8:00
TICKETS: $10 minimum donation @door

So much has been said in the last week of David Cassidy – tv anchorwomen and female radio announcers as well as fans all saying things like ‘he was my first crush’,’I had his poster on my wall all through High School’, ‘he was so cute and had such a great smile and amazing hair’.

And then the battle with addictions, as well as his ongoing development of dementia, a disease that took his beloved mother from him.

But the story that needs to be told is what an amazing performer he became as he aged, being a strong businessman, producer, writer and director. Here are some highlights of the pretty boy from The Partridge Family’s outstanding career.

David Cassidy had managed to stay at the top of his game for over four decades, with a unique ability to re-invent himself and adapt to numerous genres from concerts to theatre, television to Las Vegas, and even actor/singer to producer/writer/director with a demographic that crosses three generations. David rose to stardom in “The Partridge Family” and became the biggest TV and performing phenomenon in history by the time he was 20.

Mel Tillis, country music singer and songwriter, has died, the Country Music Hall of Fame confirmed in a statement. He was 85.

According to the Tennessean, Tillis died early Sunday morning at the Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Fla. after almost two years of ill health stemming from a bout of diverticulitis, for which he received surgery. The suspected cause of death is respiratory failure.

Tillis began recording in the late 1950s and continued to perform through 2015, but remained best known for a string of No. 1 country hits in the late ’70s, along with a succession of appearances in Hollywood movies alongside Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood that helped make him a household name even outside the country music sphere.

“Mel Tillis spent a lifetime giving us joy and laughter and music, which is why his death brings such sadness,” said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young. “Had he never stepped on a stage, he would still have been one of the funniest and most genuine people on the planet.”