July 1959 was a pivotal month for the history of folk and country music. It was when Ian Tyson met Sylvia Fricker for the first time, which began a musical journey, both as a dynamic duo and with distinguished solo careers, that would help put Canadian country music on the map globally. In honour of the start of this historic musical collaboration, Stony Plain Records will be releasing Ian & Sylvia The Lost Tapes on  September 6^th; the day after their much-anticipated inductions as individual songwriters to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, which will be presented on September 5^th at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, during Country Music Week in Calgary, AB.
 

Singer Ian Tyson recovers from open heart surgery, plans to resume dual careers as singer and rancher. Tyson is resting comfortably in a hospital near his Longview, Alberta ranch, recovering from open-heart surgery.

A blockage required an aortic valve to be replaced; the operation took place two weeks ago in Calgary’s Foothills Hospital. Tyson, impatient to get back to his ranch, is wryly amused that the replacement valve came from a cow’s heart.

He began his career in the duo Ian and Sylvia in the early ‘60s, but has long had a distinguished career as a solo artist. He released his 13th album — Carnero Vaquero — for the Edmonton-based independent roots music label Stony Plain earlier this year.

Now 82, Tyson has followed dual careers as a rancher and singer since he moved to Alberta in the early ‘80s. Songs such as “Four Strong Winds,” “Someday Soon” and “Summer Wages” established him as one of Canada’s best-known artists.

He is looking forward to a limited schedule of performances next year, and he hopes to perform at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada in January — he’s played the event every year but one since 1981.