Photo by SOCAN. Left to right/ De gauche à droite : Stan Rogers, Lenie Gallant.

Stan Rogers, and Lennie Gallant’s “Peter’s Dream,” to be inducted into Hall of Fame

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday April 17th, 2019

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is partnering with the 31st annual East Coast Music Awards (ECMA) to honour the legacy of a national music icon and an enduring Maritime ballad.  The Hall of Fame  will induct musical storyteller Stan Rogers, and the song “Peter’s Dream,” by 18-time ECMA winner Lennie Gallant – who’s also confirmed as a performer at this year’s Awards Gala in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

“We’re honoured to be inducting Stan Rogers to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame,” says Vanessa Thomas, CSHF Executive Director. “Stan had an authoritative, warm baritone voice that commanded your attention. His songs, rooted in Canadian history, helped to shape Canadian folk music and East Coast music. Lennie Gallant’s song ‘Peter’s Dream’ will also be inducted into the CSHF, and I have no doubt that his performance will bring the house to their feet, as one of the most emblematic Maritime classics of all time, written by a Prince Edward Islander, no less.”

“I am deeply honoured to have Peter’s Dream inducted to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame,” says Lennie Gallant. “It means the world to me that so many people have covered this song and were moved by it. There’s no greater reward for a songwriter than to have a song take on a life of its own, and that certainly seems to have happened with ‘Peter’s Dream.’ Songwriting is my passion, so to have one of my songs added to this amazing Canadian collection is something I’ll always treasure.”

The Hall of Fame will present Stan Rogers’s induction to his family and widow, Ariel Rogers, with a performance by JUNO-winning artist Old Man Luedecke. The song induction for “Peter’s Dream” will be presented to Lennie Gallant, and performed by hometown singer-songwriter Rose Cousins. Both inductions will be part of the East Coast Music & Industry Awards on Sunday, May 5, 2019, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ADT, in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

After the ECMAs, music fans from across Canada, and around the world, can see inductees celebrated through exhibitions at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary. As the physical home of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the National Music Centre will continue to honour new inductees through on-site exhibitions, featuring stories, photos, artifacts, and memorabilia.

Photo by Une vie sans art, vraiment? Left to right / De gauche à droite : Fanny Britt, David Bussières

“Life Without Art? Really?” launches awareness campaign

Story by Eric Parazelli | Tuesday April 23rd, 2019

The Copyright Act of Canada is being reviewed by the government.

In collaboration with all the Canadian copyright management organizations, we’ve worked to make the voices of all our members heard in Ottawa, so that the new law achieves a better balance between artists and users. On April 23, 2019, we launch our “Life Without Art? Really?” campaign .

This public information campaign aims to raise the awareness of decision-makers on the importance and influence of art, and on the impact a weak law can have. People are invited to sign our manifesto, on our website, at www.uneviesansart.ca/en. By signing, members of the public will be able to show their support for a stronger copyright law.

We need you, SOCAN members, to help us turn this campaign into truly successful one! Please sign the manifesto, tell people around you about it, and share it on your social media, using the hashtag #lifewithoutart.

Three short videos were created to explain the stakes of this campaign to members of the public. They’re easy-to-share tools that efficiently communicate the campaign’s messages, and prompt the public to learn more about the issue. David Bussières, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Claude Robinson, Ricardo Trogi, Fanny Britt, and Mani Soleymanlou are featured in these videos, and they invite everyone to take action for the improved protection of artists and their works. The videos will be uploaded, one by one, on Facebook, YouTube, and on the campaign’s website, on April 23, 25, and 28.

Thank you!

Photo by Brad Ardley