Last night I had the honour of presenting Toronto rapper D-Sisive with his ECHO Songwriting Prize at the unbelievably grand SOCAN Awards at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. I don't think D-Sisive or I knew what we were getting ourselves into...
Among the award winners and honourees in attendance at the black-tie event were, all in one room, Stompin' Tom Connors, Gordon Lightfoot, Rush, Tom Cochrane, Rita McNeil, 54-40, Glass Tiger, and many others. It was a head-turner to say the very least.
And I got to meet Stompin' Tom.
I have many Canadian musical heroes but likely none larger than the legendary Stompin' Tom Connors. He is the forefather of Canadian songs about the places and people of this country. Back when he was putting out album after album filled with songs of Canadiana, no one else was doing it. Now, thankfully, the pride and musical sense of place is common, and it all started with Stompin' Tom. His song "The Singer (The Voice of the People)" is one of the best and most important Canadian songs ever written. Last night he took home the Lifetime Achievement Award and received two long standing ovations.
...And David Myles, who has songs about the Bay of Fundy and Cape Breton Island, did a fine job co-hosting!
