CHANGES
RIP : Canadian Music Legend Ian Tyson Has Died
The family of Canadian country music legend Ian Tyson , CM AOE , announced that the singer-songwriter died from ongoing health complications on Dec . 29 , 2022 , at his ranch in southern Alberta at age 89 .
Tyson was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in
IAN TYSON
1989 , and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame , with his former wife and singing partner , Sylvia , in 1992 . Tyson became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994 and in 2003 , he received a Governor General ’ s Performing Arts Award , and inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2006 .
Tyson was born to British immigrants in Victoria , and grew up in Duncan B . C . A rough stock rider in his late teens and early twenties , he took up the guitar while recovering from an injury he sustained in a bad fall in the rodeo . Tyson ’ s story from there is familiar to most . He upped stakes from Vancouver Island and hitchhiked to Toronto , where he met a young singer from small-town Ontario called Sylvia Fricker . As Ian & Sylvia , they were the Canadian stars of the early ’ 60s folk boom that gave the world Bob Dylan , Phil Ochs , Joan Baez , the Clancy Brothers , and the Kingston Trio .
Married in 1964 , the pair made almost a dozen albums — and wrote some of Canada ’ s best-loved songs , including Ian ’ s “ Four Strong Winds ” and “ Someday Soon ,” and Sylvia ’ s “ You Were on My Mind ” — songs that have all been covered countless times by some of the most famous artists of our time , including Dylan , Neil Young , Judy Collins , and a young Canadian singer the couple mentored in his early days , Gordon Lightfoot .
During the British Invasion , Ian and Sylvia evolved into pioneers of country-rock . Their band , Great Speckled Bird , rivalled the Byrds and other groups which helped create modern country , a decade before the phase of contemporary “ new traditionalists .”
Tyson released his most recent single “ You Should Have Known ” in September 2017 on Stony Plain Records , the label that Tyson ’ s released fifteen albums with since the ‘ 80s . The song unapologetically celebrated the hard living , hard drinking , hard loving cowboy life and joins his favorites such as hits like “ Four Strong Winds ,” “ Someday Soon ,” “ Summer Wages ” and more .
The Weeknd Named 2022 Recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award
Canadian Music Week has announced that Abel “ The Weeknd ’ Tesfaye has received the 2022 CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award in recognition of his longstanding commitment to charitable initiatives . The CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award is presented to a Canadian artist , duo , or group , in recognition of their social activism and benevolent support of humanitarian interests and causes . As
THE WEEKND recipient of this Award , The Slaight Family Foundation will make a donation of $ 50,000 towards a charity of Tesfaye ’ s choosing .
Tesfaye is the first musician to receive both the Allan Slaight Impact Award , and the CWM Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award . Tesfaye received the Allan Slaight Impact honour at Canada ’ s Walk of Fame in 2014 , which is presented to a remarkable musician , duo or group that continues to make a positive impact with their talent and benevolence in the field of music .
In recent years , Tesfaye has donated over 8.3 million dollars to important causes and has used his massive platform to speak out and take action on pressing social issues . In 2021 , Tesfaye was honoured with the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the inaugural Music in Action Awards .
Each year , Slaight Communications and Canadian Music Week awards an outstanding Canadian artist , in recognition of their contribution to social activism and support of humanitarian causes . Previous CMW Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award recipients include Buffy Sainte-Marie , Gord Downie , Arcade Fire , RUSH , Sarah McLachlan , Chantal Kreviazuk & Raine Maida , Simple Plan , Bruce Cockburn , Bryan Adams , and Nelly Furtado .
New Appointees to Order of Canada Honours Announced
Over the holidays , a new batch of appointees to Order of Canada honours was announced , with the music community well-represented . Named as Officers were Lis Aubut , Jim Corcoran , Eleanor Daley , and Bob Ezrin , while those named as Members included Steve Bell , Kevin Blackmore , Wayne Chaulk , Alan Cote , Douglas Dunsmore , Raymond Johnson , Michael Massey , Lorraine Segato , and Mark Sirett . See the full list and brief bios at
www . gg . ca .
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