Features

Submitted by Don Graham

The Grammys will be presented for 55th time on Sunday February 10th in Los Angeles California, The Grammys started in 1959 as a way to recognize achievements in the music industry, similar to the Emmys and the Oscars for television and movie accomplishments. This was the beginning of NARAS (The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.) Once it was decided to create the award, there was still a question of what to call it. One working title was the Eddie, paying homage to the inventor of the phonograph, Thomas Edison. It was decided that they would use the name of the Emile Berliner invention, the gramophone, for the award.

A lot of Canadian artists have won Grammys over the years. David Foster has won 16 Grammys and been nominated 47 times. Celine Dion has 5 awards, and her songwriters have won 5 as well.  Alanis Morrisette has 7. Michael Buble and Diana Krall each have 3.  Bryan Adams has been nominated 15 times but only won once. Neil Yong has  won 1 as well as Nelly Furtado with 1. Sarah McLachlin has 3 and  Shania Twain has 5. Canadian Polka King Walter Ostenak has won 3 times.

Gordon Lightfoot oddly enough has never won a Grammy and Leonard Cohen was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Award in 2010. Daniel Lanois has taken home 5 Grammys as a producer or co-producer. In 2011 Canadian band Arcade Fire were up against Lady GaGa, Katy Perry, Eminem and Lady Antebellum for album of the year and shocked the music world by winning.

Submitted to Cashbox Canada

The international music community, from over 70 countries, came together in Cannes for four days of intense networking, deal-making, learning and concerts at Midem 2013.

For the core music industry attending Midem, one of the key discussion points from collecting agencies including France’s SACEM and Germany’s GEMA, to label executives such as Beggars Group founder, Martin Mills and internationally-renowned artist and musician Jean-Michel Jarre, was the on-going relationship between the music industry, the internet giants and ISPs. Other highlights of the event included keynote addresses from senior executives representing American Express, Samsung, Ford and Chinese classical pianist and cultural icon Lang Lang, discussions involving the music community and major brands such as MINI, Nike, Red Bull, Heineken and The Coca-Cola Company on how best to work together, the Midemlab start-ups and app developers competition, the expanded Midem Marketing Competition and a packed programme of Midem Festival concerts.

“Following the changes we introduced in 2012, this year we have again focused on bringing together the core music business with the key players operating in the tech field, as well as leading brands and advertising agencies and, of course, the artists who create the music that we listen to,” noted Midem Director, Bruno Crolot

Submitted by Don Graham

It’s over half a century since that fateful winter night in Iowa when Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens fell from the cold sky and into rock ‘n’ roll pop culture mythology.  It’s hard to believe that 54 years have passed since Buddy contacted Dwyer Flying Services and rented the plane for $36 a person. This event is still shrouded in lies, rumours and Hollywood drama.
We will likely never know all the facts. Was Maria Elena really pregnant? People on the tour say Buddy never mentioned it and there are no doctors reports to verify it. Did Buddy need cash because Norman Petty was withholding money? Not likely, He had received over $20,000 in royalties not long before his death. And that’s $ 20,000 in 1959 dollars, when a bottle of coke was a nickel and the admission to the Surf Ballroom that night was $1.25.

The Big Bopper was found some 40 feet from the plane causing speculation that perhaps he had survived the crash and went looking for help? In March 2007 his body was being moved and his son requested an autopsy to see the cause of death. It was determined that every bone in his body was broken and he died instantly. His weight likely propelled him from the plane. 

Submitted by Cashbox Canada

Rock legend and longstanding BMI member Tommy James was surprised at BMI's headquarters in New York City's World Trade Center to receive five BMI Million-Air Awards. The awards recognize James's iconic place in music’s history with more than 22 million combined radio performances of his hit songs "Draggin' the Line," "Crimson and Clover," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," "Mony Mony" and "Tighter, Tighter."

The music of Tommy James is heard continuously, every day in every country in the world; on the radio, television or a film soundtrack. To date, James has sold over 100 million and has been awarded 23 gold singles plus nine gold and platinum albums.

Tommy James’ songs had become pop culture classics and were being covered by everyone from punk rockers (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts) to country icons (Dolly Parton). In 1987, Tiffany and Billy Idol’s versions of ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ and ‘Mony Mony’ respectively battled for the top spot on the pop charts for a solid month each eventually hitting # 1; it would be the first time in music history that two cover versions of songs by the same songwriter went to # 1 back to back.

As of 2011, over 300 artists have recorded a ‘Tommy tune’, among them Prince, R.E.M., Tom Jones, Cher, and Concrete Blonde, as well as artists who have performed his songs in concert including Bruce Springsteen and Kelly Clarkson.