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Tag archive: Spirit of the West (3)

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Spirit of the West Platinum plaque auctioned at ‘Spirit of John’ Alzheimer benefit concert in Toronto

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Photo Credit: Alzheimer Society of Toronto

Last Thursday, dozens of artists and members of Canada’s music community gathered at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre for the annual Spirit of John concert benefiting The Alzheimer Society Music Project, which helps those suffering from dementia rediscover pleasure in the world through the power of music. The concert series began in 2015 when Spirit of the West singer and main song co-writer John Mann was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s.

The incredible evening of music featured a set of fan-favourites from Spirit of the West, and a second set of covers of some of John’s favourite songs, with artists like Serena Ryder, Jim Cuddy, Jessica Mitchell, Royal Wood, and many more exchanging vocal duties.

During the intermission and live auction led by the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, the band surprised fans with the news of their classic hit “Home For A Rest,” performed earlier in the evening with Damhnait Doyle, had now officially reached Platinum status in Canada. Members of True North Records’ team then brought an official custom Platinum plaque on stage, which the band members autographed and auctioned off.


L to R – Spirit of the West’s Tobin ‘The Gull’ Frank, Matthew Harder, Geoffrey Kelly, Hugh McMillan and Vince R. Ditrich. with True North Records’ Brad Machry, Layne The Auctionista, True North Records’ Jordan Percival and Eric Alper. Photo Credit: Adam PW Smith

“Home For A Rest” is the band’s first official Single Award certification. The classic barroom favourite is featured on the band’s 1990 album Save This House, which was certified Platinum nearly 23 years earlier in 1996.

On Friday morning, The Alzheimer Society of Toronto announced that this year’s event raised over $100,000 to benefit the Alzheimer Society Music Project, which will help provide personalized music players to people living with dementia. For those who were unable to attend the Spirit of John concert, donations can still be made to help offer support, information and education to people with dementia, their families and caregivers.

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Video: BC’s Music Industry Gathers to Identify Opportunities for Support

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Last week, we recapped a recent event in Victoria, BC, in which a collection of British Columbia artists, including Bryan Adams, Jesse Roper, and members of Current Swell, Cowboy Junkies, Chilliwack, and Spirit of the West, as well as members of the province’s music industry, came together to express the need for provincial support for music in the form of regulatory reform and reduced red tape, as well as financial support.

Video of the event is now available, including speeches from Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada; the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development; Bryan Adams on the importance of music in British Columbia; and a performance by Jesse Roper.

 

 

 

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BC’s Music Industry Gathers to Identify Opportunities for Support

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A who’s who of BC’s music industry and artists including Bryan Adams, Jesse Roper, members of Current Swell, Cowboy Junkies, Chilliwack, and Spirit of the West came together Monday evening at the Royal BC Museum for an event hosted by Music Canada for provincial politicians and decision makers. Together, they expressed the need for provincial support for music in the form of regulatory reform and reduced red tape, as well as financial support.

Many members of the government attended, including the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, who expressed his support for BC’s music community in his remarks from the stage.

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In his remarks, Music Canada President Graham Henderson announced that Music Canada has, with the help of many partners in BC undertaken analysis of the province’s music sector to identify strengths and weaknesses. Our full report is forthcoming but our recommendations would help the province to:

  • Create and retain jobs
  • Grow and diversify the economy
  • Attract foreign direct investment
  • Build more vibrant music scenes
  • Boost tourism development
  • Attract talent to other sectors like the digital arts
  • And contribute to cultural and artistic growth

Attendees were not only treated to a wonderful acoustic performance by Jesse Roper, currently a finalist for the Peak Performance Project, but to a passionate speech from Bryan Adams on the importance of music in the province.

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The music industry in BC has a long and deep history, a pipeline for upcoming talent, many talented professionals and good infrastructure for live performance and recording, but has been plagued recently by such things as the widening gap in funding between BC and other provinces, rising property costs in BC’s large urban centres, and regulatory barriers.

In his remarks, Bryan Adams recalled his time as a musician starting out in BC. “British Columbia, as a young musician was a great place to start out, because they had a lot of venues to play, and it was receptive to live music. There was a lot of opportunities for musicians and a good musical scene when I started out, and it’s because of that – the local scene, and the fact that it was thriving on its own – that I was able to create the music that I’ve created over the years…But the thing that we’ve created here over the years is leaving us, and we need to protect it.”

We are very excited by the success not only of this event, but of our report and its recommendations to come, asking for BC’s provincial government to support music education, live and recorded music businesses, and tourism in its Spring 2016 budget.

Stay tuned for further details about the report in the coming months.

 

 

Several attendees shared highlights from the event on social media:

 

Additional photos from the event are embedded in the gallery below:

 

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