Why the Juno Awards Matter

The Juno Awards are in town on Sunday night, hosted by William Shatner! Canadian music royalty will descend on Scotiabank Place and it promises to be a great night of entertainment. From Newfoundland to BC, tv's will be tuned in to see the singers and bands that got their start in the school band, or the dive across town, or they were the guys you knew that played in the drummer's parents' basement. No matter how they got their start, they should all be proud, as Canadian musicians continue to wow the world with everything from unique blends of everything from punk celtic to opera to jazz fusion, country and straight ahead rock and roll. Our country is the birthplace of some of the top darlings in the history of music: from Paul Anka, Leonard Cohen, and Oscar Peterson to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, The Guess Who, and Rush...just to name a few. What defines Canadian music? Why is it so unique? Perhaps the answer lies in our passion for it. We like to share it, and we like it when a 'Canadian' musician gets attention around the world, but we take a great deal of pride in the notion that 'he or she' is OURS, and there is no better fan of a Canadian musician, than a Canadian. How many thousands of us from coast to coast have experienced the quintessential hot summer Canadian night, sandals and bare feet on grass, fanning out from the stage,swaying and singing along with the chorus of 'Hasn't Hit Me Yet', a sweat-stained Greg Keelor sharing the spotlight with the energy that is Jim Cuddy. And when the song comes to an end, we hold our beer cups in the air, and the boys from Blue Rodeo return the gesture, and at that moment, no one else in the world would get it. It is more than fitting that Blue Rodeo is going to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame this Sunday night at the Juno Awards. After countless awards, and millions of records sold, the numbers alone should be enough to earn Blue Rodeo the highest honour in Canadian music. But for Blue Rodeo's fans, we know they deserve it for a whole other set of reasons: a nearby lake, a bonfire, good friends, and Blue Rodeo. It just doesn't get any better than that.



A selection of videos from artists appearing at the Junos on Sunday night!