William Prince, Julian Taylor, Allison Russell, Aysanabee and Shawnee Kish perform a tribute to the late Robbie Robertson at the Juno awards, in Halifax, on March 24, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Paying tribute to departed and living musicians via memorial tributes and awards is a way of lifting up artists’ significant roles defining and shaping musical innovation and cultural identity.
Toronto band The Beaches, fronted by lead singer and bassist Jordan Miller, closes off the 2024 Juno awards in Halifax, March 24, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
All-female rock bands like The Beaches are both a breath of fresh air and also heirs to a tradition of women in rock that includes early Black female guitarists and the 1990s riot grrrl movement.
Diga, frontman of the Yellowknife-based band Digawolf, says his goal is to pursue music “without having to move south.” Here, the band, nominated as Indigenous artist or group of the year, with Diga, David Dowe and Layne Rybchinski.
(Digawolf/Maia Lepage)
Three-quarters of the high-profile category Juno 2020 nominees were Ontario artists. This year’s awards have been cancelled, but new efforts to boost music development across the country are needed.
The artists who first sang the legendary Canadian hip hop song “Northern Touch” 20 years ago reunited to perform at the 2018 Juno Awards. From left to right: Checkmate, Red1, Misfit, Kardinal Offishall, Choclair and Thrust.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The current global dominance of Canadian music on today’s Billboard charts obscures the difficulties many early rap artists faced in garnering local support for this country’s hip hop music.