October 27, 2014
It’s been a long time coming for these guys.
Two legendary Canadian acts—The Band and Jeff Healey—can each add another gold star in their list of achievements after they were honoured as part of Canada’s Walk of Fame last week.
The inductee announcement took place October 18 in Toronto. The 2014 Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute Show will be aired December 19 with performances by Bobby Bazini, and Calvin Beale, among others.
#CWOF2014 Inductees The Band (@r0bbier0berts0n & Garth Hudson) w/ their star. Watch Friday Dec. 19 at 8PM @Global_TV pic.twitter.com/46imkhds67
— Canadas Walk of Fame (@CWOFame) October 20, 2014
Jeff Healey rose to prominence in the late ’80s and ’90s, and quickly became known for his unique style of guitar playing and ability to cross musical genres. Completely blind since the age of one, Healey placed his guitar across his lap and played alongside the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, and Eric Clapton.
Sadly, Healey passed away in 2008 after losing the battle to cancer at the age of 41.
The Band wrote some of the most influential songs of the ’60s, and are arguably among the most important pioneers in the creation of American music as a genre (not bad for a band that’s four-fifths Canadian). Songs like “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” have made many appearances among ‘Greatest Songs of’ lists (see #13 on Pitchfork’s, “The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s”). I won’t attempt to repeat what has already been said about Robbie Robertson’s greatness as a songwriter or his gift for lyrical storytelling, but I will say that The Band put the phrase, “The South shall rise again” into song probably better than anybody.
See a full list of inductees here.
Big Wreck’s Ian Thornley made a stop at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, announcing support for the hospital’s brand new campaign to raise funds for a creative art space called Marnie’s Studio.
A big thanks to Ian Thornley of @bigwreckmusic for visiting SickKids today to play guitar with SickKids kid Achahk. http://t.co/0w1Hqi6iUv — SickKids Foundation (@sickkids) October 20, 2014
In a press release from Indoor Recess, the SickKids Artist Challenge encourage artists to come up with a challenge in order to “donate their time in some way” at the hospital before nominating other artists to do the same. Artists are encouraged to raise funds through the power of social networks for their choice of challenge.
Thornley kicked off the campaign last Monday, giving a one-on-one guitar lesson to 14-year-old Achahk, a lung transplant patient.
“Highway to Hell” – Ian and Achahk
Marnie’s Studio will give children receiving care at the hospital the chance to foster mental and physical healing through the power of multimedia/creative arts.
Thornley says his involvement with the campaign is “an honour” and his time spent with Achahk was “humbling and inspiring.”
–Leyland Bradley
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at leyland.bradley@gmail.com or @LeylandMarie