Background

Mandate

The CSHF/PACC’s mandate is to honour, celebrate and educate Canadians about the outstanding accomplishments of Canadian popular music songwriters and those who have contributed significantly to their legacy. Few people, even Canadians, are aware of the depth of Canada's rich musical heritage and the enormous impact our country's songwriters have had on contemporary music around the world. Our songwriters have penned hits for Rod Stewart, Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, Gene Autry, Céline Dion, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Bing Crosby, Jacques Brel, The Counting Crows, Louis Armstrong and André Gagnon, to name but a few. The revelation of this news is always a source of great pride for Canadians and cause for admiration internationally.

Structure

Founded in 1998 by Canadian music publisher Frank Davies, the CSHF/PACC is a partnership of the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA) and the Songwriters Association of Canada (the S.A.C.), with the assistance of the Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec (SPACQ). The Board of Directors consists of seven music publishers and seven songwriters appointed by the member organizations, and one Chairman appointed by both organizations. The first formal Board meeting took place on October 19, 2000. The CSHF/PACC has an Advisory Board of 20 of Canada’s most influential music, arts and cultural leaders. The organization’s day-to-day operations are overseen by an Executive Director.

Funding

Strongly supported by the Canadian music industry, the CSHF/PACC received its initial funding in 1999 from Canada’s music publishers. The organization’s current core-funding patrons are: the CMPA, the SAC, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), SOCAN, Astral Media, and the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. The CSHF acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

What We Do

The CSHF/PACC is currently compiling extensive research on songwriters, their songs and those individuals who have played an important role in supporting the careers of Canadian songwriters over the past 150+ years. Once completed, this database will be the only comprehensive resource on the history of songwriting in Canada. The CSHF/PACC celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of Canadian songwriters through an annual star-studded induction gala, which showcases the work of inductees and features performances by popular singer-songwriters and other recording artists from across the country and abroad. Songwriter inductees are determined by the CSHF/PACC’s Induction Committee based on extensive research and careful consideration of the songwriter’s body of work, chart and sales success, societal context, international, national or regional notoriety, Canadian residency, and their historical importance. Inducted songs are chosen on their single, stand-alone merit, and Legacy Award recipients for their significant contributions towards songwriting in Canada.

CSHF/PACC Annual Gala

Since its inception twelve years ago, the CSHF/PACC has held five highly successful induction galas: intimate and passionate nights of tributes and musical performances by the crème-de-la-crème of Canadian recording artists. Focusing on the unique craftsmanship of the songwriter, the CSHF/PACC gala positively articulates to the Canadian public the value of music and instills, in all who participate, a deep sense of national pride. Renowned songwriter inductee Raymond Lévesque said of his induction, “I could never thank you and the members of this Committee enough for this wonderful award celebrating my 50 years in show business. This was a night I will always remember.” Modern Era inductee Randy Bachman exclaimed onstage, “This award tops them all. Really, it’s all about the song.” Added his fellow inductee Burton Cummings, “I’ve never been so proud to be a Canadian as I am tonight.”

In the past seven years, the CSHF/PACC inductees have included Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, Gordon Lightfoot, Claude Dubois, Jean-Pierre Ferland, Félix Leclerc, Raymond Lévesque, Gilles Vigneault, Bob Nolan, Claude Léveillée, Shelton Brooks, Serge Deyglun, Hank Snow, and an impressive list of songs like Spinning Wheel, Comme j’ai toujours envie d’aimer, Universal Soldier, En veillant su’l perron, O Canada, L’Adieu Du Soldat, Le ciel se marie avec la mer, Far Away Places, When You and I Were Young Maggie, Farewell to Nova Scotia, Gens du pays, A Guy is a Guy, Sweet City Woman, Heart Like a Wheel, Aimes-tu la vie comme moi? and La Manic. Legacy Award recipients have included musicologist Marius Barbeau, the fathers of CanCon Walt Grealis and Stan Klees, Canadian broadcasting pioneer Pierre Juneau, Canadian icon Anne Murray, French songstress Lucille Dumont, music impresario Sam Gesser, recording pioneer Samuel H. Berliner and piano legend Oscar Peterson.

Our inductees have been honoured through performances by Canadian and international treasured singer/songwriters, including David Foster, James Taylor, Chaka Khan, Herbie Hancock, Michael Bublé, Willie Nelson, Tom Cochrane, Marie Denise Pelletier, k. d. lang, Rufus Wainwright, Sarah Slean, Marie-Mai and Fred St-Gelais, the original Cast of Hair, Gordie Sampson, Luce Dufault, jacksoul, Isabelle Boulay, Patrick Bruel, Jackie Richardson, Jean Francois Breau, Jeff Healey, Molly Johnson, Ron Sexsmith, Boom Desjardins, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Divine Brown, Jully Black, Louise Pitre and international opera sensation Measha Brüeggergosman. Supported by an extensive national marketing campaign and broadcast on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada, the galas have met with resounding applause from the media, music industry, performers, government, attendees and the Canadian public. In 2008, the CSHF/PACC again produced a one-hour television special for CBC Television, entitled Words to Music: The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, which aired nationally to an increased viewership of over 50% on the 2007 special. The past CBC Television specials have garnered a total of eight Gemini nominations, including two wins – one for k.d. lang’s heartfelt rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and the other for Measha Brueggergosman’s showstopping cover of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now.

The CSHF/PACC is currently working with partners FACTOR, AV Trust Music Memories and the Department of Canadian Heritage in the development of an interactive online database of past CSHF Inductees and performances. The CSHF Virtual Hall of Fame was launched on March 1, 2008.