My memories of Roger Abbott

Photo from a 2003 Air Farce taping

It was nearly one week ago that Canada lost one of its most popular comedic actors. Roger Abbott is remembered primarily as a co-founder and member of the Royal Canadian Air Farce, a satirical comedy show on CBC. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, mainly at Air Farce tapings I attended between 1999 and 2010.

I've met several celebrities over the years, but Roger Abbott to me was one of the friendliest and the funniest. He remembered me every time I went to a taping, and made a point to come and say hi. He would always be the first Air Farce member to come on stage and greet everyone in the audience with a warm-up routine. This usually consisted of a lively interaction and a clever quip or two. He treated everybody first class.

Roger did several impressions and characters on Air Farce during its 35-year run as a series (1973-2008). Anybody who listened to or watched the show has their favourites, but the ones I enjoyed of his were his impressions of Jean Chretien, George W. Bush, Regis Philbin, Don Cherry, Peter Mansbridge and David Crosby. He would effortlessly disappear into their characters and would send them all up brilliantly.

I also remember him as a great humanitarian who appeared on the annual Easter Seals telethon for children with disabilities. His Air Farce colleague Luba Goy said in an interview on CBC this week that he drew strength by being on that telethon.

CBC Television cancelled Air Farce at the end of 2008. However, Air Farce returned for two more New Year's Eve specials, in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Roger appeared in fine form and gave no indications that he was in poor health. This is why it was shocking to read he had been battling leukemia for the past 14 years. He kept his illness private from most people up until last week. He died last Saturday (March 26) at the age of 64.

I believe Roger, like his late Air Farce colleague John Morgan, has left behind a legacy of laughs and memories, and has established himself as a Canadian icon. I also believe that he fulfilled his mission to bring smiles and comfort to people needing to laugh in often difficult and confusing times.

May the Farce be with you in the afterlife, Roger.

My 2011 Juno Awards Recap, Part 1: Photos from Juno Fan Fare (March 26, 2011)

Me with Dean Brody, Johnny Reid and Carolyn Dawn Johnson

Me with Keshia Chante, Danny Fernandes and Karl Wolf

Me with the members of Down With Webster

Me with the members of Hedley

RIP Roger Abbott, the guiding light of Royal Canadian Air Farce

It's time to celebrate the Junos!

 

This weekend is going to be a big one for people who love Canadian music, as the Juno Awards celebrates its 40th anniversary. For those of you who don't know, the Junos are my country's equivalent of the Grammys. Related anniversary events have occurred throughout the month, especially in Toronto, where the Junos were first presented in 1971.

The Junos, presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), have become more popular over the last 10 years. The production has become splashier, the talent more immense and thanks to increased technological innovations like YouTube, more people around the world are recognize that Canadian singers can compete on equal par with other major stars in other countries.

In addition to live performances and the presenting of statuettes, the Junos also induct a famous Canadian act into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. This tradition began in 1978. This year's inductee is Shania Twain. Other notable inductees in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame include Bryan Adams, Paul Anka, The Band, Maureen Forrester, The Guess Who, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Rush, The Tragically Hip and Neil Young, to name a few.

I'll be attending the 2011 awards ceremony on Sunday night at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. It will be my first time attending any music awards show, and I can't wait! I'll do a recap of the show and post it here on Monday.

In the meantime, to learn more about the Juno Awards and their history, you can check out www.junoawards.ca.

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Highlights from the 2011 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony

From the MySpace Archives: Recap of the 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (3/13/2007)

Subject: Watched Rock Hall webcast last night

Posted Date: Mar 13, 2007 3:47 PM

Last night I watched the 22nd Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions through a live feed courtesy of my new friend Spinner.com. It was my first time watching an entire inductions show, and it made for quite an entertaining evening. The show was held at New York's Waldorf Astoria, a venue that screams rock 'n' roll!

I won't get into a diatribe about the politics of the selection committee or Jann Wenner (Rolling Stone mag founder). I'll just focus on what the highlights were for me.

The first act inducted was The Ronettes. They helped personify the girl group sound of the 1960s. All three members were there, and they looked and sounded wonderful, including lead singer Veronica Bennett, aka Ronnie Spector. She thanked every person who has influenced her life, except for ex-husband/ex-producer Phil Spector. She was very stunning as she performed their three biggest hits. Paul Shaffer, the orchestra's bandleader for the evening, read a statement from Phil Spector after they left the stage.

The next inductee was punk rocker Patti Smith. I was very impressed by the way she conducted herself, as she dedicated her set and induction to her late husband, who once led a punk-precursor band called the MC5. She also acknowledged her mom, Gandhi and Jesus Christ as her heroes. That was cool.

Next was Van Halen, or half-Halen at least. Eddie and Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth were no-shows; only estranged members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were present. If they were bitter going into the ceremony, they didn't show it. Hagar and Anthony later performed an impromptu rendition of "Why Can't This Be Love," and they pulled it off well with the Memphis Horns backing them up. I also liked Hagar acknowledging former lead Gary Cherone, even though he only did one album with them.

Then came Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. Those of you who know me know that I'm on the fence when it comes to rap music. But these guys were 'da bomb'! They expressed dissatisfaction with the gangsta image rap has taken on, and the related images that are glorified by videos and record companies. Grandmaster Flash's brand of rap carries a social conscience, as exemplified by their anti-drug anthem "The Message." I've gained a new respect and appreciation for these guys. Incidentally, they are the first rap and hip-hop act to be inducted.

R.E.M. concluded the evening. Say what you will about lead singer Michael Stipe, but he presented himself well. During his speech he said that his grandmother once told him that the group's acronym means "Remember Every Moment." It was also good to see former drummer Bill Berry come out of retirement to perform a three-song set, despite not saying anything. (He retired 10 years ago after recovering from a life-threatening brain aneurysm.) The only downside was the overlong intro speech from Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. He's a good singer, but a boring orator!

The evening began with dedications to Ahmet Ertegun and James Brown. Inducted in 1987, Ertegun was the founder of Atlantic Records and co-founder of the Rock Hall. He died last December 14 at age 83. Aretha Franklin sang her early hit "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You" as part of the tribute. (This was the first record he produced for her.) Ertegun probably looked down from heaven and smiled.

At the middle of the show, Rev. Al Sharpton paid homage to James Brown, the 'Godfather of Soul,' who died last Christmas at age 73. Brown was amongst the first class of inductees back in 1986.

Other inductees who passed on during 2006-07 were also remembered, including Ruth Brown (inducted 1993), Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd (inducted 1996), and Denny Doherty of The Mamas & The Papas (inducted 1998).

By the time R.E.M. appeared, I was baked. I was so tired I fell asleep before the show ended. It began at 8:30 PM and didn't end until around 12:30 AM (ET). When I woke up this morning I got to see the all-star finale led by Patti Smith, and it rocked.

Watching the show from my computer was a fun experience overall. I'll be doing it again next year!

Alice Cooper on the Muppet Show

In honour of Alice Cooper's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here's a clip of his Muppet Show appearance in the '70s.

From the Song Blog Archives: "Sweet Caroline" (5/19/2008)

In honour of Neil Diamond's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here is a blog I wrote about one of his signature hits in 2008:

I'm sure everybody reading this blog has heard "Sweet Caroline" played somewhere. People who have followed Neil Diamond's career the past four decades have wondered who this elusive Caroline is. Six months ago, in November 2007, all was revealed when Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the daughter of former US president John F. Kennedy, celebrated her 50th birthday. Diamond admitted that she was the inspiration behind this hit many years ago.

I first heard it around 1985 on a TV ad for a CD compilation of Diamond's hits. In 2003, I participated in reciting the song's choral chants with others at the wedding reception for two of my friends. It wasn't until then that I started appreciating the song's appeal.

These days Diamond (b. 1941) is regarded as an American icon, but when he wrote "Sweet Caroline" he was just another poor, struggling songwriter in desperate need of a hit. One day when he saw a photo of the president's daughter in a news magazine, "dressed in riding gear, next to her pony," as Diamond recalls, he immediately felt that there was a song waiting to be heard. Years later, Diamond composed it in less than an hour in a Memphis hotel room.

Diamond released "Sweet Caroline" as a single in September 1969, when Caroline was 11 years old. It went to no. 3 on the Billboard pop chart and no. 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also released as part of his Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show album.

"Sweet Caroline" is also a staple of many sporting events around the world. One of these is at baseball games played at Boston's Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox started playing it in 1998, when the ballpark's music director at the time recalled hearing it at other sporting events. This became a tradition in 2002 when the team's new owner requested that this "good luck charm" be played during the eighth inning of every game. People unable to attend a Red Sox game can watch this ritual played out in the 2005 Drew Barrymore/Jimmy Fallon comedy film Fever Pitch.

"Sweet Caroline" has been covered by other singers such as Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Bobby Goldsboro, Waylon Jennings and Frank Sinatra. It was recently performed on live TV by American Idol finalist David Archuleta when Diamond came on as a guest mentor. Diamond's original recording, however, remains the most popular.

"[It] probably is the biggest, most important song of my career," Diamond told the Associated Press. When the real Caroline learned about the song's roots, she was reportedly very flattered and happy.

What is Lent?

Song Blog: "Sukiyaki"

Did you know there is one song from Japan that found success in North America? "Ue o muite aruko (I Look Up When I Walk)," or "Sukiyaki," spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963. Its artist, Kyu Sakamoto (1941-1985), was a popular singer, actor and TV personality in Japan, and is regarded as one of his country's most influential artists.

Composed by Rokusuke Ei and Hachidai Nakamura, and recorded in 1961, it is a weepy ballad about a man who feels sad over the woman who left him.

How this song became an international hit makes for an interesting story. SongFacts says that a radio DJ in Washington State heard an instrumental version by British bandleader Kenny Ball. This prompted him to play Sakamoto's original recording. He got the record from a girl who bought the record in Japan after hearing it in one of Sakamoto's movies.

How it got renamed after a Japanese stew is another story. Louis Benjamin, the head of Pye Records in England, decided to call it "Sukiyaki" before having Kenny Ball record it as a jazz instrumental. When Sakamoto's original started catching on in the US, it prompted Newsweek to quip that renaming it is like selling "Moon River" to the Japanese as "Beef Stew."

The female group A Taste of Honey (of "Boogie Oogie Oogie" fame) covered "Sukiyaki" in English in 1981, and it reached #1 on the US Adult Contemporary and R&B charts. This version was covered in 1995 by the male R&B quartet 4 P.M. (For Positive Music), and they took it to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A Taste of Honey's lead singer Janice Marie Johnson penned the English lyrics after getting permission from the song's copyright holders with the understanding that she would not receive credit or royalties. (She would later write Spanish lyrics for Selena when she covered it for the Latin market in 1989.) Though "Sukiyaki" sold well in English, it bares little resemblance to the original apart from the melody.

Sakamoto had several hits in his homeland, but "Sukiyaki" was his only major success internationally. He had one minor follow-up in the US with "China Nights (Shina no Yoru)" later in 1963, but it failed to make the top 40.

Sakamoto's life came to a tragic end on August 12, 1985, when he was one of the 520 passengers killed in the crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123. The crash was caused by a mechanical failure, contrary to what other reports may suggest. It remains the deadliest single plane crash in history, and the worst-ever air disaster in Japan.

Song Blog: "Wavin' Flag"

"Wavin' Flag" was one of Canada's biggest hits of 2010. by K'naan. The Somali-Canadian singer/rapper K'naan first recorded it for his Troubadour CD in 2009. "Wavin' Flag" has led three lives, and I'll review all of them in detail.

K'naan (born Keinan Abdi Warsame in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1978) says the original melody and lyrics of "Wavin' Flag" took shape during a trip to New York City. He was at Manhattan's Sony Studios writing another song when the idea for "Wavin' Flag" came to him. When the melody started playing in his head, he put the other song aside and started writing what would become "Wavin' Flag."

“("Wavin' Flag" is) a song about the emergence of light after darkness," he told Jian Ghomeshi on his CBC radio show Q. "It's about the first moment of breath. Is that a resilient moment? Is that a hopeful moment? Is that a congratulatory moment? It's all of it," he says. K'naan describes many of his songs, including this one, as coming from a mournful place. But then it takes the listener to a more hopeful and celebratory place.

K'naan, which means "traveller" in Somali, credits hip-hop for keeping him alive when many fellow Somalians suffered an early death. His musical education came from his father, who sent him records from America after leaving their war-torn homeland. K'naan, his mother and his siblings briefly moved to Harlem before settling in Toronto. This is when he taught himself English phonetically by copying hip-hop and rap diction.

His music's political influences developed after addressing the United Nations' General Assembly over its failed aid missions to Somalia in 1999. This eventually led him to connect with people in the music industry, and to signing a recording contract.

"Wavin' Flag" was not K'naan's first hit, but it made him a household name. His original recording of "Wavin' Flag" went to #2 in Canada in 2009.

"Wavin' Flag" spent six weeks at #1 in 2010 when he re-recorded it with Young Artists for Haiti following that country's earthquake on January 12. This version has different lyrics addressing Canada's willingness to provide relief to the Haitian people. 

Some of the performers in this specially-assembled supergroup include: Nelly Furtado, Sam Roberts, Avril Lavigne, Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, Lights, Deryk Wibley (of Sum 41), Serena Ryder, Jacob Hoggard (of Hedley), Hawksley Workman, Nikki Yanovsky and Justin Bieber. All the single's proceeds went to World Vision, Free The Children and War Child. This version has received a Juno nomination for Single of the Year (2011).

The third major incarnation of "Wavin' Flag" began when Coca-Cola approached K'naan about rewriting it for the 2010 World Cup. This is the most celebratory version of the three. The new lyrics emphasize all the participating soccer teams and fans celebrating the game and cultural diversity in South Africa. A Spanish Celebration Mix with Spanish pop star David Bisbal topped charts in Ibero-America and Mexico.

K'naan considers himself a songwriter first, and an artist second. Not only did he win the 2010 Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year, he was also named Artist of the Year.

Greetings

Hi, welcome to my new blog site. Writing has always been one of my passions, and I believe that blogging is the way of the future. Some of you already know me from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or from my old MySpace site.

One of my professional goals is to pursue opportunities in social media. I am also pursuing opportunites in web design, another passion that has developed in me over the past decade.

This is my first posting at Blogger, and over the next few days I plan to elaborate further on myself and start to post other blog entries. Thank you for visiting. Will be in touch.