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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