Anne Murray to host Canada's Walk of Fame gala Sept. 12 in Toronto
(CP) – 9 hours ago
TORONTO — Legendary Canadian songstress Anne Murray has been tapped to host Canada's Walk of Fame gala next month.
The 12th annual ceremony is set for Sept. 12 at Toronto's Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This year's inductees include comedian Howie Mandel, rocker Tom Cochrane, kids author Robert Munsch and the late "Perry Mason" actor Raymond Burr.
Actress Kim Cattrall is also receiving the honour, as are identical-twin fashion designers Dean and Dan Caten, rockers Blue Rodeo, and wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc.
Murray was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998.
The Springhill, N.S., native, who has won four Grammy Awards and 24 Juno Awards, is to release her autobiography, "All of Me," on Oct. 27.
The 2009 Canadian Walk of Fame gala will be broadcast Sept. 13 on Global and Slice.
Organizers say the show will feature performers and celebrity presenters, who will be announced in the coming weeks.
Canada's Walk of Fame recognizes talent in the fields of music, sport, film, television, literature, visual and performing arts, science and innovation.
This year's tribute will bring the list of inductees to 124.
Lightfoot should be in town at the time of the show - Sept.13. Could there be a possibility that he may be a presenter to Tom Cochrane??
THis is what Tom said in his posting at Canoe.ca for Gord's 70th - Nov.2008:
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/L/...442496-ca.html
Tom Cochrane on Lightfoot
By TOM COCHRANE -- Special to JAM! Showbiz
One of the profound honours of my life and career was doing the presenting speech for Gordon Lightfoot's induction into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. I also had the honour and pleasure of being asked by Barry Harvey (Gordon's right hand man, God rest his soul, a great guy... he passed away tragically last year) and Frank Davies to sing "Early Morning Rain" in front of the man himself.
Gordon had been very sick with a life threatening stomach illness and we were not even sure if he was going to show up or what condition he would be in.
In the induction speech I compared him to a Group of Seven painter and said something to the effect that his work and indeed the man were every bit a part of our collective Canadian identity, consciousness and culture as the rocky mountains, a big train winding its way west through prairie fields, a wind swept jack pine out on Georgian Bay and so on. I added that there was rarely a time I went out on his beloved Georgian Bay that one of his songs wouldn't run through my head... and that he would be so embarrassed by these kind of accolades, he'd probably head for the nearest exit.
Well he did show up and he was in great shape and spirits all things considered ... a little gaunt perhaps but looking like one of our founding fathers reincarnate.
Later, backstage I congratulated him, he turned and said in his gruff, under-the-breath frontier voice, "Good job on the tune Tom, and nice words, thanks". Sometime later, a year or so, Barry Harvey pulled me aside at a function and said that Gordon takes the speech out and reads it often.
Happy 70th birthday Gordon, don't stop touring, and I think I can echo the sentiments of all Canadians, not just singer songwriters by saying thanks for the inspiration, you've helped make us very proud of who we are and the Canadian cultural landscape would have been greatly diminished without your work.
Canada's Walk of Fame
