Backstage at the 2011 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) Gala (left to right): SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste, CSHF Modern Era inductees Robbie Robertson and Luc Plamondon, and France Lafleur, SOCAN's Vice President, Membership, and General Manager, Québec & Atlantic Division (Photo: Grant W. Martin Photography)

SOCAN sponsored the seventh annual edition of The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) gala, as well as the Modern Era Songwriter induction of SOCAN member Luc Plamondon and Robbie Robertson (ASCAP), in a star-studded ceremony held April 2, 2011, at the George Weston Recital Hall in the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

Rock legend Robertson was honoured as Daniel Lanois performed an imaginatively staged version of his song "The Moon Struck One," Wintersleep delivered their unique rendition of "Broken Arrow," and Colin Linden and Tom Wilson (from Blackie & The Rodeo Kings) sang and played "The Weight."

"Songwriting is really a mysterious thing," said Robertson in his acceptance speech. "I don't know where it comes from... It's like fishing, you throw it out there and hope you'll catch something. It's remarkable at this stage that I still I have no understanding of it, but I love it."

A musical tribute to iconic lyricist Plamondon featured Brigitte Boisjoli performing a powerful version of "Oxygène," and Eric Lapointe singing a poignant "L’amour existe encore," part of a Starmania medley which also included Lapointe singing "Le Blues du Businessman," Sébastien Plante performing "Le monde est stone" and Coral Egan singing "Les uns contre les autres."

Plamondon, who spoke in both French and English, accepted his honour with a sense of humour. "It seems every time I come to Toronto I get an award," he said, citing his visits to the city to collect SOCAN's William Harold Moon Award in 1991, attend his Juno Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction in 1999, and his induction into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2003. "I can't get the [SPACQ Foundation] prize for lyrics in Montreal, because there it's called the Luc Plamondon Prize," he joked, and added, "I always thought a Pantheon is where you put the dead writers!"

The evening included many performances of inducted songs, by artists ranging from Divine Brown, who sang a strong, soulful version of the '70s radio hit "Wildflower" (written by Dave Richardson and Doug Edwards), to Crowbar, who earned a standing ovation for rocking out their hippie anthem "Oh What a Feeling" (written by bandmembers Kelly Jay and Roly Greenway). Pierre Lapointe performed "La chanson des pissenlits" (written by Pierre Létourneau); Antoine Gratton sang and played piano on an energetic romp through "Je Suis Cool" (written by Gilles Valiquette); and Wilfred Le Bouthillier sang "Pas besoin de frapper pour entrer" (written by Jacques Michel).

The gala will be aired on Canada Live on CBC Radio Two, April 7 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., and highlights can be heard on Espace Musique the same day at 4:00 p.m. The gala will also be broadcast on CBC Radio One on April 8 at 2:05 p.m. (Part 1) and April 15 at 2:05 p.m. (Part 2).