Plamondon, Robertson among CSHF 2011 inductees

SOCAN member Luc Plamondon is one of two Modern Era inductees, along with Robbie Robertson, to be feted at the 2011 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) gala. (Photo: Laurence Labat)

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) has announced the induction of six influential songwriters, nine timeless songs and two Legacy Award recipients for 2011. The new honourees will be celebrated April 2 at the George Weston Recital Hall in the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

For the first time since its inception, the CSHF will induct songwriters and their entire body of work, says CSHF president Sylvia Tyson. “In past years, the CSHF has inducted specific songs from Canadian songwriters, but we felt it was also important to acknowledge their entire portfolio of songs, and their overall contributions as Canadian songwriters and storytellers.”

This year’s songwriter inductees are Robbie Robertson, formerly of The Band, and influential francophone songwriter and SOCAN member Luc Plamondon (both in the Modern Era category, covering the years 1970-1985, and sponsored by SOCAN); Pierre Létourneau and Jack Scott (Radio Era: 1939-1969); and Roméo Beaudry and John Stromberg (Pioneer Era: Up to 1938).

Robbie Robertson has written such iconic songs as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Weight,” and “Broken Arrow.” Luc Plamondon has written countless hit songs for Québécois talents including Robert Charlebois (“J'taime comme un fou”) and Céline Dion (“Je danse dans ma tête”).

The following songs will be inducted into the CSHF: “Votre avion va-t-il au paradis?” by Roméo Beaudry, “Squid Jiggin' Ground” by Arthur Scammell (Pioneer Era: Up to 1938); “La chanson des pissenlits” by Pierre Létourneau, “My Heart Cries for You” by Percy Faith/Carl Sigman (Radio Era: 1939-1969); “Je suis cool” by SOCAN board member Gilles Valiquette, “Pas besoin de frapper pour entrer” by Jacques Michel, “Oh What a Feeling” by Kelly Jay/Roly Greenway, “When I Die” by Willie Smith/Steve Kennedy, and “Wildflower” by Doug Edwards/Dave Richardson (Modern Era: 1970-1985).

Tickets for the CSHF gala on April 2 are available through at www.ticketmaster.ca. CBC Radio is a broadcast partner for the event and has aired an edited version of the show in past years. An announcement is expected from CBC Radio in the coming weeks.

SOCAN is a core-funding partner of the CSHF and the SOCAN Foundation is a silver sponsor of the organization. For more details on CSHF activities, visit www.cansong.ca