SOCAN events highlight CMW 2012; Fefe Dobson wins SOCAN song award

Fefe Dobson won the SOCAN-sponsored Song of the Year Award during the 2012 Canadian Radio Music Awards, held Mar. 23 as part of Canadian Music Week 2012 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. SOCAN member Sarah Slean presented the award to Dobson for her song "Stuttering," co-written by Claude Kelly, Michael Mentore and Jonathan Rotem. Dobson also won the Fans Choice Award for the same song.

The following day, the SOCAN-sponsored, day-long Songwriters' Summit featured a SOCAN panel, “Views on Revenues - The Songwriter's Perspective," featuring moderator Terry O’Brien, SOCAN education and outreach manager; panelists Greig Nori (songwriter, artist, producer, manager, who's worked with Hedley, Sum 41, Treble Charger); Rob Lanni (Co-President, Coalition Music, Canada); and Rick Jackett (songwriter, artist, producer, Finger Eleven).

A second SOCAN panel the same day, “Life of a Song,” also moderated by O'Brien, focused on Dan Hill's "Sometimes When we Touch," recently revived in a duet version by renowned boxer Manny Pacquiao and Hill. The panelists were Hill, Janet Baker (publisher, Sony / ATV Music Canada) and Jody Colero (Silent Joe).

SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste was a panelist at another session at the summit, "Licensing Issues in Canada: Where do we Stand," with colleagues including David Basskin of the Canadian Musical Reporduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), and Ian MacKay of Re:Sound.