#SPOTTED: CARLY RAE JEPSEN, GORDON LIGHTFOOT AND MORE HONOURED AT 25TH ANNUAL SOCAN AWARDS

Hot on the heels of last night’s MuchMusic Video Awards, the 25th annual SOCAN Awards honouring accomplishments across multiple genres in Canadian Music. Held by the Waterfront at the Westin Harbour Castle, some of the Country’s most accomplished Musical Acts, Songwriters, Producers, Lyricists and more came out to celebrate their peers.

The likes of Dragonette, Ovi, Serena Ryder, Tom Cochrane, Carly Rae Jepsen, Gowan, Johnny Reid, Alan Frew (Glass Tiger), Mia Martina, Walk off the Earth, Magic, Josh Ramsay (Marianas Trench), Kardinal Offishall and more were in attendance, the Star of the evening was Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Gordon Lightfoot, who graciously walked the Red Carpet, taking his time fielding media questions. “Thank you for appreciating my music”, he was overheard saying. “I love to work!”.

The Belle of the Ball certainly was a recently back-from-Broadway (she starred in Cinderella) Jepsen who is working on her second major label album. “I’d have to say some of Tegan and Sara‘s stuff”, she says when asked which Canadian Song she wishes she had written.  She and the Team of Tavish Crowe and Josh Ramsay received the International Achievement Award for their Smash, Call Me Maybe.

Hip-Hop Megastar Drake also was honoured with the Global Inspiration Award, helping spark the careers of dozens of Songwriters, Beat-Makers and Producers.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

CANADA’S FINEST HONOURED AT 23RD ANNUAL SOCAN AWARDS GALA

Canada’s Finest were honoured tonight at Roy Thomson Hall, where the 23rd Annual SOCAN Awards Gala was held.  The Gala honours the Country’s most prolific Songwriters, Composers, Lyricists and Music Publishers in the following Genres: Pop/Rock, Dance, Urban, Country, Jazz, Folk/Roots, Classical and Film & Television. Appearing tonight were the likes of Jacob Hoggard (Hedley), Dragonette, Alyssa Reid, Kristina Maria, JRDN, Danny Fernandes, Fefe Dobson, Alyssa Reid and more.  CTV‘s Seamus O’Reagan hosted the Event.

Receiving top honours were three v. prolific Canadian Musicians who have gained much respect abroad: deadmau5 (International Achievement Award), Trooper (National Achievement Award) and Bruce Cockburn (Lifetime Achievement Award) – the latter also who was honoured with a fittingly-legendary Tribute by Royal Wood, Serena Ryder and Hawksley Workman.  Members of Trooper and Cockburn were present to accept their Awards.

Although unable to attend, prolific names like Michael Bublé, Johnny Reid and K’Naan each received Songwriting Awards for their Hits Hollywood, Let’s Go Higher and The Lazy Song, respectively.  On-hand to accept Awards in that same Category were JRDN (Like Magic) and Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace (Lost in You). Dragonette‘s Martina Sorbara was the deserving Winner of  the Dance Music Award for her Collaboration with Martin Solveig, Hello.

Learn more about SOCAN here.

(Photo credit: Kara Maclean/Touchwood PR)