Music: {allcanada} Robertson up for songwriter's hall

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

{allcanada} Robertson up for songwriter's hall

Toronto's Robbie Robertson and Quebecer Luc Plamondon are among the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame's 2011 inductees.

Robertson, who rose to fame as singer-guitarist-songwriter in The Band, and Plamondon -- a native of Saint-Raymond, Que. -- were chosen as Modern Era (1970-85) inductees. Also joining the Hall of Fame at the April 2 gala in Toronto will be Verdun, Que., native Pierre Létourneau and Windsor, Ont.'s Jack Scott (Radio Era: 1939-69) and Montreal's Roméo Beaudry and Milton, P.E.I., native John Stromberg (Pioneer Era: up to 1938).

This year's Frank Davies Legacy Award, named after the CSHF founder, will be given to both folk music archivist, historian and Lumsden, Sask., native Edith (Margaret) Fowke, and folklorist (Mary) Helen Creighton, who is from Dartmouth, N.S.

For the first time since its inception, the foundation will induct songwriters for their entire body of work.

"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," CSHF president Sylvia Tyson said in a statement.

In addition to Robertson and Plamondon, the CMPA (Canadian Music Publishers Association) Legacy award will be given to Montreal music impresario Yvan Dufresne.

Tickets for the CSHF gala at the George Weston Recital Hall in the Toronto Centre for the Arts start at $55, and are on sale now at Ticketmaster. The full line-up of performers for the 7th annual gala will be announced in the coming weeks.