Blue Rodeo | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels | WEA, Warner Music Group, Rounder |
Members | Jim Cuddy Bazil Donovan Greg Keelor Glenn Milchem Mike Boguski Colin Cripps Jimmy Bowskill |
Past members | Cleave Anderson Bob Wiseman Mark French Kim Deschamps James Gray Bob Packwood Bob Egan |
Website | bluerodeo |
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have released 16 full-length studio albums, four live recordings, one greatest hits album, and two video/DVDs, along with multiple solo albums, side projects, and collaborations. [1]
High school friends Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor began playing music professionally together after completing university. They put together several bands without commercial success in the late 1970s, releasing a single as Hi-Fi's in 1980.
Cuddy and Keelor moved to New York City in the early 1980s to further their music careers. There, they met keyboardist and fellow Canadian Bob Wiseman, who, at that time, was working as a producer. Upon returning to Toronto in the summer of 1984, the trio decided to form a band. The name "Blue Rodeo" had already been chosen for the new group when they met former David Wilcox drummer Cleave Anderson and asked him to join. Anderson, in turn, recommended his former bandmate in The Sharks, bassist Bazil Donovan, and the new band's lineup was essentially set. [2] On February 7, 1985, Blue Rodeo played their first show together at The Rivoli in Toronto; [3] one week later, they performed at Handsome Ned's "Honky Tonk Heart." [4]
The band quickly earned a following in Toronto and was subsequently signed to Canadian independent record label Risque Disque. They entered the studio in 1986 with Rush producer Terry Brown and recorded several songs that would comprise Blue Rodeo's debut album, Outskirts . Released in March 1987, Outskirts met with moderate success in Canada until "Try" was released as a single in October of that year. The single was an immediate hit, going to number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart and number six on the RPM Top Singles chart, establishing Blue Rodeo as one of Canada's top new bands and carrying Outskirts to 4× Platinum status in sales. The music video for the single featured Keelor's then-girlfriend Michelle McAdorey, who soon had success with her own band, Crash Vegas.
In 1992, the band's song "After the Rain," written by Cuddy and Keelor, was the most-performed song in Canada. [5] By 1999 the band had sold more than two million albums in Canada. [6]
Cuddy, Keelor, Donovan, Boguski and Cripps have all released solo albums. Glenn Milchem performs his own solo music under the pseudonym "the swallows" and had co-founded, with his twin brother John, the rock duo Starvin Hungry. Keelor has also gone on to produce for other artists, notably alt-country group Cuff the Duke, who have also toured as support for Blue Rodeo. [7]
Blue Rodeo members have collaborated extensively with other notable Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, The Tragically Hip, Burton Cummings, Great Big Sea, Jann Arden, The Sadies, Skydiggers, Cuff the Duke, Crash Vegas, Cowboy Junkies, Sarah Harmer, Jill Barber, and Kathleen Edwards. [8] [9] [10] They have won many Canadian music awards, including twelve Juno Awards and seven SOCAN awards. [11] [12]
On June 16, 2009, it was announced that the band would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on September 12, 2009. They are the fifth band to receive the honour. [13]
Blue Rodeo was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 41st Juno Awards on April 1, 2012, [14] joining other Canadian music icons including Rush, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, The Band, Oscar Peterson, Bruce Cockburn, Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray and Tom Cochrane.
According to CARAS, on selecting Blue Rodeo as the 2012 inductee, "Spanning nearly three decades, Blue Rodeo has sold in excess of four million records and won an unprecedented 11 JUNO Awards, establishing themselves as one of the premier groups in Canadian music history." [15]
In May 2014, the band received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award (GGPAA) for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts. [16] At the Gala honouring GGPAA recipients on May 10, the band delivered the evening's surprise finale.
On August 5, 2013, former keyboard player James Gray died as the result of a heart attack. He was 52 years old. [17]
Canadian guitarist Colin Cripps joined Blue Rodeo as a full member in 2013 due to Greg Keelor's inability to play electric guitar live anymore because of hearing issues. [18]
In September 2015, Blue Rodeo released the protest song and video "Stealin All My Dreams" which "chronicle the failings of the current government," referring to the government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. [19]
The band is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism. [20]
The City of Toronto named Blue Rodeo Drive, a street in the Riverdale neighbourhood near the band's studio, after the band in 2022. [21]
On August 11, 1988, the band played at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York (a suburb of Buffalo). They were the headliners after a high school battle of the bands competition. The disastrous gig was the inspiration for their 1990 hit, "What Am I Doing Here."
As part of their 20th Anniversary celebrations in 2004, the "original five" lineup of Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor, Bazil Donovan, Bob Wiseman and Cleave Anderson reunited for a live performance of five songs: "Heart Like Mine," "Try," "Diamond Mine," "Love and Understanding," and "Til I Am Myself Again." The set is included on the DVD In Stereovision: Blue Rodeo.
On Canada Day 2008, Blue Rodeo played on Parliament Hill. The band closed the show before the commencement of the fireworks and was joined on stage by several other artists to perform "Lost Together." On November 28, 2009 the band performed at half-time of the 97th Grey Cup. The band also performed live concerts for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Cuddy and Keelor performed at the annual Folk on the Rocks music festival in Yellowknife, NT from July 16 to 18, 2010. [24]
On October 19, 2010, Blue Rodeo played the music viral show BalconyTV [25] for a rare acoustic performance on a small Balcony overlooking Dame Street, Dublin.
On July 1, 2011, Blue Rodeo performed at Trafalgar Square as part of the Canada Day celebrations in London.
Blue Rodeo performed at their induction to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the Juno Awards of 2012 at Scotiabank Place in the community of Kanata in Ottawa, Ontario on Sunday, April 1, 2012. They took the stage with long-time friend and collaborator Sarah McLachlan and performed their 1992 hit single, "Lost Together." As the performance ended, the audience rose for a spirited standing ovation recognizing Blue Rodeo as "one of Canada's true musical treasures." [26]
On January 1, 2017, Blue Rodeo took part in CBC's The Strombo Show's Hip 30, covering "Bobcaygeon". [27]
Blue Rodeo hosts an annual concert each summer at Budweiser Stage. 2020 was the first time in years the concert did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the band performed on Citytv's Budweiser Stage at Home . [28]
Current members
| Former members
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Spirit of the West were a Canadian folk rock band from North Vancouver, active from 1983 to 2016. They were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.
The Sadies are a Canadian rock and roll / country and western band from Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky. Dallas Good, a founding member, died in 2022. Dallas and Travis are the sons of Margaret and Bruce Good, and nephews of Brian and Larry Good, who are members of the Canadian country group The Good Brothers.
Outskirts is the debut studio album by Canadian country rock group Blue Rodeo, released in March 1987 through Risqué Disque. The singles "Try" and "Rose-Coloured Glasses" were hits in Canada, where "Outskirts" and "Rebel" also made the singles charts.
Diamond Mine is the second album by Blue Rodeo, released in 1989. It was recorded in 1989 at the Donlands Theatre in Toronto and mixed at the Kingsway Studio in New Orleans. It is the last Blue Rodeo album to feature original drummer Cleave Anderson and includes several instrumental interludes by Bob Wiseman on the majority of versions. Diamond Mine was the second best-selling Cancon album in Canada in 1989.
Casino is the third studio album by Blue Rodeo. It was drummer Mark French's only album with the band. It was produced by Dwight Yoakam guitarist Pete Anderson.
Lost Together is the fourth studio album by Blue Rodeo. It was Bob Wiseman's last album with the band, and was the first to feature drummer Glenn Milchem, and steel guitar player Kim Deschamps.
Five Days in July is the fifth studio album by Canadian country-rock band Blue Rodeo. It was released by WEA on October 26, 1993, in Canada and Discovery Records on September 27, 1994, in the United States. The band's most commercially successful album, it has been certified six times platinum as of 2008.
Palace of Gold is the ninth studio album by the Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo. It is the band's first album with guitarist Bob Egan, formerly of Freakwater and Wilco, and is notable for performances featuring the Bushwhack Horns.
Michelle McAdorey is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario. She was a member of the 1990s band Crash Vegas, and now performs and records as a solo artist.
Are You Ready is the tenth studio album by Blue Rodeo, released on April 5, 2005.
Murray Edward McLauchlan, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and harmonica player. He is best known for his Canadian hits "The Farmer's Song," "Whispering Rain," and "Down by the Henry Moore".
Colin Cripps is a Canadian musician and record producer.
James Gordon Cuddy, is a Canadian singer-songwriter primarily associated with the band Blue Rodeo.
The Juno Awards of 1989, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 12 March 1989 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. André-Philippe Gagnon was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television.
Lori Yates is a Canadian alternative country music singer and songwriter.
James Gregory Keelor, is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the band Blue Rodeo, where he shares song writing and vocal duties with Jim Cuddy. Keelor has also released three solo albums and appeared as a guest musician on albums by Crash Vegas and Melissa McClelland. He participated, along with Rick White and members of The Sadies, in the supergroup The Unintended.
Small Miracles is the eleventh studio album released by Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo, released on September 25, 2007.
"Try" is a song written by Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy, and recorded by Canadian country rock group Blue Rodeo. Released in October 1987, it was the second single from their debut album, Outskirts. Considered one of the band's most enduring and beloved signature songs, the song peaked at number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart, number 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart and number 6 on the Top Singles chart.
Devin Cuddy is a Canadian singer-songwriter who fronts the Devin Cuddy Band.
In Our Nature is the thirteenth studio album released by Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo, released on October 29, 2013. The album was entirely recorded in Greg Keelor's farm house just outside Peterborough, Ontario.
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