Departure Festival & Conference, the reimagined Canadian Music Week, is still in swing up in Toronto, wrapping on Sunday (May 11) after a week of panel discussions, announcements, showcases and topics ranging from concerts to comedy to culinary.
It’s the first year for Departure, the vision for Canadian Music Week after being acquired by Oak View Group and Toronto-based Loft Entertainment, founded by Randy Lennox, the former long-serving president and CEO of Universal Music Canada and president of Bell Media. OVG is parent company to Pollstar.
Wednesday night’s Departure Honours reception at Hotel X, the conference hub, were moved last minute to the larger Victory Ballroom to accommodate the demand, with additional tickets released.
The room name was apropos as five people, all victorious in their chosen vocation and diversified interests, were fêted during a fast-paced 90-minute awards show: Canadian Music Week founder Neill Dixon received the Lifetime Achievement Award, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez received the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award, restauranteur and actor Matty Matheson the Cultural Innovator Award; Dallas Green (City and Colour), the Independent Achievement Award; and Sarah Cummings, director of radio content for iHeartRadio Canada and Orbyt Media, the Trailblazer Award.
Green (City and Colour) and Tia Wood also performed during the Honours, and Felix Cartel DJ-ed the after-party.
Musical duo and twins Tegan and Sara were also given the podium to highlight their eponymously named foundation, which supports the 2SLGBTQ+ communities by funding grassroots organizations, and tell the packed room of the need for what they do and how they can contribute, including by the QR code shown on the screen. Out of the 1,000 applications they recently received, they were only able to support 24.
In presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dixon — who spent decades honouring hundreds of others at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards — Lennox called him a visionary, but first recapped a bit of his history in the Canadian music business, starting in the ’60s with Grumble’s Coffeehouse, booking such future icons as Joni Mitchell, Ian & Sylvia, and Gordon Lightfoot.
He then “became a label guy,” working at RCA and Canadian indie GRT, eventually starting his own management company with the late Steve Propas — their first act was the rock band Triumph “that became huge and successful around the world, particularly in North America.” The partners then started their own label, Solid Gold Records, to release music by the rock act Toronto, and went on to sign the Good Brothers, Chilliwack and Headpins.
“In 1982, the late, great David Farrell, who we just lost and is a great mentor and friend to all of us, started a live trade show that combined product exhibits with radio seminars and live music performances,” Lennox continued, just two hours after industry veterans gathered at the Muskoka Spirits Basement Bar of Massey Hall for his celebration of life.
“Neill became his co-visionary and partner with his company Chart Toppers, providing all the marketing and promotion and everything that would eventually become, in 1982, Canadian Music Week. In fact, Neill was also instrumental in the early days of MCA concerts coming to Toronto and what resulted in the [Toronto amphitheatre] Budweiser Stage, which many of our artists tonight have played. Neill was the guy that brokered that original deal.
“Anyway, in 1993, Neil became the sole owner of Canadian Music Week, transforming it into a comprehensive event which addresses the evolving global reach of the Canadian music industry. And as we know from the artists here tonight, Canada has very much outperformed our population worldwide with our artistry. So, showcasing new talent, attracting thousands of delegates and performers each year, Neill went on to grow Canadian Music Week to be a huge international success.
“Those of us at the labels at the time and at radio, we all campaigned Neill to receive his much-coveted industry awards honours. Fighting for music company of the year, independent of the year, radio station of the year, live venue of the year, it was really the Juno [Awards] for the business side of the business for decades. And Neill was very fair in that process. It really held the esteem and competition of the Canadian music business in high regard.”
Lennox then cut to the chase — the Lifetime Achievement Award, the first at Departure and the Departure Honours.
“We wouldn’t be here without you and David having had that original vision,” Lennox reiterated. “So as the Departure festival launches, we tip our hat to your legacy, Neill, and pledge to continue your community building as we honour you with the Lifetime Achievement Award tonight.”
Dixon then took the stage, thanking his wife Ruth of 25 years, first, “before I screw it up,” he quipped, and noting that he had forgotten some of the career steps and milestones Lennox had mentioned.
“Isaac Newton spoke about standing on the shoulders of giants,” he began. “I’ve never met a giant, but I’ve looked up to a lot of people who were my friends and mentors in this industry. While I was in London, England, at arts college, I met a folk singer from Scotland called Donovan. He was very instrumental in steering my path to get into the music industry.”
He recounted how he would spend many nights at a coffee house called Troubadour, which inspired him to start Grumble’s Coffeehouse when he came back to Toronto.
“What I want to do just quickly is mention that in this industry, there’s a lot of people that can either help you or hurt you, but, hopefully, mentors can steer your path and speed up your progress in your career,” he added. “I got to pick my mentors and develop relationships with them. Some of them have passed, some of them you won’t know because you’re too young, but it’s an important building block in your career, and you can’t afford to miss it.”
The first person he mentioned was the late Walt Grealis, co-founder of RPM trade magazine, the Juno Awards and the Canadian] Country Music Awards. “He was a very close friend, and he introduced me to just about everybody in the business. That was a huge jump up.”
He next namechecked Ed Preston, CEO of RCA Records, a regular at Grumble’s Coffeehouse where they showcased bands every night and A&R would hang. “He offered me a job at the record company and said, ‘You can still run your club, but we think you’ve got potential to learn about the sound recording business.’ That’s what he taught me: A&R, sound recording, publishing, and most of all, marketing and promotion. All those skills I’ve used every day of my career,” Dixon said.
He, of course, mentioned Propas, calling him a “huge part of my journey,” and added that businessman Richard Ivey (Ivey Business School) was one of Solid Gold’s first investors.
“Today, we attended a celebration of life for one of my best friends, David Farrell,” he continued. “David Farrell and me, the journalist and the marketer, I can’t say enough about him. His instincts, booking speakers, finding sponsors, and every other seed that blossomed into Canadian Music Week.
“And then there’s Gary Slaight, the heir of the legendary broadcast family, Gary is a music lover who was given the hammer to make dreams happen. His greatest gift to me was confidence. He always had a wealth of things to say to keep your spirits up when things got tough.
“So, I achieved a lot in 42 years,” Dixon reflected, wrapping up. “I’m pretty happy with the way things worked out. But I understand that I didn’t do it alone. Success is a team sport. So thanks and best of luck to Randy and Team Departure. Drop the puck, elbows up. Enjoy the game. Thank you.”
