Since
May of 2004 George Canyon has been making a splash on the country
music scene with a number of awards, releases and chart-toppers.
It was an overnight success 14 years in the making, and he has
caught country music fans up in his whirlwind. On October 9th,
2007 Canyon releases his third album, Classics, through Universal
Music Canada. The first single from the album, a cover of Johnny
Cash’s classic song, “Ring of Fire,” is already
climbing the charts at country radio.
Having
been thrust into the spotlight by the USA Network/CMT Canada
television show Nashville Star, Canyon’s major label debut,
One Good Friend (produced by Tim Dubois and Tony Brown and released
September 2004), shot to #1 on the Canadian Country Soundscan
charts its first week out. He followed that up with the top
5 singles, “I’ll Never Do Better Than You,”
“My Name,” “Who Would You Be” and “One
Good Friend.”
With
the release of his second major label album, Somebody Wrote
Love, on July 4th, 2006 through Universal Canada, Canyon continued
to re-establish his hold on country fans. The debut single of
the same name flew up the Canadian country charts, moving from
#102 to #25 in just its second week of release and became his
latest in a string of hits. That was quickly followed by “Drinkin’
Thinkin’” and “I Want You to Live,”
both of which where top 10 hits at country radio. The video
for “I Want You to Live” hit #1 on CMT Canada’s
Chevy Top 20.
In
2005, Canyon won the Juno for Country Recording of the Year
for One Good Friend, which started off an amazing run of awards
for the artist. He went on to win a second Juno in 2007 for
Somebody Wrote Love in the same category. He is a three-time,
fan’s choice for Entertainer of the Year at the East Coast
Music Awards and the fan-voted awards also extended to the 2005
Canadian Country Music Awards, where he was voted Cheez Whiz
Fan’s Choice. He brought home three other CCMAs that year
and won an additional two in 2006. In 2005 Canyon hosted the
East Coast Music Awards, which aired live across Canada on CBC
television – he walked away that year with three awards
and added three more ECMAs to his mantle in 2007.
In
the spring of 2006, Canyon had the opportunity to accompany
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter MacKay, on a
trip to Kandahar in Afghanistan where he was able to meet with
and perform for Canadian troops. This was one of the high points
in Canyon’s career, as he has always had a great deal
of respect and admiration for the men and women of the Canadian
Forces, as evidenced in his song, “Letting Go.”
The experience touched him deeply and he hopes to have the opportunity
to entertain the troops again in the near future.
Following
the trip, Canyon began performing the track “I Want You
to Live” on his tour as a tribute to the sacrifice made
by the troops. This touching moment within the show led to the
concept for the song’s video, which was made with the
full support of the Canadian Forces. Directed by Warren P. Sonoda,
“I Want You to Live,” included members of the Canadian
Forces and was filmed at their base in Trenton, ON. Its touching
concept has been warmly received by fans and military families
and was nominated for CCMAs in 2007 for Video of the Year and
Video Director of the Year.
This is not the first time that one of Canyon’s singles
has dealt with an emotional subject. His 2005 video for the
single, “My Name,” went to #1 on CMT Canada and
the song has touched many lives since its release. Written by
Canyon and songwriter Gordie Sampson to express understanding
and hope for friends who had suffered a miscarriage, the song
was never meant to be a single. The response from people who
heard “My Name” was so great that the decision was
made to release the song as a single and the reaction was overwhelming.
Canyon has gone on to be an active supporter of those who have
suffered child loss and “My Name” has become a song
of comfort for many families. The song went on to be the SOCAN
Song of the year at the 2005 Canadian Country Music Awards.
Canyon
has also been extremely active with charitable organizations
dealing with diabetes and juvenile diabetes. Diagnosed with
the disease when he was 14, Canyon had to give up his life-long
dream of becoming a pilot after learning the news, as diabetics
could not pilot airplanes at that time. Disappointed, he decided
on a career in medicine, before leaving college to pursue his
music career. His work with the charities allows him to give
children the message that diabetes does not have to stop dreams
from coming true.
Growing
up in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canyon was surrounded by Celtic,
country and rock music. He started singing at age four, but
it wasn’t until he was in college that he started to think
about a career in music. Even after a few years of life on the
road with a country rock band, Canyon still wasn’t sure,
choosing to support his family with jobs that included law enforcement
officer, slaughterhouse beef inspector and recording studio
owner, all while performing on the side.
In
2003, he and his wife Jennifer decided that it was time for
him to take one last serious shot at a music career. The couple
had two small children and Jenn took on three jobs while Canyon
stayed home with the kids, working on his music from there.
It was shortly after this decision that Canyon got the call
to audition for Nashville Star. After initially deciding not
to go to the audition, Canyon’s wife talked him into it
and he flew to Alberta and then to the semi-finals in Pennsylvania
– just a few months later he was announced the runner-up
on the show and his career received a major kick-start.
He’s
been off and running ever since. He followed-up One Good Friend
with a Christmas EP, Home For Christmas, and a successful CMT
Christmas special, George Canyon’s Christmas, all alongside
a sold-out 30+ date holiday tour across Canada. For Somebody
Wrote Love he again toured the country and he has already set
out on a 49-date tour in support of Classics. The In A Quiet
Room tour will hit venues from coast-to-coast, treating fans
to an intimate, acoustic performance of songs from the new album
and Canyon’s hits.
For
now, Canyon is concentrating on continuing the whirlwind –
he’s happy kicking up dust on the road and the radio,
performing for his fans.
For
more information:
Anya
Wilson
Anya Wilson Promotion & Publicity
416-977-7704
awilson@netsurf.net
