George Canyon

George Canyon - My Song Is My Gift
CBC Christmas Special - airs Wed, Dec 19th at 9 pm
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.
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For more information visit the official website GeorgeCanyon.com