Bruce Cockburn, Trooper, deadmau5 to be Honoured at 23rd Annual SOCAN Awards Gala

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadian songwriting legends Bruce Cockburn, Trooper and deadmau5 will receive prestigious Lifetime, National, and International Achievement Awards at the 23rd annual SOCAN Awards Gala on November 19th at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Presented by SOCAN - the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada - the SOCAN Awards Gala recognizes the accomplishments of Canadian songwriters in Pop/Rock, Dance, Urban, Country, Jazz, Folk/Roots, Classical, Film & Television, and International categories.

For being honoured at the upcoming Awards Gala with the SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting success in his career of more than 35 years, Canadian Music Hall of Fame member, Order of Canada recipient, and 12-time Juno award-winner Bruce Cockburn said: "SOCAN has been there for songwriters all these years, taking care of an essential aspect of the music business. To be honoured with a SOCAN Lifetime Achievement award is very gratifying."

Raising a little hell for 37 years, hit-makers Ra McGuire and Brian Smith of Trooper will each receive the SOCAN National Achievement Award and three SOCAN Classic Awards for the Canadian rock anthems "Raise a Little Hell," "General Hand Grenade," and "Janine."

Songs that achieve 100,000 airplays on domestic radio earn official "SOCAN Classic" status. The National Achievement Award is presented to SOCAN members who have attained outstanding success specifically in Canada.

"I'm sincerely honoured to receive the SOCAN National Achievement Award - along with three more SOCAN Classic Awards - at this year's gala," said McGuire. "I thank SOCAN for recognizing and celebrating the importance of songs and the songwriters who created them."

"I would like to thank SOCAN for this great honour," Smith commented. "The National Achievement Award is a crowning jewel in my career to date."

Billboard-topping electronic music superstar Joel Zimmerman, aka deadmau5, will receive a SOCAN International Achievement Award for his songwriting accomplishments worldwide.

"We're thrilled to honour Bruce Cockburn, Trooper and deadmau5 with SOCAN Achievement Awards," said Eric Baptiste, CEO of SOCAN. "Each represents what is so fantastic about Canadian songwriting, and each has earned every accolade he is receiving on November 19th."

Canada boasts many of the world's most talented and successful songwriters, and songwriting is the lifeblood of a multi-billion-dollar industry in this country. The SOCAN Awards Gala is a who's-who of the Canadian music industry, with performances by several prominent artists.

A recent research study conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of SOCAN revealed that a majority of Canadians would prefer to have dinner or a drink with a famous Canadian musician than they would a famous athlete, author or politician. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians feel that music is "important" or "very important" in their lives.

The full list of this year's SOCAN Award winners will be announced the morning of Monday, November 19.

About SOCAN
SOCAN is a not-for-profit, member-based organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of more than three-million Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN is proud to play a leading role in supporting the long-term success of its more than 110,000 Canadian members, as well as the Canadian music industry. SOCAN collects licence fees from more than 48,000 businesses from coast-to-coast and distributes royalties to its members and music rights organizations around the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties to its members for the use of their music internationally in collaboration with its peer societies. www.socan.ca

SOURCE: SOCAN

For further information:

SOCAN Media Contacts: Michael Critchley, 416.445.8700, ext. 3784, [e-mail]; Amal Yassir, 416.445.8700, ext. 3747, [e-mail]

For Media Accreditation & Artist Interviews: Andrea Grau, TouchwoodPR, 416.347.6749, [e-mail]