Pat Blythe – That’s A Wrap…..CMW, JRLMA and a very special concert…….

Indulge me for just a moment. I’d like to begin this week’s column with a very poignant piece my “daughter” sent me. Colleen is actually my former daughter-in-law and a young woman I continue to consider my daughter. Over the years our friendship has grown and deepened with much love and mutual respect. When she decides to return to Canada from what has now become her home base of Thailand, she bunks in at my place for sometimes as long as a month. I enjoy her companionship and miss terribly her when she is gone. Artistically creative, Colleen is a wonderful copy writer and blogger. The two of us can sit in the same room tapping away on our respective keyboards in a companionable silence that is rare. Intelligent, beautiful inside and out, open-minded, a musician (she has a beautiful voice and plays guitar), Colleen is simply a joy to spend time with. As for our lengthy discussions, nothing is off the table. Refreshing!

Pat Blythe – CMW and Playing Catchup with JRLMA, Hot Lips and more…..

It’s May!!!! Festival season has begun with Canadian Music Week (CMW) and there is something for everyone. From the neophyte to the cynical lifer, CMW includes seminars and panel discussions covering Tech, Music and Radio; Mentor’s Café; Film and Music Festivals, always something to learn.  ….and then there’s the networking…..better known as schmoozing…..done to a fine art. Once again the downtown Sheraton Conference Centre is command central and the heartbeat of CMW. It’s where all the conference sessions take place, the trade show for all things shiny and new is ensconced and of course, much meeting and greeting is done in the lobby bar.

Pat Blythe – Jack Richardson Music Awards and Music Week…What a Blast!!!

There is SO much to share with you. It’s been such an incredible week celebrating Jack Richardson. A full week of music was such a blast and the Jack Richardson London Music Awards Show……fantastic. What a fitting tribute to a such a remarkable man who was so influential in the Canadian music industry and an amazing friend to all the musicians who crossed his path. I firmly believe Canada wouldn’t be home to one of the greatest bands in the world if Richardson hadn’t mortgaged his house for that first album and subsequent number one hit. I personally salute the man who believed so much in Canada he refused to go south. One of the most respected and sought after producers in the world, Richardson dedicated his career to his mother country and I love that he settled in my home town of London, Ontario.

Pat Blythe – Christmas Thoughts, J.C. Sandoval, Crown Lands, Gowan and Music….

…and the countdown has begun. Three weeks to Christmas day. Three weeks to wrapping paper, boxes and debris strewn from one end of the house to the other, stuffed turkeys and stuffed tummies, early morning stocking discoveries, late morning coffees and mid-afternoon naps (for young and old), for family gatherings, carol singing and clinking glasses of cheer. A time of year celebrated all over the world. The entire season from Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve is probably the most electric time of year.

Roxanne Tellier: Bits and Pieces

I’m In lunch bag let-down mode. Had too much fun in May, what with all the activities and gigs, and June has so far been one of the worst clunkers of the year, weather wise. I even apparently missed the biggest (ooh!) sports news this week when LeBron James accidentally flashed 18.5 million viewers during the NBA Finals.