TORONTO, ON โ (November 5, 2013) โ Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Alexander Mair as the 2014 inductee to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.ย Mair, a mainspring of Canadaโs independent sector and proponent of Canadian talent for more than five decades, will be honoured amongst his peers at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala, taking place on Thursday, May 8, 2014 at the Koolhaus in Toronto.
โIn an industry that continues to evolve, Alexander Mair remains unfaltering,โ said Neill Dixon, President of Canadian Music Week. โFrom CIRPA to the CMRRA to Attic โ his keen sense of business and personal passion for music have made him a leading player in the independent world and a textbook case study for countless indie labels, distributors and change agents that came after him. I am thrilled to see his efforts recognized after so many years.โ
“I’m honoured to receive this award,โ expressed Alexander Mair.ย โI understand it is to recognize the success of the Attic Music Group over the 27 years it existed.ย As well, it recognizes my efforts to help grow the Canadian music industry and put Canada firmly on the international map as a talent source.”
In a career spanning over 50 years and various ventures, Alexander Mair has been instrumental in establishing and guiding a number of organizations that remain vital to Canadaโs music industry.
As a founding member of the Canadian Independent Record Production Association โ now known as the Canadian Independent Music Association โ and serving on its board for over 20 years, Mair was active in building what is now one of the industryโs most formidable associations recognized worldwide.
With the CMRRA โ Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd โ his foresight led to the creation of a music licensing agency which would go on to represent the works of thousands of music copyright owners and publishers.
A cofounder of the National Aboriginal Music Association, Mair brought a cohesive voice and recognition to Canadaโs underserved Aboriginal recording artists and planted the seeds for an Aboriginal music category at the JUNO Awards.
His early start in promotions for Apex/Compo in the 60โs was quickly recognized with three Red Leaf Awards and soon found him working with then emerging singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Mair would go on to manage Lightfoot for 8 years, from his first international hit โIf You Could Read My Mindโ to his last international hit โThe Edmund Fitzgeraldโ, as well as set up his publishing companies.
Led by a mantra of โthink global, act localโ, he co-founded and ran one of Canadaโs most successful independent Canadian-owned recording companies โ Attic Music Group โ for close to 30 years. There, he was influential in developing the careers of Maestro Fresh Wes, Anvil, Lee Aaron, The Nylons, Teenage Head and Triumph and successfully distributing such international acts as Creed, โWeird Alโ Yankovic, Jennifer Warnes, and Katrina and the Waves.ย The label realized sales in excess of $100 million in Canada as well as over a hundred gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums from the US, UK, Holland, Japan and Canada.
The publishing arm of the company represented the Canadian rights to such legendary international acts as The Beatles, Elton John, Genesis, Abba, Phil Collins, The Cars, and James Brown as well as hundreds of other writers โ unsigned and signed to the label.
Mair continues his impact on the industry today as President of MHL Communications โ through which he published the controlled circulation music magazine โApplaud!โ and where he counts among his consulting clients various independent labels, law firms, the Minister of Heritage and the Cultural Ministers of Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia โ and as Chairman of The Mobile Cartel/Volu.me โ a leading mobile app developer for bands and musicians.
Encouraged by an unwavering commitment to building Canadaโs music industry, Mair has served as a director and board member on a number of Canadian industry groups including: CAPAC/SOCAN, CMPA, OMDC, FACTOR, AVLA, and Radio Starmaker.ย A Honourary Governor of Roy Thomson and Massey Hall, he served on the board for 20 years, and continues his involvement to date as an active member of their programming committee.
Tickets for the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards gala dinner are available for purchase through the Canadian Music Week website atย www.cmw.net.
ABOUT CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK:
Canadian Music Week is Canadaโs leading annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the countryโs music, media and entertainment industries.ย Combining three information-intensive conferences; a trade exposition; a film festival; a comedy festival; four awards shows and the nationโs largest new music festival, CMW spans a five-day period from May 6 to May 10, 2014 at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel and over 60 downtown Toronto venues, attracting participants from across the globe. ย For more information, visit www.cmw.net.
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