I would like to send my personal congratulations to Bryan Adams on being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 2006 Juno Awards.Bryan and I go back a long way together. It all began when I was working as the A&R Director for A&M Records in Toronto. One day in early November of 1978 I received a call from some guy named Bryan Adams who wanted to book an appoointment with me to play some demos and talk about his future career. At the time Bryan was playing with a band called Sweeney Todd who were in town playing at a club. But Bryan was not wanting me to see that band, he was wanting to pursue a solo career. We met and listened to a few songs, which were good but not great. I suggested he keep in touch. The following March he met Jim Vallance, a great songwriter and drummer, and they began what would become an amazingly successful songwriting team. Later that spring, Brian Chater who ran our music publishing company Irving Almo Music was in Vancouver met up with Bryan and Jim and came back to Toronto with some amazing demos. Together, Brian and I went into Gerry Lacoursiere, the President of A&M Records Canada, and we both told Gerry how excited we were about Bryan Adams.
In September 1979, we signed Bryan Adams to a record production deal. One day I will tell the complete story of how and why we signed Bryan and Jim to a music publishing and record deal via Irving ALmo Music and released on A&M Records.
On Sunday, April 2nd, Bryan Adams was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the 2006 Juno Awards. For those of you unfamiliar with the Juno Awards, they are the equivalent to the Grammy Awards in the United States. During his acceptance speech, Bryan thanks some key people who worked behind the scene to help make his career such a success. I was surprised and flattered that Bryan thanked me as one of 5 people from A&M Canada and US.
I dug out an old picture of the first GOLD record presentation to Bryan for his second album You Want It You Got It, a pivitol turning point album in Bryan's career. Pictured above left to right: Gerry Lacoursiere, President A&M Records Canada, Doug Chappell, Vice-President Promotion A&M Records Canada, Bruce Allen, Bryan's manager, Bryan Adams, Michael Godin, Vice-President A&R A&M Records Canada, and Michael White, The Agency. This was the first of many celebrations recognizing the various landmark points in Bryan's tremendous career.
Once again, Bryan, congratulations on this wonderful recognition of being invested into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. I am very proud of you and pleased to call you my friend.
