Leonard Cohen’s son Adam paid tribute to his late father as he accepted the Artist Of The Year gong on his behalf at Canada’s Juno Awards this weekend (01-02Apr17).
The annual ceremony recognises the most talented musicians in Canada, with a gala dinner held on Saturday night (01Apr17) before the remaining winners were announced at a ceremony at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Sunday (02Apr17).
Saturday’s celebration saw Adam take to the stage to accept the prize for his father, who died last November (16), and joked about the amount of nominees, including The Weeknd and Drake, missing the ceremony.
“As you know, Leonard Cohen is not here to accept this award. Many international artists find excuses to not participate in the Junos. I think he’s found the best one yet,” Adam laughed, referencing the fact that both Drake and The Weeknd are being kept busy on tour.
He continued his tribute by admitting his father was determined his songs would be kept alive after his death, telling the crowd: “And so I know that he would be incredibly happy to have this Juno and he was very suspicious of people who didn’t understand how great Canada is, so thank you Canada.”
Cohen was also given the Album of the Year award for his swan song record You Want it Darker, with that gong presented on Sunday night.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau had the job of introducing Feist to the stage to pay tribute to Cohen with an emotional performance of Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye, with the politician labelling the late singer “one of the greatest artists Canada has ever produced”.
Other winners over the weekend included The Tragically Hip, who were named Group of the Year, and Shawn Mendes, who took home the Juno Fan Choice award.
Alessia Cara won the gong for Pop Album of the Year, while Sarah McLachlan was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the event.
Of the honour, Sarah said: “I have the best job in the world. Music is my church. It’s my comfort and salvation. Because of music my life has deeper meaning and a powerful sense of purpose.”
Bryan Adams, who hosted Sunday’s ceremony alongside Russell Peters after Michael Buble pulled out as his young son Noah continues to battle liver cancer, closed the evening with a performance of his hit Summer of ’69, joined by a group of the evening’s winners and nominees.
The full list of winners at the 2017 Juno Awards is as follows:
Artist of the Year: Leonard Cohen
Album of the Year: Leonard Cohen, You Want it Darker
Group of the Year: the Tragically Hip, Man Machine Poem
Breakthrough Artist: Ruth B
Songwriter of the year: Gord Downie for the Stranger, the Only Place to Be and Son from Secret Path
Pop Album of the Year: Alessia Cara, Know-It-All
Country Album of the Year: Jess Moskaluke, Kiss Me Quiet
Fan Choice Award: Shawn Mendes
Single of the Year: the Strumbellas, Spirits
Breakthrough Group of the Year: the Dirty Nil
Adult Alternative Album of the Year: Gord Downie, Secret Path
Alternative Album of the Year: July Talk, Touch
Rock Album of the Year: the Tragically Hip, Man Machine Poem
Rap Recording of the Year: Jazz Cartier, Hotel Paranoia
Dance Recording of the Year: Bit Funk Featuring Shae Jacobs, off the Ground
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year: the Weeknd, Starboy
Reggae Recording of the Year: Exco Levi, Siren
Indigenous Music Album of the Year: Quantum Tangle, Tiny Hands
Contemporary Roots Album of the Year: William Prince, Earthly Days
Traditional Roots Album of the Year: the East Pointers, Secret Victory
Blues Album of the Year: Paul Reddick, Ride the One
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year: Bria Skonberg, Bria
Jazz Album of the Year – Solo: Renee Rosnes, Written In the Rocks
Jazz Album of the Year – Group: Metalwood, Twenty
Instrumental Album of the Year: the Fretless, Bird’s Nest
Francophone Album of the Year: Laurence Nerbonne, Xo
Children’s Album of the Year: Diana Panton, I Believe In Little Things
Classical Album of the Year – Solo Or Chamber: New Orford String Quartet, Brahms: String Quartets, Op. 51, Nos. 1 & 2
Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble: Steve Wood And the Northern Cree Singers And Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Going Home Star – Truth And Reconciliation
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year: A Tribe Called Red, R.E.D. (Featuring Yasiin Bey, Narcy And Black Bear) And “Sila” (Featuring Tanya Tagaq) From We Are the Hallucination
Recording Engineer of the Year: Jason Dufour For Push + Pull And Beck + Call From July Talk’s Touch.
Recording Package of the Year: Gord Downie, Secret Path – Jonathan Shedletzky (Art Director), Isis Essery (Designer) And Jeff Lemaire (Illustrator)
Video of the Year: Grimes, Kill V. Maim (Director: Claire Boucher)
Electronic Album of the Year: Kaytranada, 99.9%
Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year: Mandroid Echostar, i
Adult Contemporary Album of the Year: Sarah Mclachlan, Wonderland
International Album of the Year: Coldplay, A Head Full of Dreams