There are a handful of Canadian music groups who found chart success prior to the introduction of Canadian content regulations for radio —the Guess Who, Anne Murray, the Stampeders, Lighthouse –to name a few. Another was April Wine. Now, acclaimed songwriter and April Wine frontman Myles Goodwyn received the ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award for his impact on the music industry of Atlantic Canada. Exactly 20 years later, he’ll return to the East Coast Music Awards to accept his latest distinction as the newest Inductee to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF). Considered by many as one of Canada’s greatest rock n’ roll songwriters, Goodwyn’s catalogue of songs penned for April Wine, spanning more than five decades will be celebrated by the Hall of Fame..
On May 4, the CSHF will present Goodwyn with the award at the ECMAs in Halifax, NS; and later this year, his name will be included in the permanent exhibit at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Museum in the National Music Centre in Calgary, as the organization commemorates 25 years of celebrating Canada’s greatest songs and songwriters.
He founded April Wine in 1969 with long-time friend, Jim Henman, and Henman’s cousins David and Ritchie Henman in Nova Scotia. Less than a year later, the group moved to Montreal to sign a record deal with Aquarius Records, and embarked on a “Fast Train” to success.
Their first album was released in 1971, which included their first hit single Fast Train written by Goodwyn; followed by penned classics like Roller, I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love, and I Like to Rock. Their album “The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy” became the first Canadian album to sell over 100,000 copies.
Goodwyn’s songs ranged in styles from edgy rock to romantic ballads, from country to blues – and his subject matter was just as wide-ranging, encompassing piano classics such as Comin’ Right Down on Top of Me, Like a Lover, Like a Song and I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love, and the environmental song Lady Run, Lady Hide.
Leave a comment