SOCAN Honours Robert Charlebois, Michel Corriveau, Monique Leyrac, Éditorial Avenue, Leonard Cohen and many more

Montréal SOCAN Awards Gala Celebrates Music Publishers and Creators, Past, Present and Future

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - The who's-who from Québec's music ecosystem gathered to celebrate the careers and accomplishments of songwriters, screen composers and music publishers at the 28th Montréal SOCAN Awards Gala at La TOHU., with nearly 50 awards presented during an emotionally and musically thrilling evening.

For the first time in the gala's history, two special achievement awards were presented to one exceptional music creator, the legendary Robert Charlebois, who received the SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award for his truly remarkable career, as well as the SOCAN Cultural Impact Award, alongside his collaborator Claude Péloquin, for their monumental song "Lindberg," performed in a wonderful rendition on the night by Canailles.

Hosted by Stéphane Archambault, the 400-strong guests saw Luc Plamondon present the SOCAN Special Achievement Award to Monique Leyrac, for her incredible career as one of the greatest performers of her generation. Plamondon also broke his own record for SOCAN Classics (exceeding 25,000 radio spins in Québec), taking his 35th and 36th awards for "La Légende de Jimmy" and "La fille aux bas nylon."

Rarely in the spotlight, yet a true master of pop music, John Nathaniel received the prestigious SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Award, and his song "Éclat," co-written with Alexe Gaudreault and Mariane Cossette-Bacon won a Popular Music Award.

The SOCAN Publisher of the Year award was presented to Éditorial Avenue and the company's founder, Daniel Lafrance, saluting his leadership and massive contributions to the music community. The international success of screen composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer earned him the SOCAN International Achievement Award, marking the first time that a composer for film and television has been awarded the prize. Prolific screen composer Michel Corriveau was awarded the inaugural SOCAN Screen Composer of the Year prize for his work in sur Les Pays d'en haut (SRC), Prémonitions (AddikTV), Versailles (Canal+), and the feature film Anna.

"SOCAN members provide the soundtrack to our lives and important fuel to our economy, so it is integral to celebrate and honour songwriters, screen composers and music publishers," said SOCAN's CEO, Eric Baptiste. "Québec's musical ecosystem is moving to a new era, and SOCAN is proactive on all fronts, working closely with organizations of every size to ensure that music creators and publishers are compensated fairly in this new environment. Tonight, we celebrate the very reason why we do everything we do for our members: their creativity, their emotion, their sweat, their intelligence, and their art."

MIND-BLOWING PERFORMANCES

The Montréal SOCAN Awards Gala was rich with live performances, creating numerous life-memories, including a medley of Robert Charlebois's biggest hits presented by Daniel Boucher, Émile Bilodeau, Diane Tell and Jérôme Charlebois, just before Louise Forestier handed Charlebois his SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award.

Claude Dubois, whose songs "Si Dieu existe" and "J'ai souvenir encore" are revered SOCAN Classics, was moved by Ariane Brunet and Alexandre Poulin's delicate rendition of "J'ai souvenir encore."

The SOCAN Global Inspiration Award was presented to the late towering legend of song, Leonard Cohen, and accompanied by a deeply moving trilingual – French, English and Innu – rendition of his immortal song "Everybody Knows" by Beyries, Vincent Vallières, and Matiu.

The virtuoso pianist Jean-Michel Blais wowed the audience with his creative technique that helped him to earn the prestigious SOCAN Hagood Hardy Award, celebrating instrumental music.

SOCAN CLASSICS

The power trio of Andréanne A. Malette, Stephane Moraille and Geneviève Leclerc paid homage to newly-minted SOCAN Classics, including "La Légende de Jimmy," "Animal," "Cash City" and "Closer Together." The Box's Jean-Marc Pisapia could not resist jumping on stage to sing his band's hit during the gala's high-energy closing number. In all, 11 new songs were inducted as SOCAN Classics. (See attached list)

POPULAR MUSIC AND SCREEN COMPOSITIONS

Ten Francophone Pop Music Awards were handed out during the gala to the songwriters and music publishers of the most played songs in Québec in 2016, including "33 Tours," "Polaroid," "Belle infirmière," "Karim et le loup," and "Miami."

The gala also saluted the exceptional contributions to the industry and overall economy of screen composers and their publishers. Among the evening's winners were Jean-Phi Goncalves and his publisher Éditions TM who won the Domestic TV Music Award – Non-fiction for "Le Tricheur." Anthony Rozankovic and his publisher Cinéflix Média Inc. and Ole Media Management LP walked away with two trophies for their work on the series "Mayday." Finally, James Gelfand and Louise Tremblay, as well as Les Éditions de Musique JB received the Feature Film Award for their work on Michel Poulette's "Swept Under."

SOCAN LICENSED TO PLAY AWARD

The essential contributions of music-using organizations in Québec were represented with the SOCAN Licensed To Play Award being presented to ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur. The Quebec ministry of education was recognized for its ongoing commitment to ensuring that legal and ethical music licensing obligations are being met through its constituents across the province.

About SOCAN
SOCAN connects more than four-million music creators worldwide and more than a quarter-million businesses and individuals in Canada. Nearly 150,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers are its direct members, and more than 130,000 organizations are Licensed To Play music across Canada. With a concerted use of progressive technology and a commitment to lead the global transformation of music rights, with wholly owned companies Audiam and MediaNet, SOCAN is dedicated to upholding the fundamental truths that music has value and music creators and publishers deserve fair compensation for their work. For more information: www.socan.com

MONTRÉAL SOCAN AWARDS GALA WINNERS

SOCAN SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SOCAN CULTURAL IMPACT AWARD
"Lindberg"
Robert Charlebois/Claude Péloquin
Éditions Gamma

SOCAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
John Nathaniel

SOCAN INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Cristobal Tapia de Veer

SOCAN SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Monique Leyrac

SOCAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Robert Charlebois

SOCAN GLOBAL INSPIRATION AWARD
Leonard Cohen

SOCAN PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
Éditorial Avenue

SOCAN SCREEN COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
Michel Corriveau

Each SOCAN Special Achievement Award winner received The SOCAN, the music industry's only major trophy that doubles as a musical instrument, with five SABIAN crotales tuned to play the first notes of "Je reviendrai à Montréal," one of Robert Charlebois's most beloved melodies and a nod to Montréal's 375th anniversary.

SOCAN CLASSIC AWARDS

"Si Dieu existe"
by Claude Dubois
Songwriter: Claude Dubois
Les Éditions Musicales Pingouin

"J'ai souvenir encore"
by Claude Dubois
Songwriter : Claude Dubois
Les Éditions Musicales Pingouin/Éditions et Productions LCL Musique

"Ailleurs"
by France D'Amour
Songwriters : France D'Amour/Louise Lamarre/Mario Lessard
Les Éditions France D'Amour/Les Éditions Tacca enr.

"Animal"
by France D'Amour
Songwriters: France D'Amour/Louise Lamarre/Mario Lessard
Les Éditions France D'Amour/Les Éditions Tacca enr.

"Mon frère"
by France D'Amour
Songwriters: France D'Amour/Lynda Lemay/Guy Tourville
Les Éditions France D'Amour/Les Éditions Tacca enr.

"Cash City"
by Luc De Larochellière
Songwriters: Luc De Larochellière/Marc Pérusse
Les Éditions Janvier/Kennebec Musique

"Six pieds sur terre"
by Luc De Larochellière
Songwriters : Luc De Larochellière/Marc Pérusse
Les Éditions Janvier/Kennebec Musique

"Si j'te disais reviens"
by Luc De Larochellière
Songwriter : Luc De Larochellière
Kennebec Musique

"La légende de Jimmy"
by Diane Tell
Songwriters: Luc Plamondon/Michel Berger (SACEM)
Plamondon Publishing / CMBM (SACEM)

"La fille aux bas nylon"
by Julien Clerc
Songwriters : Luc Plamondon/Jean Roussel/Julien Clerc (SACEM)
Les Entreprises L Mondon/Éditions Crécelles (SACEM)/Sidonie (SACEM)

"Closer Together"
by The Box
Songwriters: Jean-Marc Pisapia/ Guy Pisapia / Luc Papineau / Jean-Pierre Brie
Blue Image Music

POPULAR SONG AWARDS (FRANCOPHONE)

"33 Tours"
by 2Frères
Songwriter: Alexandre Poulin
Les Éditions Gémeaux enr.

"Qu'est-ce que tu dirais ?"
by 2Frères
Songwriter: Steve Marin
Éditions du Baume/Les Éditions Marcha

"Polaroid"
by Alex Nevsky
Songwriters: Alex Nevsky/Gabriel Gratton/Mathieu Laliberté
Avenue Éditorial/Éditions Eldorado

"Belle infirmière"
by Jonathan Painchaud
Songwriter: Jonathan Painchaud
Éditions L-A be

"Karim et le Loup"
by Karim Ouellet
Songwriters: Karim Ouellet/ Claude Bégin
Coyote Records

"Miami"
by Ariane Moffatt
Songwriters: Ariane Moffatt/Franck Maras (SACEM)
Éditions Mo'Fat

"Éclat"
by Alexe Gaudreault
Songwriters: Alexe Gaudreault/ John Nathaniel/Mariane Cossette-Bacon
John Nathaniel Productions / Éditions Musicor

"Des cœurs par la tête"
by Claude Bégin
Songwriter: Claude Bégin
Coyote Records 

"Montréal"
by Ian Kelly
Songwriter: Ian Kelly
Éditions MMIM/David Murphy & cie

"J'aime les oiseaux"
by Yann Perreau
Songwriters: Yann Perreau/Tante Blanche
David Murphy & Cie. /Éditions à Milor

POPULAR SONG AWARD (ANGLOPHONE)
"Turn your love"
by Half Moon Run
Songwriters: Dylan Phillips / Devon Portielje / Conner Molander / Isaac Symonds
Indica Records

INTERNATIONAL SONG AWARD
"Kiss Me"
by Olly Murs
Songwriters: Yannick Rastogi / Zacharie Raymond / Gary Derussy / Taio Cruz (PRS) / Olly Murs (PRS)/ Steve Robson ASCAP)/ Lindy Robbins (AMRA)
Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd Canada (SE)

FOREIGN SONG AWARD
"Howlin' At The Moon"
by Milow
Songwriters: Milow (SABAM)/Gianluca Presti (SACEM) / Tammy Infusino (BMI)
Sonic Concierge (SE)/BMG Rights Management Canada (SE)

VIRAL SONG AWARD
"Where They @"
by Dead Obies

COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD
Laurie Leblanc

ELECTRONIC MUSIC AWARD
Marie Davidson

URBAN MUSIC AWARD
Dead Obies

BREAKOUT AWARD
Charlotte Cardin

JAN V. MATEJCEK AWARD
New Classical Music
Nicole Lizée

HAGOOD HARDY AWARD
Instrumental Music
Jean-Michel Blais

LICENSED TO PLAY AWARD   
Ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement Supérieur
Songwriters: Snail Kid/Yes McCan/O.G. Bear/20some/Jo RCA/VNCE
Third Side Music inc.

DOMESTIC TV MUSIC AWARD

Fiction
"Mayday"
Composer: Anthony Rozankovic
Cinéflix Média Inc. /Ole Media Management LP

Fiction (Comedy)
"Gags"
Composer : Scott Price
Éditions Edi-Sprice enrg.
Éditions Rozon Canada

Non-fiction
"Le Tricheur"
Composer : Jean-Phi Goncalves
Les Éditions TM

Kids' programming
"Salmigondis"
Sébastien Watty Langlois
Éditions Téléfiction enr.

INTERNATIONAL TV MUSIC AWARD
"How It's Made"
Composer: Rudy Toussaint
Intermède Tiger Music / Discovery Networks Music Publishing (BMI) / Éditions Marie Claire/ Éditions How it's made

"Mayday"
Composer: Anthony Rozankovic
Cinéflix Media inc. /Ole Media Management LP

FILM MUSIC AWARD
"Swept Under"
Composer: James Gelfand / Louise Tremblay
Les Éditions de Musique J B

SOURCE SOCAN