Located along Toronto’s King St. W., Canada’s Walk of Fame has a long history of inducting the best in Canadian arts, business, philanthropy, science, and sports. On September 28, Canada’s Walk of Fame honoured 13 of the greatest bands and artists of the 1970s and 1980s to ever grace Canadian stages and airwaves at a grand gala event at Toronto’s historic Massey Hall.
Integral to our shared history as fans of Canadian music, let’s take a look at the 13 newest and eclectic stars on Canada’s Walk of Fame that adorn the sidewalks.
April Wine
Hailing from Halifax in 1969, but later relocating to Montreal, April Wine quickly became a Canadian rock staple, with beloved hits such as “You Could Have Been a Lady,” “Tonite Is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love,” “I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love,” “I Like to Rock,” and “Just Between You and Me.” Although founding members, Myles Goodwin, David Henman, Ritchie Henman, and Jim Henman, have all announced retirement plans throughout the years, April Wine still continues to tour; with Myles Goodwin showing renewed interest in recording.
Chilliwack
Celebrated on both sides of the border for their mix of early hard and pop-rock in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Vancouver’s Chilliwack are celebrated for their catchy rock anthems, such as “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone),” I Believe,” “Whatcha Gonna Do,” “Fly at Night,” “Crazy Talk,” and “Lonesome Mary”.
Glass Tiger
Beloved for their symbolic 80’s New Wave hits such as “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone,” and “Someday”, Newmarket, ON’s Glass Tiger, have enjoyed over three decades of touring and enduring support through thick and thin; including through the uncertainty of illness when lead singer, Alan Frew, suffered a stroke in 2015. This coming fall, Glass Tiger will continue to thrill fans across Canada with a short tour with dates in Alberta and British Columbia.
Lee Aaron
Breaking down barriers for women in rock since her debut in 1982, Lee Aaron’s powerful metal voice has been an inspiration to metal singers of all origins, with albums like Metal Queen, Bodyrock, and Emotional Rain; and continues to be a force on the international metal stages, from Sweden to Japan.
Lighthouse
For almost 50 years, the expansive and exciting Lighthouse unique brand of jazz-rock fusion has thrilled audiences across the globe with shows featuring up to 20 members on stage at any given time; and classic rock singles such as “One Fine Morning,” “Pretty Lady,” and “Sunny Days.”
Loverboy
Original hard and arena rockers of the 1980s, Loverboy’s success reached the stratosphere throughout Canada and the world with hits such as “Turn Me Loose,” “Loving Every Minute of it” and “Working for the Weekend.” Over 40 years later, the band still enjoys successful tours that take the band throughout Canada and the US.
Max Webster
Unafraid to push the limits of exciting hard and progressive rock, Toronto’s Max Webster built an impactful cult following with their flamboyant stage shows and brash albums, such as High Class in Borrowed Shoes, A Million Vacations, and Universal Juveniles; which featured the iconic appearance of Rush on the single “Battle Scar.”
Michel Pagliaro
A true icon of both the francophone and anglophone spheres of Canadian rock, Montreal’s Michel Pagliaro’s expertly crafted pop-rock anthems, such as “Loving You Ain’t Easy,” “What The Hell I’d Got,” and “J’entends frapper” are still celebrated on rock radio stations, from Calgary to Quebec City.
Platinum Blonde
Created just in time for the debut of the Nation’s Music Station, Platinum Blonde’s new wave glam was well suited for the brand new MuchMusic that took hold of the Canadian consciousness of the mid-1980s; making “Standing in the Dark,” “Not in Love,” “Doesn’t Really Matter,” “Situation Critical” and “Crying Over You” staples of the early video era in Canada.
PRISM
Taking progressive rock to a whole new space-age level, with singles such as “Spaceship Superstar” and “Take Me to the Kaptain,” Vancouver’s PRISM ultimate legacy within the Canadian consciousness would be as the springboard for the careers of legendary producer, Bruce Fairbarin, and songwriter, Jim Vallance.
Rough Trade
Fronted by the iconic Carol Pope, Rough Trade’s explicit, bold, and proactive material ushered in an era of unabashedly queer dance rock; starting with the first-ever lesbian-centric Top 40 hit singles in the world, “High School Confidential.”
The Parachute Club
Celebrating the world through their unique blend of reggae and soca into songs that put the spotlight on a universal theme of equality and peace, the Parachute Club’s hit single, “Rise Up,” has proven to be an enduring anthem of worldwide Pride movements since its debut in 1993,
Trooper
With their list of arena anthems, such as “Raise a Little Hell,” “We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time),” and “The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car,” Trooper’s long-lasting appeal is in their exciting live show that continues to cross Canada, well into their fifth decade as a band. Look for their upcoming fall shows in Halifax, Moncton, Medicine Hat, Edmonton and Calgary.