Cohen fêted at Juno Awards
Late artist’s last effort wins album of year
OTTAWA• Even from the afterlife, Leonard Cohen is still dominating the Canadian music scene, with his swan song You Want it Darker taking home album of the year honours at the Juno Awards on Sunday night.
The record, the 14 th and final release from the legendary Montreal- born songwriter, was released on Oct. 21, just three weeks before Cohen passed away at age 82.
Cohen was also posthumously awarded artist of the year at Saturday’s gala, and his legacy was honoured in an emotional tribute Sunday by Feist, who performed Cohen’s Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye, following an introduction from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.
Trudeau called Cohen “One of the greatest artists Canada has ever produced,” and recalled the friendship Cohen enjoyed with his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
“We recognized ourselves in what he wrote,” said Gregoire Trudeau.
Cohen was also nominated for songwriter of the year, an award that went to Gord Downie, who also won three Juno awards the previous night, including rock album of the year for The Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem, and for adult alternative album of the year for his own Secret Path, the story of Chanie Wenjack.
Downie delivered his thank- you speech in a prerecorded message. “Thank you for following the sound you’ve sort of been hearing your entire life, for recognizing that we aren’t completely Canada yet,” Downie said, adding he hoped the album would be used to teach younger generations about truth and reconciliation.
“My dream would be that this record might help people,” Downie said.
The Tragically Hip were also named group of the year on the biggest night in Canadian music. Bandmates Rob Baker and Paul Langlois thanked just about everyone ever associated with the band, including Downie, before they were ushered offstage to the sound of their own hit Ahead By a Century.
Russell Peters and Bryan Adams showed off some of the early comic hijinks that would define their hosting turn in an introductory skit featuring a cameo from the Prime Minister, who made a special request — an unnecessary one, as it turned out — for Adams’ i conic Summer of ’ 69, which was later performed with an allstar cast.
After Peters noted Adams was still touring his “old songs,” Adams shot back, “You’re still doing your old jokes.”
Both stars stepped in to host after crooner Michael Buble cancelled to care for his young son, who was diagnosed with liver cancer last fall.