One of Canada’s premier singer-songwriters, Ron Hynes has created beautifully crafted signature songs for more than 35 years.
The current English Songwriter of the Year nominee for the Canadian Folk Music Awards performs Dec. 8 at Joe's Garage in courtenay.
His fall 2010 release Stealing Genius (Borealis) marks his eighth solo recording, and his third project with award-winning producer Paul Mills.
Inspired by works from some of his favourite authors and poets (including Donna Morrisey, Des Walsh, Stan Dragland, Randall Maggs, Al Pittman and Michael Crummey), Hynes has crafted a collection of remarkable songs that echo a life not only in Newfoundland and Labrador, but resonate with people everywhere.
The release of Stealing Genius came hot on the heels of the world premiere of The Man of a Thousand Songs, a feature-length documentary film, of which Hynes is both subject and star.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker William D MacGillivray and co-produced by Terry Greenlaw (Picture Plant) and Jordan Canning (Get Set Films), the film premiered to capacity crowds at the Toronto International Film Festival and subsequently garnered Atlantic Film Festival Awards for Documentary, Director and Audience Favourite.
The film airs regularly on cable television’s Super Channel and has screened at numerous international film festivals, conferences, music festivals and most recently at the Berlin Film Festival and The Munich International Film Festival.
Hynes is best known for his folk classic Sonny’s Dream, haunting chronicle Atlantic Blue, heart-wrenching requiem Godspeed, and a string of radio hits including Cryer’s Paradise, St. John’s Waltz, The Man of a Thousand Songs, Roy Orbison Came On and Get Back Change.
Ron’s songs have been recorded by hundreds artists worldwide including Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, Christy Moore, Denny Doherty, Murray McLauchlan, John McDermott, Prairie Oyster, the Cottars, Hayley Westenra and Kim Stockwood, to name just a few.
With eight solo albums and numerous collaborative projects to his credit, Hynes is a six-time East Coast Music Award winner, a Genie Award winner, a current nominee for English Songwriter of the Year from the Canadian Folk Music Awards and a past JUNO and CCMA nominee. Ron has received a host of awards from MusicNL, including the 2011 Folk Artist of the Year Award.
He was recipient of the 2008 SOCAN National Achievement Award for songwriting career success, and holds an Honorary PhD from Memorial University for his contributions to the cultural life of his beloved Newfoundland and Labrador.
In the words of Sylvanus Now author, Donna Morrisey, “Ron Hynes is a grand voyeur in this rough, sweet life, a melody writer of the first order, a storyteller, a philosopher, a poet and a kick-ass performer that makes my hair stand on end.”
For more about Hynes, visit www.hynesite.org.
Advance tickets for the Dec. 8 gig at Joe's Garage are available at Bop City Records in Courtenay. For more information, visit www.joeson5th.ca.
— Joe's Garage