Canada’s national postal service has just released a new series of stamps honouring five of Canada’s many country music stars.
Tommy Hunter’s country music show was a hit for 27 years on Canadian tv. The new series of stamps of Canadian country musice stars was released today (Canada Post) CLICK to ENLARGE
“The music of these artists holds a special place for so many Canadians, and these stamps are likely to stir memories of those lasting musical moments,” says the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.
What is somewhat unusual for any commemorative series is that four of the five thus honoured are still alive.
Tommy Hunter, at 77, is mostly retired and has returened to his hometown of London Ontario.
k.d.lang’s career spans some 30 years. She originated a new style of country music called “cow-punk” before moving to other more mellow styles, alsow award winners
However, just last year he gave sold out farewell concerts to massively enthusiastic crowds in several cities across Canada.
Hunter is best known for his television show on Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC.
The Tommy Hunter Show was the longest network country music show in the world. Known as “Canada’s Country Gentleman”, not only did his records sell well, but he is credited with introducing a great many of country music’s stars to viewers on his television show.
k.d.lang started out some 30 years ago by creating a rambunctious new sound called “cow-punk”, a revved-up version of country that a great many fans loved and which brought her to international attention.
Renee Martel is well-known in the mostly French speaking province of Quebec with 25 albums to her credit and coming from a family tradition in country music in the French language (Canada Post) CLICK to ENLARGE
In later years her style mellowed along with a beautiful voice, winning many awards and honours in country, pop, and crooning styles.
Renée Martel came from a country music background through her father, Marcel Martel, himself a popular country singer in the province of Quebec in the French language. Herself born in Drummondville Quebec in 1947, She has some 25 albums to her credit in styles which cover both country and pop.
Shania Twain of Ontario is more in the “new country” style and is listed as the having the best selling country album of all time (Canada Post) CLICK to ENLARGE
Shania Twain: Shania Twain is a true Canadian superstar. She was born in Windsor, Ontario and raised in Timmins, and rose to fame in the early 1990s with her debut album Shania Twain in 1993. Her 1997 album, Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician, and the best-selling country album of all time.
Hank Snow is the only honoured member on this series who is not still with us. He called himself the “Singing Ranger” and was born in Canada’s east coast province of Nova Scotia. He spent his early career performing on local radio and touring Canada at county fairs.
Hank Snow from Nova Scotia is one of the original stars of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry (Canada Post) CLICK to ENLARGE
He is best known however for his long career in Nashville on the Grand Ole Opry as one of its early stars where he came at the invitation of Ernest Tubb in 1950.:
He continued to perform there for four and a half decades and was the pioneer of the fancy country suit with its rhinestones and intricate designs. Hank Snow recorded over 100 albums, was elected to eight music and song-writing halls of fame, and was voted Canada’s top country performer 10 times.
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