Canadian Musician writer Samantha Everts & photographer Mark Matusoff braved the sweltering heat on Saturday, May 28th, to take in the CBC Music Festival at Toronto’s Echo Beach. Check out Sam’s thoughts & Mark’s shots.

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A lineup of celebrated guitar players and Canadian talent performed at Massey Hall on May 27th, 2016 as a tribute to late blues legend Jeff Healey. Canadian Musician’s Hal Rodriguez was onsite to take in the magic that was Healey’s 50th Celebration. Photos by Mark Gommer.

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This Friday, May 27^th, at Massey Hall in Toronto an incredible line-up of Jeff Healey’s friends and peers will take the stage in celebration of what would have been Healey’s 50^th birthday.  Fans are encouraged to join this celebration of the life and legacy of the legendary, Canadian music icon and one of Toronto’s favourite sons – Jeff Healey.

All proceeds from this event are being donated to World Eye Cancer Hope. World Eye Cancer Hope is a charity designated by the Jeff Healey Estate that does amazing work with childhood retinoblastoma – the same cancer that took Jeff’s sight.

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The 2016 CBC Searchlight Contest winner was revealed Sunday night during a televised special on CBC Television… and the winner is Desirée Dawson from the Vancouver area. Dawson beat out the other final four contestants: PEI’s Dylan Menzie and Ontario’s Andi and popular vote winner Teo Milea. The final winner was decided by a celebrity panel of Dallas Smith, Sarah Blackwood off Walk of the Earth, and Maestro Fresh Wes.

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Slaight Music will present Unison Jam 2 on Thursday, June 16^th. This exceptional night of Canadian music comes back to The Phoenix Concert Theatre and features a dozen celebrated Canadian artists sharing their talent, their music, and the stage with one another—all while supporting the work of the Unison Benevolent Fund.

“In 2015, the first Unison Jam was a celebration of having raised over one million dollars, and a chance to announce the activation of Unison’s emergency financial relief program for music industry professionals in crisis,” says Catharine Saxberg, Unison co-founder and Chair of the Board. “But it was clear by the end of the night, from both the artists and the audience, that Unison Jam had so much more life in it!”

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As good as the conference and festival programming was at CMW 2016, one of the key benefits of events like it has little to do with said programming. I was reminded of that during this year’s edition.

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Canadian Musician contributor Samantha Dotson had her camera out on May 6th, 2016 for iHeartRadio Fest. A highlight of Canadian Music Week 2016, the event featured a stacked lineup with the likes of Jocelyn Alice, Scott Helman, Coleman Hell, Shawn Hook, X Ambassadors, and Tegan & Sara.

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Canadian Musician‘s annual Guitar Feature is out now in the May/June 2016 issue. Regular contributor Levon Ichkhanian wrote the story, and it is dedicated to the memory of his uncle, Maestro Joseph Ichkhanian, who passed away on March 29, 2016.

A Lebanese citizen and of Armenian descent, he began playing the guitar in 1949 with Professor Vruyr Mazmanian and was subsequently offered a scholarship by the Spanish government. He continued his artistic education and music from 1959 to 1962 at the Royal Academy of Music of Madrid.

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Canadian Musician‘s next webinar will see Brooke Morgan of revered boutique imprint Paper Bag Records and Tyler Tasson of the fast-growing powerhouse ole Label Services join Canadian Musician Editor Andrew King with advice on attracting label attention, what they’re looking for from you, sealing the deal, and more. The live, one-hour Sign The Dotted Line – How To Land A Record Deal webinar will be held Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 7 p.m. ET.

The days of a label A&R rep in a fancy suit showing up to your gig with a suitcase full of money and promises of stardom are long gone. In today’s industry, labels are taking far fewer risks and looking for partners to create mutually beneficial business relationships.

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You can now enter Canadian Musician’s CMAO Sweepstakes! The 2016 Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) Conference takes place May 28-29 in Markham, ON.

Enter to win two 2-day passes to the CMAO Conference by going HERE.

Simply enter your info for a chance to win the 2-Day Passes for the CMAO Conference on May 28 and 29.

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