Iconic Canadian singer Alfie Zappacosta has been ordered by doctors to stop travelling until further notice after being diagnosed with bleeding ulcers on his esophagus. He will be undergoing a battery of tests and surgeries to ensure a thorough medical assessment and effective treatment.

Part of treatment for this condition insists that Zappacosta does not fly. He will fulfil his commitments in his hometown in Edmonton on Dec. 21-22 at Jeffrey’s Café, Jan. 12, Richard’s Pub and a private function on Jan. 19.  He will also fulfil his commitment at Carmen’s in Hamilton on Dec. 4. He is currently convalescing in Ontario and will travel home directly after the performance.   All other shows on his schedule will be cancelled with no option to reschedule at this time. Further performance will be discussed thoroughly with his medical team.

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M for Montreal is a cool little music festival that takes over several MTL venues a few weeks after POP Montreal rolls through town. This year’s M for Montreal featured a very noteworthy lineup of visiting artists from the world over, including Delhi 2 Dublin, Eight and a Half, PS I Love You, and Of Monsters and Men alongside some who call MTL home like Cadence Weapon, Kandle, Kid Koala, and the duo of Leif Vollebekk and Plants & Animals, who shared a bill at the Corona Theatre on Nov. 16, 2012. Candice Dugas & Mel Cheung were on the ground to take it in for CM…

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Canadian Musician had the pleasure of sitting down for a lengthy conversation with Peavey Electronics Founder Hartley Peavey during his visit to Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Peavey started his company 47 years ago, in 1965, from his basement in Meridian, Mississippi, and has made it into one of the largest designers and manufacturers of instruments and audio gear in the world. As you would expect, he has many interesting stories and anecdotes to tell, such as this story Peavey told CM about the World War II meeting between German scientists and American engineers that determined the fate of both him and fellow music pioneer Les Paul.

Here is the story in Peavey’s own words:

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Belated congratulations are in order for Canada’s own superstars Justin Bieber and Carley Rae Jepsen, who both won big at the recent American Music Awards.

Bieber dominated the proceedings, taking home awards for Artist of the Year, Pop/Rock Male Artist of the Year, and Best Pop/Rock Album. Jepsen, whose song “Call Me Maybe” has been inescapable for the past year, took home the award for New Artist of the Year.

Bieber, who along with the worldwide fame and adulation has also had his detractors, made sure people knew he is sticking around. “I want to say this is for all the haters who thought I was just here for one or two years. I feel like I’m going to be here for a very long time,” he said, while picking up his first award.

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Shure is offering rebates on select microphones and wireless systems purchased between Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2012. The qualifying products includes Shure SM57 and SM58 mics and PGX Wireless Systems.

For more information, go to the Canadian Musician Facebook page here.

SOCAN, the Canadian performance rights organization, released the results of its Music Appreciation Survey, which examines the role music plays in Canadians’ lives, and the result should be quite encouraging to Canadian musicians and performers.

The survey indicated that 85 per cent of Canadians feel music plays an important part in their lives while 90 per cent think musicians should receive most of the proceeds from an original song. As well, apparently Canadians feel musicians make for interesting dinner guests. When asked who they would like to share a dinner or drink with, 23 per cent said a famous Canadian musician, beating out actors, athletes, writers, and politicians.

Additionally, when Canadians go on vacation, 29 per cent make sure to pack a portable music player, beaten only by books (49 per cent).

To read SOCAN’s breakdown of the survey results, click here.

This Friday, Steam Whistle Brewing is hosting Unsigned #24 at the John St. Roundhouse in Toronto. With concerts happening year-round in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, the Unsigned Series has become an excellent showcase for emerging Canadian talent that also manages to attract diverse audiences while raising money for charity.

Started in 2007, the Unsigned Series is the brainchild of Matt Weed, Special Events Manager at Steam Whistle. “We’ve got this amazing room here as our venue,” says Weed. “We were doing a lot of fundraisers and a lot of corporate events and weddings and stuff like that. Me and my colleague Chris, we’re both really avid music fans, and we were like, ‘We’ve really got to get some concerts down here.’”

With that simple idea, Weed went about crafting an event that he would love as a music fan while also complimenting his company’s brand. Explains Weed: “We wanted something that fit the space and fit the brand, so it needed to be Canadian and it needed to be independent and it needed to be sort of an interesting new take. We didn’t want to just have Led Zeppelin cover bands or something like that; we wanted to get something in there that was new and fresh.”

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