James Gordon Cuddy, (born December 2, 1955) is a Canadian singer-songwriter"Review: Blue Rodeo warms hearts on Valentine's Day". Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen February 15, 2016 primarily associated with the band Blue Rodeo."Stanfest gets dazzling start". Chronicle Herald, By STEPHEN COOKE July 1, 2012 -
Early life and education Cuddy was born in Toronto, Ontario. His mother Jean Cuddy was an English teacher at Monarch Park Secondary School. He attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute, where he met and befriended Greg Keelor, his future bandmate."Jim Cuddy gives us the story behind the greatest love song in Canadian history ". Post City Toronto, By Judith Muster February 12, 2016 He also went to Upper Canada College and Queen's University.
Musical career The Hi-Fis After graduating from university, Cuddy and Keelor formed a band called the Hi-Fis along with Jim Sublett on drums and Malcolm Schell playing bass. The band released a single in 1980 featuring "Look What You've Done" and on the B side "I Don't Know Why (You Love Me)". The record was not a commercial success, and when they couldn't get a record deal in Toronto, they headed off to New York City. In New York they met keyboardist Bob Wiseman, but were still unable to arrange a recording contract. They later moved back to Toronto.
Blue Rodeo
In 1984, Cuddy and Keelor formed a new band, Blue Rodeo, with Wiseman, and recruited Bazil Donovan on bass and Cleave Anderson on drums as backup. Since that time, Cuddy has continued to lead the band, which has toured extensively and released 16 studio albums.
Jim Cuddy Band Cuddy has recorded a number of solo albums and performs live with the Jim Cuddy Band, featuring musicians such as Bazil Donovan, Colin Cripps, Joel Anderson, Steve O'Connor, Anne Lindsay and Gavin Brown. Guest performers on his solo albums have included Kathleen Edwards, former Weeping Tile member Sarah Harmer, and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy."Concert Review: Jim Cuddy Band provides a monumental evening at Massey Hall". National Post, Jason Rehel | February 15, 2012
Other endeavours
Jim Cuddy's song "Whistler" from the All in Time album was featured in the 2002 documentary Ski Bums by John Zaritsky.
In 2016, Cuddy participated in a benefit concert in Edmonton, Alberta and another in Toronto, Ontario for the citizens of Fort McMurray, whose town was destroyed by fire."Jim Cuddy talks about his love of Alberta, Blue Rodeo's next album and the 'magnificent' Gord Downie". Mike Bell, Calgary Herald July 8, 2016
On March 19, 2020, he performed the first concert in the National Arts Centre's #CanadaPerforms series of livestreamed home concerts by Canadian musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.Richard Trapunski, "Canada's National Arts Centre and Facebook will pay musicians for livestreams". Now, March 19, 2020.
He narrates the TVOntario documentary series Striking Balance.Meaghan Brackenbury, "Watch: Sahtu’s biosphere reserve shines in national TV series". Cabin Radio, October 1, 2020.
Awards Cuddy won Best Male Vocalist at The 1999 JUNO Awards and Adult Alternative Album of the Year for The Light That Guides You Home at The 2007 JUNO Awards
In 2000, Cuddy and Blue Rodeo bandmate Greg Keelor were the recipients of the National Achievement Award at the annual SOCAN Awards held in Toronto.
In 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada along with Greg Keelor, "for their contributions to Canadian music and for their support of various charitable causes".
In 2024, Cuddy and Keelor were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.David Friend, "Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame: Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane inducted". Global News, September 29, 2024.
Personal life
Cuddy married Canadian actress Rena Polley in 1984. They have three children: daughter Emma; and two sons, Devin and Sam, who are also musicians."Jim Cuddy finds Pain a 'clarifying thing'". Toronto Star. RICHARD OUZOUNIAN, February 14, 2009 His brother Loftus Cuddy was a Conservative candidate for the riding of Toronto—Danforth in the 2004 Canadian federal election, but he was not elected.
In the 2004 edition of Canada Reads, Cuddy advocated for Guy Vanderhaeghe's novel The Last Crossing, which won the competition. In the 2007 edition of Canada Reads, an "all-star" competition pitting the five winning advocates from previous years against each other, Cuddy returned to champion Timothy Taylor's novel Stanley Park.
In 2016, Cuddy collaborated with Tawse Winery in Niagara to launch a new wine brand, Cuddy by Tawse."Rocker Jim Cuddy Debuts New Wine Brand". Everything Zoomer, Natalie MacLean | July 21, 2016
In 2017, Cuddy narrated the documentary TV series Striking Balance.
Discography
Albums Title Album details Peak positions Certifications(sales thresholds) CAN All in Time Release date: September 8, 1998 Label: WEA 38 CAN: Gold The Light That Guides You Home Release date: September 12, 2006 Label: WEA 18 CAN: Gold Skyscraper Soul Release date: September 27, 2011 Label: WEA 8 Constellation Release date: January 26, 2018 Label: WEA 3 Countrywide Soul Release date: May 31, 2019 Label: WEA 56 All the World Fades Away Release date: June 14, 2024 Label: WEA
Singles Year Single Peak positions Album CAN 1998 "Disappointment" 53 All in Time "Too Many Hands"[A] — 1999 "Trouble" — "All in Time" 73 2006 "Pull Me Through" — The Light That Guides You Home 2007 "Married Again" (with Kathleen Edwards) — "Maybe Sometime" — 2011 "Everyone Watched the Wedding" — Skyscraper Soul 2012 "Regular Days" — 2024 "All the World Fades Away" — All the World Fades Away "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Notes A^ "Too Many Hands" peaked at number 13 on the Canadian RPM Adult contemporary Tracks chart and number 34 on the RPM Country Tracks chart.
Guest singles Year Single Artist Album 2004 "Somewhere Else" Jim Bryson The North Side Benches 2008 "Songbird" Melanie Doane A Thousand Nights 2011 "Hard Luck Girl" The Cooper Brothers In from the Cold 2013 "Pancho and Lefty" George Canyon Classics II
Music videos Year Video Director 1998 "Disappointment" Ulf Buddensieck "Too Many Hands" 1999 "Trouble" 2004 "Somewhere Else" (with Jim Bryson) 2006 "Pull Me Through" 2007 "Married Again" (with Kathleen Edwards) 2008 "Songbird" (with Melanie Doane) 2011 "Everyone Watched the Wedding" 2018 "You Be The Leaver" Tatjana Green/Matthew Barnett "Constellations"Christopher Mills2019"Back Here Again"Stephen Hughes"Glorious Day"Peter Guzda 2024 "Learn to Live Alone" Jenn Grant "Impossible"
References
External links JimCuddy.com – The Official Website of Jim Cuddy BlueRodeo.com – The Official Website of Blue Rodeo GregKeelor.com – The Official Website of Greg Keelor
Entry at canadianbands.com