HONOUR ROLL 2014
8th Annual MMF Canada Honour Roll
Friday, May 9, 2014
Bymark Restaurant, Toronto
Honour Roll Award - GILLES PAQUIN
Inducted by Randy Bachman
Possessing a rare blend of artistic passion, creativity and business savvy, Gilles Paquin has been involved with the arts and entertainment industry for over 30 years as a manager, promoter, producer and entrepreneur. He is the President and CEO of Paquin Entertainment Group, which encompasses four divisions: artist management, artists’ agency, theatre & film division, and corporate services.
“It’s been wonderful to turn this tremendous passion into a lifelong career,” says Gilles Paquin. “I have been blessed to have worked with, and been surrounded by, great artists.”
Today, Gilles personally manages legendary icons Randy Bachman, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Bachman & Turner, and critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Del Barber, overseeing their tours nationally and internationally. He supports, oversees, and directs each artist’s creative ventures, which includes producing Randy Bachman’s television special, Vinyl Tap presents: Every Song Tells a Story; a live Bachman & Turner concert special shot in 3D at the Roseland Ballroom in New York; a bio-documentary on Buffy Sainte-Marie; and an in-studio concert special with Bachman-Cummings, called First Time Around.
Gilles founded the agency division in 1985. It has since become one of Canada’s premier entertainment agencies, representing a roster of international clientele that includes musicians, such as Tegan & Sara, Serena Ryder, Matt Andersen, The Sheepdogs, Whitehorse and K’NAAN, along with ballet and theatrical companies. In 2004, he launched a subsidiary, Koba Entertainment, focusing on large-scale family-oriented theatrical productions, such as Dora the Explorer, The Backyardigans, Toopy and Binoo, and Franklin the Turtle, among others.
Always looking for his next entrepreneurial endeavor, Gilles recently spearheaded Act 5 Entertainment, an international entertainment company manages an array of projects, including live theatricals, exhibitions, and merchandising opportunities for exciting productions such as 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Nitro Circus, Val Kilmer’s one-man show Citizen Twain, and is currently developing rock musical Prairie Town, to name a few.
Gilles also co-founded the Venue Coalition, representing a network of 55 premier North American arenas, and continues to work as an advisor. He also served as a board member for the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (CARAS-Juno Awards) from 1998-2004.
Brian Chater Pioneer Award - BRIAN CHATER
Inducted by Mary Ellen Chater
Brian was born in Sutton, England and by the age of twenty-one he had already progressed to become Copyright Manager of Mills Music in London, England. He came to Canada in 1966, initially to run Burlington Music of Canada, and by the early ’70’s was running Much Records owned by CHUM Ltd. Over the years he has overseen companies such as Summerlea Music and Irving-Almo Music, signing such writers as Bryan Adams, April Wine and Michel Pagliaro. He continued to operate his own music publishing company Avenue Road Music Group, and acted as an industry consultant operating as BC Music and Consulting.
Brian had an excellent grasp of cross-sector issues and was highly knowledgeable of current trends and issue in the music business. He was active for many years in the ‘business’ of music, having served on the board and committees of the Canadian Music Publishers Association until 2013, serving as President from 1983-1986. He also served as a long-time director of the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency until 2013 and acted as Chair for both the Governance and Finance Committees of the Agency.
Brian was President of the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (since renamed the Canadian Independent Music Association) for nearly 20 years from 1987 until March 2006, where he represented the interests of the Canadian owned independent recording sector at all levels and worked to ensure not just the survival, but the prosperity of the sector, through policy, regulatory and financing initiatives.
He was a Director of FACTOR for many years, a founding Director of the NRCC (Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada, since renamed Re:Sound) and for two years was the Chair of that organization. From 2004 to 2007 he was a Director of Radio Starmaker Fund and was a consultant to the CPCC (Canadian Private Copying Collective) since its inception in 1999. He was co-chair of the Federal Task Force on the Future of the Canadian Music Industry that reported to the Heritage Minister in 1996. He also acted as a consultant to industry collectives and wrote countless reports on the music industry for various clients. As well, he served on several policy groups advising the government on policy and music related issues.