The greatest Canadian music act: group, individual, whatever.

Cafe Society
41

I like Ronnie Hawkins. He was born in Arkansas. But has lived and worked most of his adult life in Canada.

42

I’ll add a couple more nominees

Ian and Sylvia
Anne Murray

43

Beat me to it. Glenn Gould, and Oscar Peterson. Two of the very greatest pianists of the 20th century, one classical, one jazz.

44

Rush by far.

If you want to ask the question who the best songwriter is then we can bring in Mitchell, Lightfoot, Young and Cohen

45

Well, he’s an actor who has played musicians (and actually shared the stage with Coldplay, Elvis Costello and The Who), so I’ll submit Michael J. Fox for at least an honorable mention.

46

Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Leonard Cohen are seriously iconic all-time greats, and I have a great deal of affection for Men Without Hats.

But yeah, it’s Rush.

47

Then I have to nominateLorne Greene.

48

Celine Dion.

(I keed, I keed, of course Celine Dion isn’t Canada’s greatest musician!

It’s Anne Murray.):smiley:

Okay, serious answer; I never have liked Joni Mitchell or Neil Young, but there is Canadian band that has been on my playlist for twenty years: Cowboy Junkies.

49

Ok, I loves me some Anne Murray but it’s NOMEANSNO. Very Canadian, and strong as straight rye.

50

I can’t decide. How do you compare Rush, Neil and Joni?

So, while you decide, here, listen to Bruce Cockburn doing a Gordon Lightfoot cover. Right after downing a shot of maple syrup, it sounds like.

51

+1

52

klatu was good people thought they were the Beatles…

53

  1. Neil Young

  2. Lenny Cohen

  3. Joni Mitchell

54

Another vote for Joni Mitchell being “THE GREATEST” from Canada. There are a lot of great ones. Mitchell is without peers though. Bob Dylan and Beatles tier.

55

Ed Bickert, the great jazz guitarist.

56

John Rutsey. Fuck those ‘Johnny Come-Latelys’.

57

Gordon Lightfoot is Canada’s greatest solo artist.

Best band is Bachman Turner Overdrive

58

I got that, you know.

59

Another vote for Leonard Cohen. After that, Neil Young, then Rush.

Joni Mitchell? Hasn’t been on the airwaves since the 1970s, and can’t say I’ve missed her.

I see Blood Sweat & Tears mentioned upthread. Since Al Kooper was American and David Clayton-Thomas was Canadian, we’d be talking about the DC-T incarnation of BS&T.

60

The Diodes, the Viletones, the Curse. Three Toronto bands who were punk when punk was punk!
Also Teenage Head, and the Poles!