{"id":2856,"date":"2024-12-13T09:32:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T14:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/?p=2856"},"modified":"2024-12-13T09:33:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T14:33:12","slug":"how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2856-how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success","title":{"rendered":"How Did the Members of Blue Rodeo Achieve Success?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Friends Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor first met while playing for the Toronto Collegiate football team. When they decided to collaborate as <a href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/uk\/eternal-1548-dzhon-vajnczvejg-vydatnyj-kompozytor-toronto\">musicians<\/a>, they moved to Alberta. Life was challenging there; the money they earned from performances barely covered their basic needs. Read more on <a href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/\">toronto-trend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1976, Cuddy and Keelor returned to Toronto, the city where they had completed their education. Early the next year, they formed the short-lived crossover band The Hi Fi\u2019s, which dissolved a few months later. Before disbanding, they released the single \u201cI Don\u2019t Know Why You Love Me\u201d under the indie label Showtime Records. Following the breakup, the musicians were approached by Ready Records, home to New Wave acts like Blue Peter and The Spoons. However, a deal fell through as The Hi Fi\u2019s failed to gain the development they had envisioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a062027e2a85\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a062027e2a85\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2856-how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success\/#New_York_Experience_and_Searching_for_Band_Members\" >New York Experience and Searching for Band Members<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2856-how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success\/#An_Album_for_a_Friend_Who_Passed_Away\" >An Album for a Friend Who Passed Away<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2856-how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success\/#Further_Development_and_Collaborations\" >Further Development and Collaborations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/eternal-2856-how-did-the-members-of-blue-rodeo-achieve-success\/#Blue_Rodeos_Global_Ambitions\" >Blue Rodeo\u2019s Global Ambitions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_York_Experience_and_Searching_for_Band_Members\"><\/span>New York Experience and Searching for Band Members<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their setbacks, Cuddy and Keelor continued performing for some time after The Hi Fi\u2019s disbanded. In 1981, they relocated to New York City. Cuddy moved to accompany his future wife, who had been accepted to a New York theatre school, while Keelor joined the band The Hunger Project through a friendship with one of its members. That group eventually evolved into The Cowboy Junkies. The new environment revitalized the duo\u2019s creativity. Soon, manager Howard Wiseman took them under his wing, leading to the creation of the group Fly to France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The demand for participation in Fly to France was significant, as numerous musicians responded to an advertisement in The Village Voice. Among them was future keyboardist Bob Wiseman, the younger brother of their manager. The band experimented with various musical styles\u2014ska, reggae, punk, and more\u2014earning a reputation as \u201cchameleons\u201d for their eclectic live performances across numerous venues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxdekgzg-2li_cw8gxq7mvdqapd0m5e0d1stkswdpqrn_r-jwzci5hv6zyfyh7syanayrhix1xkpmfbcneicnyc38nwuea2tjk5i_aec3jsdiskspnkcnb3qwodxvsfz-pcwyrgz-wkeyvx_rxvxzaqed5carnlumk_ts.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After a few years of gaining experience, Cuddy and Keelor returned to Toronto. There, they collaborated with New Zealand band Drongoes, helping write songs and creating a demo tape featuring \u201cTry,\u201d \u201cOutskirts,\u201d \u201cRose Coloured Glasses,\u201d and \u201cFloating.\u201d During this time, they brought in drummer Cleave Anderson, a longtime friend, who suggested bassist Bazil Donovan. Donovan joined after answering a magazine ad but had not been contacted at first. Soon after, Bob Wiseman was invited to complete the lineup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Album_for_a_Friend_Who_Passed_Away\"><\/span>An Album for a Friend Who Passed Away<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The band\u2019s demo caught the attention of Bob Roper from Warner Bros Records. He introduced them to John Caton, manager of Prairie Oyster and owner of the Risque Disque label. Caton arranged for the band to meet renowned producer Terry Brown. Recording their debut album took over 18 months. Released in the summer of 1987, it quickly became a hit. The single \u201cTry\u201d gained nationwide popularity, transcending pop and country charts during the peak of hair metal, glam, and power pop. Another notable track was \u201cUnderground,\u201d written for their late friend and collaborator, Ned, who passed away from a heroin overdose earlier that year. The album achieved double-platinum status (200,000 copies in Canada). The band spent the next year and a half touring with other country-rock crossover acts like k.d. lang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxciwd3u3lspis3lpjifd1fu4xmzse_l8debm0zw3ussy3agc3plyr6gh1kqoay9do0gyzgapu26jtqgx6tdu2nuqpqf1fmbfi67dwepxo3dzhkjdkrqfmriwz8qe2fumu5u-7o_keyvx_rxvxzaqed5carnlumk_ts.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Further_Development_and_Collaborations\"><\/span>Further Development and Collaborations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The band collaborated with producer Malcolm Burn for their next album, Diamond Mine, released in spring 1989. These sessions stemmed from Keelor\u2019s side project, Crash Vegas, and were recorded at Daniel Lanois\u2019 Hamilton The Lab studio, operated by Burn. As the band\u2019s popularity grew, Anderson chose to leave music for a full-time job at Canada Post. He was replaced by Mark French.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxfuim9kh5bxtdjeiqdysaf-ax2tliu94viq1y1gduldsktnk97bs18wxaatqy6imvyw350ekzgbfmvln5polmd9vklh2idkloswos_61xpb_hlgbho0tuudhc60eiqx4licdtubqqkeyvx_rxvxzaqed5carnlumk_ts.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Diamond Mine surpassed their debut\u2019s success, going triple platinum and earning the group Juno Awards for Single of the Year and Video of the Year for \u201cTry.\u201d They also won Group of the Year and received nominations for Album of the Year for Outskirts. However, the band\u2019s momentum slowed after a long break and unexpected challenges, such as their manager John Caton leaving the business due to health and financial issues, which led to the closure of Risque Disque. A few months later, Warner Canada took over their contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Blue_Rodeos_Global_Ambitions\"><\/span>Blue Rodeo\u2019s Global Ambitions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Their next album, Casino (1991), was recorded in Hollywood with Grammy-winning producer Pete Anderson, known for working with Dwight Yoakam, Roy Orbison, and k.d. lang. The album went double platinum and reached sixth place in Canadian charts, featuring hit singles like \u201cTil I Am Myself Again\u201d and \u201cWhat Am I Doing Here.\u201d Despite critical acclaim and high hopes, Blue Rodeo failed to gain significant traction in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a chaotic tour, including an incident in Iqaluit, Nunavut, where members Wiseman and Donovan were arrested for marijuana possession, the band faced more challenges. The charges were later dropped, but the event strained the group. Despite setbacks, they won their third consecutive Group of the Year Juno Award and introduced Glenn Milchem as their new drummer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.toronto-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2024\/12\/ad_4nxedlzbci1sabwgigifz7vyxzdoyhxtq1ltzlxbo6-bu35enxbep3k11m3csgmfntkilzgw6wgf7rut7hth5b1gsfmdrtgrxl1uzlk9jo0g-sfi_mghsko25h2q4lhqpqtmsvj-thgkeyvx_rxvxzaqed5carnlumk_ts.png\" width=\"602\" height=\"401\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Blue Rodeo continued nurturing the next generation of country-rock musicians, leaving an indelible mark on Canadian music. While the journey wasn\u2019t easy, their story of perseverance and adaptability ensures they will be remembered for fulfilling their dream and sharing their art with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/canadianmusichalloffame.ca\/inductee\/blue-rodeo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/canadianmusichalloffame.ca\/inductee\/blue-rodeo\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca\/en\/article\/blue-rodeo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca\/en\/article\/blue-rodeo<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wasagabeach.com\/en\/news\/blue-rodeo-and-burton-cummings-to-headline-town-of-wasaga-beach-50th-anniversary-celebration.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.wasagabeach.com\/en\/news\/blue-rodeo-and-burton-cummings-to-headline-town-of-wasaga-beach-50th-anniversary-celebration.aspx<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friends Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor first met while playing for the Toronto Collegiate football team. When they decided to collaborate as musicians, they moved to Alberta. Life was challenging there; the money they earned from performances barely covered their basic needs. Read more on toronto-trend. In 1976, Cuddy and Keelor returned to Toronto, the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":417,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[1682,1679,1680,1685,1688,1475,1683,1474,1689,1681,1648,1649,1684,1686,1687],"motype":[160],"moformat":[24],"moimportance":[32,35],"class_list":{"0":"post-2856","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-muzika","7":"tag-albums","8":"tag-blue-rodeo-3","9":"tag-blue-rodeo-concerts","10":"tag-blue-rodeo-songs","11":"tag-concerts-in-toronto","12":"tag-creativity","13":"tag-creativity-in-toronto","14":"tag-culture","15":"tag-hits","16":"tag-listen-to-music","17":"tag-music","18":"tag-music-in-toronto","19":"tag-musician-from-toronto","20":"tag-musicians","21":"tag-songs","22":"motype-eternal","23":"moformat-longrid-korotka","24":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/417"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2856"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2856\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2869,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2856\/revisions\/2869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2856"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2856"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2856"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toronto-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}