Frank Davies to be honoured with Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 2014 JUNO Awards in Winnipeg, Manitoba

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is pleased to announce Frank Davies as the recipient of the 2014 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, recognizing individuals who have made an impact on the Canadian music industry. Davies will be honoured at the 2014 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, March 29 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Davies has been an integral supporter of the country's artists, leading multiple organizations dedicated to producing, distributing, promoting, publishing and honouring Canadian music. He has been a major contributor to the growth of Canada's music industry and its creative community. Davies is credited with discovering and developing the careers of many celebrated artists' and songwriters, including A Foot In Coldwater, Crowbar, Klaatu, Tom Cochrane and Serena Ryder, while also publishing the career catalogues of Honeymoon Suite, Murray McLauchlan and Ron Hynes.

Born in Northampton, England, Davies began his musical career path in 1964 as a French correspondent to Billboard Magazine. In the mid-to-late 60's, he worked in the U.K. for EMI Records and Liberty Records.

On moving to Canada in 1970, Davies co-founded the indie record label Daffodil, which became the first Canadian label to sign a distribution deal with a major (Capitol/EMI). As a record producer, among the hits he produced for the label was the first CanCon single ever released — Crowbar's "Oh What A Feeling" in 1971. In 1978, he formed Partisan Music, the first Canadian production company to sign an exclusive deal with a U.S. record company (Capitol) to develop talent for the label worldwide.

In 1982, Davies became President of ATV Music (Canada), the Beatles publisher. At ATV, he developed the careers of the like of songwriter/producers Eddie Schwartz and David Tyson, and artists Chilliwack and the Pukka Orchestra. In 1986, Davies formed The Music Publisher (TMP) and built it into Canada's largest and most successful independent music publisher. Later, in 1998, Davies founded the non-profit Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame/le panthéon des auteurs et compositeurs canadiens.

Davies currently heads a music industry-consulting firm, Let Me Be Frank Inc., where he has executive produced albums for the Rankin Family, Serena Ryder and the Treasures.

For more information, go to www.junoawards.ca.

SOURCE: Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

Adrienne Kakoullis
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