Jim Cuddy to wish everyone a "Merrie Christmas" from the CP Holiday Train

CALGARY, Dec. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - The Calgary to Vancouver journey of the 2014 Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will be rocking thanks to Canadian music legend Jim Cuddy, who boards the train Dec. 12.

The Blue Rodeo front man joins the train in Calgary and will ride it across western Canada until its final stop on December 18 in Port Coquitlam. Fans of Cuddy and the Holiday Train can expect great shows along the way – all in the name of raising money and healthy food donations for local food banks. Fittingly, Blue Rodeo has just released a new album of holiday-themed classics, called "A Merrie Christmas To You."

"The Holiday Train represents many of my favourite things about Canada – incredible landscape, great music, generous people and of course, the Holiday Train itself," said Cuddy, who was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2013. "At each stop we will be playing to fans bundled from the cold and singing along. It is a great celebration and I am proud to be a part of it."

In 1998, Cuddy released "All in Time" which went on to sell gold in Canada. His next album, 2006's "The Light That Guides You Home", was released to critical acclaim and won the JUNO award for "Adult Alternative Album of the Year." In September 2011 he released "Skyscraper Soul", his third solo album.  His voice, always a rich and soaring instrument, has never sounded better and Cuddy proves once again that his songwriting ranks with the best Canada has to offer.

Cuddy will be joined on the Holiday Train by Anne Lindsay, an engaging and award winning violinist/fiddler, who has toured with Jim on numerous occasions.

Joining the cast is Tracey Brown, a celebrated musician in her own right. She was part of Canada's most awarded country group, Family Brown, before forming the JUNO award winning, Prescott-Brown. Tracey is a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

The CP Holiday Train program is aiming to generate healthier donations this year as it makes stops in 150 communities in Canada and the U.S. The online #HealthyDonations Challenge encourages patrons attending Holiday Train events to take a second glance when pulling food out of their cupboards to ensure their non-perishable donations are nutritious and heart-healthy. CP's goal is to have 20,000 people take an online pledge to underscore how important it is that everyone has access to nutritious food. 

You can show your commitment at http://bit.ly/1x6u4r8.

The full CP Holiday Train schedule is available on cpr.ca.

Supporters can also join the Holiday Train on Facebook and follow the two trains on Twitter, and Instagram @CPHolidaytrain #CPHolidayTrain. Track the challenge at #HealthyDonations Challenge. For additional information, photos, a route map, and downloadable pictures of the two trains, visit: www.cpr.ca.

Note to editors:

Schedule times reflect the arrival time of the train. Shows start approximately 15 minutes later unless listed otherwise.

For additional information, photos, a route map, broadcast b-roll, and downloadable pictures of the two trains, visit www.cpr.ca.

About the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

CP's annual Holiday Train program is a rolling fundraising event that travels across Canada and the United States raising money, food, and awareness for food banks and hunger issues, hosting free holiday concerts along the way. Since 1999 the program has raised close to C$9.5 million and 3.3 million pounds of food. Each Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet in length with 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of technology-leading LED lights and a modified boxcar that has been turned into a traveling stage for performers.

About CP

Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of Canadian Pacific.

SOURCE: Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

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