George Canyon
| George Canyon | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 22, 1970 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia |
| Origin | Pictou County, Nova Scotia Canada |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer, Guitarist |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Shoreline, Universal South, Universal Music Canada |
| Website | http://www.georgecanyon.com |
George Canyon (born Frederick George Lays on August 22, 1970) is a Canadian country music singer. He was runner up Nashville Star 2 in 2004. He grew up in Fox Brook, Pictou County, Nova Scotia and later lived in Hopewell, Nova Scotia (where he still owns land) before he moved west. He currently lives in High River, Alberta. He also holds an appointment in the Canadian Forces as Honorary Colonel at 14 Wing Greenwood.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
He was born to Fred Lays Sr. and Cheryl Lays in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
George Canyon has held many jobs: he spent time working as a law enforcement officer, a slaughterhouse beef inspector, and the owner/operator of his own recording studio. He always dreamed of becoming a professional musician.[1]
Canyon is the father of two children. His wife, Jennifer, worked three jobs during the day so that he could sing at night. In 2004, George Canyon competed in Nashville Star 2. He was the runner-up in the competition, but became very well known in Canada and garnered much support, being the only Canadian to make the cut for the competition. After the competition ended, he received many accolades from fans and the industry alike. These include the top 5 hit "My Name", a Juno Award for Best Country Recording of the Year (for his album One Good Friend), and, four Canadian Country Music Awards Nominations (CCMAs) including Male Vocalist of the Year and the Fan Choice Award.
He played a U.S. Forest Ranger in the last two episodes of the 7th season of Trailer Park Boys.
On September 22, 2007, Canyon performed at China-Canada: Hand in Hand;[2] a joint concert held in Vancouver between CCTV (China Central Television) and CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) to commemorate the one-year countdown of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. One of the songs performed by Canyon was "What a Fine Jasmine Blossom". Sung entirely in Mandarin, Canyon performed the duet with Mandarin singer Tang Can.[3]
On 9 January 2008, Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay appointed the Nova Scotia–born Canyon to the position of honorary colonel at 14 Wing Greenwood, the largest air base on the east coast.[4] After this appointment expired in December 2011, Canyon was appointed colonel commandant of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.[5]
Canyon was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 14 and has given talks to children about diabetes.[6]
[edit] Band
- Jay Buettner (Guitar)
- Chris Byrne (Bass)
- Ed Ringwald (Pedal Steel Guitar)
- Shane Guse (Fiddle & Mandolin)
- Adam Dowling (Drums)
- Mike Little (Keyboard & Accordion)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | US Country | US Heat | ||||||
| 1996 | Ironwolf
|
— | — | — | ||||
| 1999 | George Canyon
|
80 | — | — | ||||
| 2004 | One Good Friend
|
20 | 35 | 23 | ||||
| 2006 | Somebody Wrote Love
|
23 | — | — | ||||
| 2007 | Classics
|
26 | — | — | ||||
| 2008 | What I Do
|
85 | — | — | ||||
| 2011 | Better Be Home Soon
|
25 | — | — |
|
|||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released | ||||||||
[edit] Holiday albums
| Year | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| CAN | ||
| 2005 | Home for Christmas
|
77 |
[edit] Singles
[edit] 1990s
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country [8] |
|||
| 1999 | "Her Everything" | — | George Canyon |
| "Enough Said" | 71 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
[edit] 2000s
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [9] |
US Country [10] |
|||
| 2000 | "Way Too Much" | — | — | George Canyon |
| 2004 | "Good Day to Ride" | — | — | |
| "I'll Never Do Better Than You" | — | — | One Good Friend | |
| 2005 | "My Name" | — | 44 | |
| "Who Would You Be" | — | — | ||
| "One Good Friend" | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Somebody Wrote Love" | — | — | Somebody Wrote Love |
| "Drinkin' Thinkin'" | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "I Want You to Live" | 76 | — | |
| "Ring of Fire" | — | — | Classics | |
| 2008 | "Seven Spanish Angels" | — | — | |
| "Just Like You" | 64 | — | What I Do | |
| 2009 | "All or Nothing" | 99 | — | |
| "Let It Out" | 86 | — | ||
| "Betty's Buns" | 92 | — | ||
| "In Your Arms Again" (with Crystal Shawanda) | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
[edit] 2010s
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [9] |
|||
| 2010 | "I Believe in Angels" | 85 | What I Do |
| "Pretty Drunk Out Tonight" | — | ||
| "Better Be Home Soon" | 87 | Better Be Home Soon | |
| 2011 | "Surrender" | 98 | |
| "Sunshine" | 96 | ||
| "When Love Is All You've Got" (with Richard Marx)A | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
- A Current single.
[edit] Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Her Everything" | |
| "Enough Said" | ||
| 2000 | "Way Too Much" | |
| 2004 | "I'll Never Do Better Than You" | |
| 2005 | "My Name" | Shaun Silva |
| "One Good Friend" | Margaret Malandruccolo | |
| 2006 | "Somebody Wrote Love" | |
| "Drinkin' Thinkin'" | ||
| 2007 | "I Want You to Live" | |
| "Ring of Fire" | ||
| 2008 | "Seven Spanish Angels" | |
| "Just Like You" | ||
| 2009 | "Let It Out" | |
| "Betty's Buns" | ||
| 2010 | "I Believe in Angels" | |
| "Better Be Home Soon" | Oswaldo Quiroz/Warren P. Sonoda | |
| 2011 | "Surrender" | Blake Horobin |
| "When Love Is All You've Got" (with Richard Marx) |
[edit] Awards and nominations
 |
Parts of this article (those related to awards and nominations) are outdated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Please see the talk page for more information. (May 2010) |
- 2004 – winner, CCMA, Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award
- 2004 – winner, Music Industry of Nova Scotia, New Artist Recording of the Year – for the album George Canyon
- 2004 – winner, Music Industry of Nova Scotia, Country Recording of the Year – for the album George Canyon
- 2005 – winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Galaxie Rising Star
- 2005 – winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Country Recording of the Year – for the album One Good Friend
- 2005 – winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year
- 2005 – winner, Canadian Radio Music Awards, Best New Group or Solo Artist (Country) for his single Good Day To Ride
- 2005 – winner, Juno Award, Country Recording of the Year for One Good Friend
- 2005 – winner, CCMA, Fans' Choice Award
- 2005 – winner, CCMA, Male Artist of the Year
- 2005 – winner, CCMA, SOCAN Song of the Year, for the single "My Name"
- 2005 – winner, CCMA, Single of the Year, for the single "My Name"
- 2005 – winner, Music Box Awards (Paris, France), New Artist Male US/Canada
- 2005 – winner, 2005 Nova Scotia Crystal Tourism Awards of Excellence, Ambassador Award
- 2006 – winner, ECMA, Entertainer of the Year
- 2006 – winner, CCMA, Male Artist of the Year
- 2006 – winner, CCMA, Single of the Year, for the single "Somebody Wrote Love"
- 2007 – winner, ECMA, Entertainer of the Year
- 2007 – winner, ECMA, Country Recording of the Year
- 2007 – winner, ECMA, Video of the Year, for the video Drinkin' Thinkin'
- 2007 – nominee, ECMA, Best Album of the Year, for the album Somebody Wrote Love.
- 2007 – winner, Juno Award, Country Recording of the Year for Somebody Wrote Love[11]
- 2008 – winner, ECMA, Entertainer of the Year
- 2008 – winner, CCMA, Humanitarian Award
- 2011 – winner, CCMA, Record Producer(s) of the Year with Richard Marx, for the album Better Be Home Soon
[edit] References
 |
This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (June 2008) |
- ^ url=http://www.georgecanyon.com/about
- ^ YouTube - Suzie McNeil - China-Canada: Hand in Hand
- ^ YouTube - George Canyon sings in Mandarin - Hand in Hand
- ^ "Meet Col. Canyon, the country star". CBC. January 10, 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/01/10/george-canyon.html. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ^ "Canyon honoured by air force cadets". The Chronicle Herald. December 24, 2011. http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/46097-across-nova-scotia. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
- ^ "Dead link". The Official Community of George Canyon. Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20080514161925/http://www.georgecanyon.com/diabetes.html. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- ^ a b "Gold & Platinum Search - Music Canada". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=&ica=False&sa=george%20canyon&sl=&smt=0&sat=-1&ssb=Cert.%20Date&ssdir=descending. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Singles". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=a2n0olduu4igcaciao6524vt76&q1=George+Canyon&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ a b "George Canyon Album & Song Chart History - Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/george-canyon/chart-history/464946?f=793&g=Singles. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "George Canyon Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/george-canyon/chart-history/464946. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ "George Canyon Awards". The Official Community of George Canyon. Archived from the original on 2008-02-23. http://web.archive.org/web/20080223155819/http://www.georgecanyon.com/awards.html. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
[edit] External links
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