THE ROAD TO THE 39TH JUNO SHOW TV BROADCAST ON SUN APRIL 18TH 2010.

THE 39TH JUNO AWARDS GALA ON SAT APRIL 17TH 2010.

The non-telecast portion of the Junos on Saturday night saw the wealth spread around as each of the 32 awards handed out went to a different winner. As with the Grammys, the emphasis on the two-hour CTV telecast Sunday was performances rather than plaudits. Only seven of the key awards were handed out during the live telecast.

JUNO HISTORY: APRIL WINE HAS BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME.

The now treasured autograph I took with the entire group at CMW in 2009. (Canadian Music Week)

Veteran Canadian Rockers April Wine and KJ carrying their GOLDEN hall of Fame Juno.

I met Myles Goodwyn again last nite at the Gala and the group April Wine has been inducted in the Canadian Hall of Fame. Congrats to them all. This is one of Canada's veteran rockers. MYLES TALKED ABOUT NOT SOUNDING LIKE ANYONE ELSE. He talked about YouTube and the evolving technology. They are not one hit wonders says Myles and advised that kids to keep working hard and play music with instruments.

COVERAGE OF THE 39TH JUNO AWARDS IN ST JOHNS, NEW FOUNDLAND, CANADA BEGINS.

KJ AND I ARE BLOGGING LIVE FROM ST JOHNS AT THE JUNO AWARDS. THIS IS CANADA'S MUSIC AWARDS AND SORT OF AN EQUIVALENT OF THE GRAMMYS.

SFTC TRAGEDY: YSP-WSD DRUMMER DEVON WILL BE MISSED. DIED DURING JUNO WEEK!

Devon Clifford, the drummer of Canadian alt-rock act You Say Party! We Say Die!, has died aged 30. He collapsed during the band's Vancouver show at the Rickshaw Theatre venue on Friday (April 16).

Singer Becky Ninkovic reportedly asked fans at the gig to call 911 after he collapsed. He underwent emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage, but died April 18.

The band's record label Paper Bag has posted a statement from his family online:

YSPWSD's Devon Clifford experienced a massive brain haemorrhage resulting from congenital defects while on stage in Vancouver on Friday night and fell into a coma. A surgery was performed but sadly doctors were unable to save his life. He was 30.

Devon Clifford was an extremely gifted drummer and determined character. He loved his family, loved his band, loved traveling, loved being on stage and loved meeting people around the world. He was smart, witty, passionate, and music meant everything to him. He was also incredibly generous with his love and respected everybody he came into contact with. This was underlined by his work with the under privileged at the Portland Hotel Society.

The Clifford family would like to take this opportunity to remind young people to have the courage to follow their dreams like Devon did.

The family would also like to take this opportunity to thank everybody around the world for their kind words and stories about how Devon impacted their lives.

The band also paid tribute to their drummer via Twitter. Their post simply said: "DEVON CLIFFORD 1979 - 2010 R.I.P."

Source: Billboard

When I heard this, I was telling Jon Gallant who plays bass for Billy Talent as we met at the Pepsi commercial taping the very next day in St Johns, New Foundland during JUNO week. It was too premature as nobody knew Devon's condition.

We were all praying for him and then on Sunday I was told on the red carpet. KJ and I at HipHossip's thoughts and prayers are with his family. Above is John and I later that evening Sat April 17th at the JUNO gala where 37 awards were given away. R.I.P DEVON...

SFTC: ROAD TO THE JUNOS: KIM DAVIS FEATURED IN TODAY'S TORONTO SUN.

The domestic violence, the kids, her murdered husband and now the Juno nomination. Kim Davis has really come a long way. The lovely 28-year old who scored a Juno nomination earlier this year spoke to the Toronto Sun's Michele Mandel yesterday about her life and how she wants to encourage others to follow her positive steps in moving on with your life. We all learn many things in life.

"The background singer and mother of two young children was estranged from her husband Mohamed Hussein. The Scarborough high school sweethearts had married young and then grown apart, but they remained close friends.

Davis thought she’d found new love with local hip hop artist Clinton “Mikey G” Gordon. “The first six months were great and then it was just hell,” she recalls. “But it turned into a very violent domestically abusive relationship.”

Read the whole story and watch the video in today's Toronto Sun.

Special thanks goes out to Sun Columnist Michele Mandel!!

DMX IN JAIL AGAIN!!!

Rapper DMX has been arrested in Arizona, according to a new report. The star was taken into custody after allegedly violating the terms of his probation by using illegal drugs - and now his lawyer has issued a public plea for help to TV drug counsellor Dr. Drew Pinsky. DMX's attorney Gary Jenkins tells TMZ.com, "He's been battling addictio n for some time and he's in need of treatment. We're hoping that maybe Dr. Drew might be able to help him.

He's a talented man. We're praying for him." DMX spent time in jail last year (09) on charges of drug possession, an imal cruelty and theft, stemming from various arrests in 2008. After his release last May (09) he was sentenced to 18 months probation for verbally threatening a guard during his stint in prison.

WTF? Trying to hold on to his celebrity? Dr Pinsky?

WEEZY IS NOW INCARCERATED ON GUN CHARGES WHILE T.I IS GONNA BE FREE IN 16 DAYS.

Lil Wayne has begun his one-year prison sentence today (March 8) for gun crimes.

Watch video footage of the rapper being led into Manhattan Supreme Court - where he was mobbed by hundreds of fans and photographers - by clicking below.

Originally due to start his sentence last month, Wayne's incarceration was postponed initially so he could have emergency dental surgery, then delayed because of a courthouse fire.

The rapper, real name Dwayne Carter, is serving the jail-term stemming from an incident in 2007 in New York, where police officers found a handgun on his tourbus.

Lil Wayne said little in the courtroom, reports the New York Post. Asked by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon if he wanted to speak, the rapper simply shook his head and said "No". He has now been taken to New York's main jail complex, Rikers Island, where he will serve his year-long sentence (though he could be let out after eight months for good behaviour).

The rapper's lawyer Stacey Richman said he plans to continue making music in jail.

Nobody has died but my heart goes out to the lovely Toya, Reginae and all his sons. The message is clear, lets do it for the kids, leave the guns alone!

WEIRD: BEYONCE OPENS COSMETOLOGY CENTER IN DRUG REHAB.

The president of Brooklyn has declared Beyonce an official Brooklynite.

Borough President Marty Markowitz said Beyonce is a Brooklynite by marriage and by moxie. Beyonce's husband, Jay-Z, is from Brooklyn.

The superstar visited the New York City borough Friday for the opening of the Beyonce Cosmetology Center at a residential substance abuse treatment centre.

The Phoenix House offers programs for residents in carpentry, building maintenance, computer technology and culinary arts.

Beyonce said she thought it also should have more programs geared toward women. She said her mother's Houston salon helped so many people feel good about themselves and better their lives.

Beyonce first spent time at Phoenix House when preparing for the role of Etta James in the 2008 film, "Cadillac Records."

Source

SFTC: LATE TORONTO RAPPER "SCRILLA" REMEMBERED IN CANADA'S NATIONAL POST.

I thank Megan O'Toole of the National Post for featuring my client Matthew David Modeste's Story in the National Post. Matthew aka Rapper Scrilla died of the H1N1 flu complicating his diabetes on December 14th 2009.

Matthew's organs were donated to 4 people and he saved lives....Rest in Peace... Listen to one of his songs here. This was my fave! The full story in the post is here. What a tragedy! Keminications pledges to keep Scrilla's memory alive. His new album just came out and will be available soon to the public. His family is wonderful and they all miss him deeply!

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