From Sea to Sea to Sea

What a good afternoon to be sitting at the dining room table, writing, and listening to the Ceeb. It is sunny out, and they are doing a pre-Junos songwriters' circle. Katherine and I are both feeling somewhat weepy and patriotic, and have resolved to listen to the Ceeb all the time from here on in. And really, whatever other Identity Issues Canada might have, we do OK for music. Sure, a lot of our artists leave for fat record deals in the States, but a lot of them stay here. And hey, international fame is no bad thing. There are only so many records to sell in a country of 30 million. You've got your old school (Buffy Saint-Marie, the Band, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Ian & Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot, the Barra MacNeils, BTO, et al.) but also lots of current performers: Rufus Wainwright, Tegan and Sara, the Wailin' Jennys, Ben Sures, the Arcade Fire, Great Big Sea, la Bottine Souriante, the New Pornographers, Stars, Feist, controller.controller, Metric, Sam Roberts, the Arrogant Worms. And Martha Wainwright, Jann Arden, and Ron Sexsmith, who are in this thing on the CBC right now. Seriously. So much good stuff going on. And then there's Paul Anka, who earned major points from me for doing a lounge-style cover of Wonderwall without getting beaten up by the Gallaghers.

This has been your national pride informercial du jour. Vive le Canada!