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Canada’s music community rallies to support Unison initiative

Canada’s music community rallied to show they do support each other by staging a charity concert Wednesday May 6th at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre which helped reach the charity’s target goal of over 1 million dollars for the Unison Benevolent Fund – a charity launched in 2011 to provide emergency funds for musicians in need.

An impressive lineup of star talent joined forces with key movers and shakers in Canada’s music industry to raise awareness and much needed funds for the charity – with the likes of Kim Mitchell, Finger Eleven, I Mother Earth, The Trews, K-OS, Jason McCoy, Madison Violet, Tommi Swick and DJ Soul Proprietor (Eon Sinclair) providing the on-stage entertainment.

Unison’s co-founder Catherine Oxenberg was delighted with the event turnout which has seen the likes of Slaight Music and Music Canada take the lead in helping to raise funds for a charity designed to provide financial assistance for musicians who may not have adequate insurance or finances to deal with health problems or other hardships.

Slaight Music President Gary Slaight noted that “In order to make a stronger community, people need to know that they can reach out in time of need.”

Music Canada CEO Graham Henderson (an organization which represents the big three national record labels, Universal, Warner Music Canada and Sony) noted his organization had provided capital funding of $250,000 and critical operating funding of $160,000 to help kick start Unison.

With more than 150  artists lending their collective voices to spotlight this initiative  and many national and provincial organizations, like SOCAN,CMPA, Canada Walk Of Fame, CMW, CCMA and CIMA actively spreading the word, Unison will prove to be a financial lifeline for needy people in Canada’s music industry.

Photo by Barry Roden.

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