The Denise Levertov Award with Bruce Cockburn

Posted on: December 7, 2014 by: adminsuper

April 28, 2015: UPDATE: Photos from the event from Image Journal’s Facebook page

April 23 2015 Fremont Abbey, Seattle, WA
Bruce Cockburn: The Flow of Love – published by SeattleDailyPhotoVid

Bruce was the recipient of the 12th Annual Denise Levertov Award given by Image, a quarterly journal of the arts and faith, and Seattle Pacific University. Bruce performed a short and splendid set before a small, very appreciative audience. They were then treated to a question and answer segment that ranged from his art and life and his recent memoir to the state of the world and Canadian perceptions of the USA. This short clip is the first question from that session.

Bruce Cockburn - Fremont Abbey - Denise Levertov Award - April 2015 - Photo Daniel Keebler — Bruce Cockburn – Fremont Abbey – Denise Levertov Award – April 2015 – Photo Daniel Keebler

21 December 2014 – An evening of music and celebration.

For twenty-five years, the literary journal Image has been a showcase of contemporary art inspired by faith. Image and its suite of programs (including two annual seven-day workshops for artists, writing fellowships, and seminars) deepen the wisdom, compassion, and cultural engagement in our world by enabling communities to draw more fully on the virtues of art and imagination.

Image’s Denise Levertov Award is named for one of the twentieth century’s greatest poets. Levertov, who spent her last years in Seattle, embraced the landscape and culture of the Pacific Northwest. Her identity as a Christian believer–a pilgrim whose faith was inextricably entwined with doubt–became another important facet of her work, particularly in her later poetry. The Levertov Award is presented annually in the spring to an artist or creative writer whose work exemplifies a serious and sustained engagement with the Judeo-Christian tradition.

David Suzuki’s National Blue Dot Tour

Posted on: July 24, 2014 by: adminsuper

27 July 2014 – So by now you may have heard of David Suzuki’s National Blue Dot Tour. I’m proud to say that Bruce Cockburn will be joining David in Concert in Edmonton at the Winspear Theatre on October 28. This won’t be the first time Bruce has been involved in a show with David as about 10 years ago or perhaps even longer, they did a show together in Ottawa. [poster below]

The Blue Dot tour has an incredible number of great Canadian artists playing in different cities along the way including Neil Young, Feist, The Barenaked Ladies and Jim Cuddy. Check your local market to see who’s playing in your hometown or a town near you. Also attached is a postcard that will alllow to join the Blue Dot Movement and find out more about the event. ~ Bernie Finkelstein

Bruce Cockburn Receives Honorary Degree from Carleton University

Posted on: June 13, 2014 by: adminsuper

12 June 2014 – Carleton University today conferred a Doctor of Music, honoris causa, on Bruce Cockburn in recognition of an outstanding career in music, along with a commitment to voicing environmental, First Nations and social causes.

Bruce Cockburn - Carleton University - Honorary Doctor of Music - 14 June 2014 — Bruce Cockburn – Carleton University – Honorary Doctor of Music – 14 June 2014

“Communication must become everybody’s thing,” said Cockburn. “It doesn’t matter whether you are a scientist, a journalist, a painter, a nurse, a cop or an accordion player–we have to be able to hear and see each other’s reality.”

Cockburn was honoured during Convocation for the Faculty of Engineering and Design, some of the 3,359 undergraduates and 782 graduate students receiving their degrees over four days of ceremonies.

“Being prepared has to include the notion of teamwork, of community and of mutual support,” said Cockburn. “And as valuable as this support may be in the event of a disaster, it is also vital in the day-to-day we currently move through.”

BRUCE COCKBURN RECEIVES Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award – video

Posted on: May 29, 2014 by: adminsuper

29 May 2014 – Bruce Cockburn has been honoured with the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award on May 7, 2014, at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala in Toronto, during Canadian Music Week. Throughout his forty year-plus career, Bruce has expressed his core beliefs through his songs, philanthropy, social activism and support for humanitarian causes. This is evident in songs like “If I Had A Rocket Launcher“, “Call It Democracy” and “Lovers In A Dangerous Time“, his activism alongside The David Suzuki Foundation, Amnesty International, OXFAM, Friends of the Earth and others, along with his performances in aid of such groups as UNICEF, Bring Leonard Peltier Home, and Music Without Borders.

This honour, following a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, an Order of Canada induction and 13 Juno Awards, including being named the Sustainability Ambassador for the 2013 JUNO Awards, Is an expression of the respect that Bruce has earned both nationally and internationally, as he continues to “kick at the darkness, till it bleeds daylight.”

Here is the video of Bruce receiving this award and his speech .. do give it a listen.
“There’s only one boat and we’re all in it together.”

[ direct link ]

Related Links:

Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce acclaimed Canadian music icon Bruce Cockburn as the 2014 recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award.

Bruce Cockburn | Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award

Posted on: May 7, 2014 by: adminsuper

Canadian Music Week

May 2014 – Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce acclaimed Canadian music icon Bruce Cockburn as the 2014 recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award. The award – bestowed to the singer/songwriter in recognition of his social activism and benevolent support of humanitarian interests and causes – will be presented in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala held during Canadian Music Week 2014.

“My Father Allan and I have both respected Bruce Cockburn as an artist and humanist since his early coffeehouse days,” said Gary Slaight. ”His philanthropy and compassion for charitable issues is commendable and something all of us should strive to emulate – even if on a personal level. Bruce has long been deserving of such an award and recognition, and we are thrilled to see his efforts honoured this year.as the recipient of the Allan Slaight humanitarian award.”

“It seems to me that if we accept that it’s appropriate to love our neighbour, whether as people of faith or as people just trying to live well, then we all need to do whatever we can to look out for that neighbour’s welfare,” said Bruce Cockburn. ”I’m very honoured to be chosen as the recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award. I hope the existence of the award will help to inspire ever greater numbers of people in the music community to throw their support behind the many ongoing efforts to make this world better.”

Bruce Cockburn is living in Frisco

Posted on: May 6, 2014 by: adminsuper

May 6, 2014 – These days Bruce Cockburn has settled in San Francisco. For a long-wandering troubadour, it’s a good place to land.

The climate is pretty nice and his wife and child live there too.

That doesn’t mean he’s not touring these days. In fact, the Ottawa-raised singer-songwriter is headed to his hometown in support of a poet.

There is a move afoot to restore the Ontario home of the late poet Al Purdy as a writers’ retreat. The home is in Prince Edward County.

So, Saturday night at Library and Archives Canada, Cockburn will perform in an event that is part of the Spur Festival of art, culture and ideas.

“Al Purdy was a fantastic poet,” said Cockburn. “It’s just nice to be able to be part of anything that has something to do with him.”

Cockburn has a large playbook from which he can draw.

“I have more fun playing whatever is newest usually. Sometimes I have fun discovering a new way of doing an old song that’s more enjoyable. It is the case that people want to hear certain songs. They need to get some of what they want.

But you couldn’t do a show that would offer ony the oldies. You have to mix it up.”

For the Purdy benefit he is just doing a few songs, he says. “I may chose wordier ones because it’s a poetry thing.”

When he thinks of the Purdy project, Cockburn is a bit envious.

“I’d love to have a retreat, but I don’t have any time to retreat anywhere.”

One reason for that is Cockburn, who turns 69 later this month, is the father of a two-year-old girl. And “she is lively.”

Cockburn remarried a few years ago and his wife is American. For a while they lived in New York, but his spouse got a job in San Francisco and the move happened. But he did spend some time commuting from the east to the west by car, no less.

“I liked the drive. I did so much driving across Canada in the ‘80s, I kind of missed it.” But eventually he made the move.

Bruce Cockburn lends his voice to the Collateral Damage Project

Posted on: April 28, 2014 by: adminsuper

Excerpt from: Huffintonpost.ca By Jason MacNeil

November 13, 2014 – Cockburn also continues to lend his voice and name to causes he feels strongly about. Earlier this year, he became involved with the Collateral Damage Project, a cause concerning suicide rates among men in Native or First Nations communities. Cockburn was approached by the organization’s founder Scott Chisholm about bringing awareness to the organization and doing a Public Service Announcement regarding it.

For a long time when I was younger all the people I knew who died were suicides,” he says. “There weren’t that many, maybe half a dozen people I was acquainted with who killed themselves. I’m not sure if I totally agree with the negativity of suicide if you are a cancer victim or if you’re terminally ill with anything and looking forward to years of suffering. As long as it doesn’t come back on your family.

“The big problem with suicide is in all but those circumstances it’s a terribly selfish act. Some of that made it seem like something to get involved with. And, of course, in the Native communities where suicide is a huge social issue, not just a matter of individuals, it’s kind of epidemic. So there’s a real point to try to head it off in that setting too.”