Larry Leblanc to get a Juno - Boardhost

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LARRY LEBLANC TO BE HONOURED WITH WALT GREALIS
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE 2013 JUNO AWARDS

Renowned music industry journalist recognized for his decades of
contribution to the Canadian music industry

Toronto, ON (December 5, 2012) - The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is pleased to announce Larry LeBlanc as the recipient of the 2013 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, recognizing individuals who have made an impact on the Canadian music industry. LeBlanc will be honoured at the 2013 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, April 20 in Regina, SK.

"I'm proud to be honoured with the 2013 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award," LeBlanc says. "Walt Grealis gave me my start as a music industry journalist at RPM Music Weekly in the '60s. From those roots of Canadian music being a cottage enterprise, I've witnessed our domestic music industry being able to develop global superstars. I'm appreciative to have been along for the journey."

LeBlanc has covered Canadian music for five decades. He was Canadian bureau chief of Billboard magazine (1991-2007), the Canadian editor of Record World (1970-1980) and the co-founder of the late Canadian music trade, The Record (1981-1991). He is currently senior writer of the weekly American entertainment trade CelebrityAccess, overseeing the authoritative profile series, "In The Hot Seat." He also serves on the board of the Mariposa Folk Festival.

"Throughout his career, Larry has been instrumental in raising awareness of the Canadian music scene and Canadian artists," said Melanie Berry, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards. "His keen ear for great music and his passion for journalism have helped cultivate this country's thriving music industry."

LeBlanc began his career in music in the early '60s writing primarily on Canadian music artists for the Ajax News Advertiser, RPM Music Weekly, Canadian Teen, Teen Weekly, Hit Parader, and the Toronto Telegram.

"My first interview was with Ronnie Hawkins in the lobby of Le Coq D'Or club in downtown Toronto," he recalls.

LeBlanc has written for such international publications as Rolling Stone, Melody Maker, Crawdaddy, Zoo World, Circus, Guitar Player, and Zigzag, as well as the Muntz Tape Guide, Maclean's, and the Toronto Star. He has also been quoted on music-related issues in hundreds of publications, including Time, Forbes, the London Times, and the New York Times.

An accomplished broadcaster, LeBlanc has hosted radio shows on Q107, CKFM, and CJCL in Toronto, and worked extensively at CBC Radio, including time spent as a music producer for the "Morningside" and "Dayshift" shows.

LeBlanc has been a regular music commentator on CTV's "Canada AM" for 35 years and has been featured on CBC-TV, CTV, TVO, YTV, MuchMusic, MusiquePlus, MusiMax, Bravo, and Newsworld programs in Canada; as well as VH-1, and EEntertainment in the U.S.; and BBC 1, and BBC 2 in the U.K.

LeBlanc was the associate producer of the 1996 CARAS four-CD box set "Oh What A Feeling," and co-executive producer of its follow-up "Oh What A Feeling 2" in 2001. He is also the co-author of the 2011 CARAS book "Music From Far And Wide: Celebrating 40 Years Of The JUNO Awards."

For more information about the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, go to www.junoawards.ca.

The 42nd annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week will be held in Regina and Moose Jaw, SK, April 15 - April 21, 2013.

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Sponsors of the 2013 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters and The Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage's "Canada Music Fund," Radio Starmaker Fund, the Province of Saskatchewan, Potash Corporation, the City of Regina, the Regina Hotel Association, the City of Moose Jaw and TD Bank Group.

Broadcast sponsors of The 2013 JUNO Awards are Chevrolet, Garnier, TD and Virgin Mobile.

Web Links:
Official JUNO Awards website: www.junoawards.ca
CTV's JUNO Awards website: www.junos.ctv.ca
CARAS website: www.carasonline.ca
CTV website: www.ctv.ca

For more information on CARAS and the JUNO Awards, contact:

Adrienne Kakoullis
Holmes Creative Communications
(416) 628-5610
akakoullis@hccink.com
www.holmescreativecommunications.com

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