Ian Tyson
“My friend Tom phoned me up and asked me if I'd do it. I said "Sounds like a fun deal, a good project, and it'll help country music out here." I said "Count me in.” I love the region, I cowboyed here 45 years ago, around this lake. It's always had a soft spot in my heart.“
Inducted in 1989
Michelle Wright
“I was so happy to hear that I was going to sing Take It Like A Man with Jess Moskaluke, who is one of our great Canadian voices, and such a beautiful young lady. I remember watching Jess when she was just young, coming up, and working really hard at building her following on YouTube and just singing with this wonderful voice. This is a little gal, young lady, who's about to get married, so she's a woman now, that worked very hard, very hard to have the kind of career that she has - Three time Female Vocalist of the Year and selling gold records and doing magnificent. So I was really thrilled to hear that Jess and I were going to sing together. And of course the line up of other artists is kind of mind-blowing really. Since I've been here recording they've been playing little snippets of everybody and it's just wonderful.”
Murray McLauchlan
“I think it's important to recognize the artists for what they're able to achieve. It's quite a difficult way to make it through life, really. It's not a job, it's a vocation. With most artists, they fail a great deal more than they ever succeed, and they get rejected a lot more than they get accepted. I think it does a lot to affirm a positive reflection on their personalities when they are recognized so I think it's a great idea.”
Inducted in 2016
Russell deCarle
“Things like the Hall of Fame are great because it kinda keeps that stuff alive. You know, most of us are still doing it right, we're still out there doing shows and working like the young guys. It's nice that it showcases some older people along with the younger talent.”
Inducted in 2008
Wendell Ferguson
“I think it's exposing yesteryear's stars to a new generation but it's also allowing today's generation of stars to hitch their wagon to a star that's gone before them. It's a passing of the torch kind of thing. It's like "You're the next generation, this is the old generation moving out." I think it's just a great time to do it, it really is.”
Inducted in 2014
Gary Fjellgaard
I immediately thought "Boy am I glad they picked me as one of the participants," because I think it's a glorious idea and a great opportunity to further the concept of joining an old guy and an old girl with a young guy or young girl and having them team up - perfect... Then and Now.
Inducted in 2005
Family Brown
“I think that people respect that you want to pay tribute to those artists from the past, as well as looking forward to new artists in the future. To me, that's what this album is all about.”
Inducted in 1997
Beverley Mahood
“Wow I know I will definitely feel like I'm one lucky girl. The people that I've got to be around and sing with and perform with and from the musicians to the recording engineers to the producers, to our Canadian fabric, to the people who have laid it down for us and paved the way for us. I will look back and know that I was a lucky girl.”
Brett Kissel
"This is a great legacy piece to pay tribute to the incredible songs and the incredible artists that have paved the way for newcomers like myself to the Canadian country music business."
Gord Bamford
“I grew up loving all old country music and still love it and all the great legends. To be part of this is a great opportunity, something I'm proud to be a part of. It was great to see Ian Tyson walk in the room here today, had a little chat with him, haven't seen him in a while. These are the legends of country music. Just great to be asked to do it.”
Jess Moskaluke
“Man I was thrilled. I was just thinking I can't believe I get to sing on the same mic as Michelle because I've been fortunate enough that Michelle and I have spent some time together and I've got to know and love her as a friend as well. So to have the opportunity to sing with her, a song that I love as well - I was thrilled.”
Aaron Pritchett
“I think this is something that is you know when I heard this is happening I wanted to be part of it, first of all because these people need to be honoured. They're living legends. You get the Patricia Conroys and the Michelle Wrights, Ian obviously, and Murray McLaughlin. All these great singer-song writers over the years who have worked so hard to entertain, really that's what it's all about. They all did a really great job and they should be honoured.”
Patricia Conroy
“These are my family. Country music in Canada is one big happy family. I mentor lots of young artists. I was mentored myself. It's generational and it needs to be respected and remembered and celebrated. That's what we're doing with this CD.”
The Washboard Union
“It's incredible, I mean this is a song we absolutely love. We've played it live for a little while now and this song has a cool story behind it too. This song goes back to 1968. Tony Hazard wrote this song and it was reinterpreted by The Country Gentleman. The blue grass edition was made famous by The Good Brothers. We've been looking forward to this day for weeks. To be in the room, to be making music with these guys, and playing along and singing with them, it's the thrill of a lifetime, it's what we play music for.”
Tom McKillip and Carly McKillip
“The story behind this record is truly personal. It started as a 'what if' moment around a kitchen table and tok on a life of its own. For us to work together as producers on a project like this is full circle - a uniquely 'then and now' experience.” - Tom McKillip
