Bruce Cockburn

Is it really fifty years ago that Bruce Cockburn’s first album came out ?     

Indeed it is.    His eponymous titled album which included “Going To The Country” and “Musical Friends” was released on April 7, 1970.   Coincidently it was also the first album released by True North records.    TN 1 was it’s catalogue number.     

Although mostly recorded in late 1969 the first album hit the stores and airwaves in 1970 and started the long long journey that continues to this day.

Here’s what Bruce has to say:

“In 1969, when I was feeling the need to record an album of the songs I’d been writing, I had no concept of what that might lead to. Not unusual for a young person I guess. In some organic way it felt like it was time. The future wasn’t really an issue. It still isn’t. For each of us, there’s a future or there isn’t. But looking back over the arc of fifty years of recording, performing, and travel, not to mention relationships and personal challenges, I can only shake my head and mutter a word of thanks for all of it. Even if I’d been a planner by nature, I doubt I could have predicted how things have gone. And they’re still going!”

Bruce has now released 34 albums and played thousands of concerts around the world, something that he continues to do to this day.

Bruce’s songs have been covered by many artists including Jimmy Buffet, kd Lang, Barenaked Ladies, Hawksley Workman, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray, Elbow,  Mary Balin, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins,  The Rankin Family, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, and on and on.

The 50th Anniversary Shows will have Bruce doing songs from each decade that he’s made  records in:  60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010,s and who knows, maybe even the 2020’s.