I stumbled upon Andy Kim's web site a while ago and have come to appreciate a forgotten gem in Canadian rock. About a year ago, I even took in one of his concerts.
The one thing that struck me during Andy Kim's Christmas Special, which took place at the Mod Club Theatre in Toronto on Friday, December 2nd, 2005, was the sheer diversity of the guests who took part. And not just in style, but in age as well. Is this a renaissance of sorts for Andy Kim? You bet it is.
Let me begin with a refresher in the school of Andy Kim. At the tender age of 16, with nothing but desire and raw talent in his pockets, Kim left his native Montreal for New York City in the late '60s in search of stardom. Many Canadians found themselves in the same predicament as Kim, as there was no Canadian music industry to speak of. In this light, Andy Kim is a true Canadian rock trailblazer.
Along with Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Guess Who and The Band, Andy Kim was part of a small but dynamic Canadian contingent that found fame in the United States. All have left an undeniable mark on the rock' n roll landscape. Not bad for Crazy Canucks, eh?
With 30 million records sold, countless tours in the United States and a rock anthem under his belt - "Sugar, Sugar" was recently inducted into the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame - Andy Kim has returned.
While Toronto and New York have welcomed him back, his native Montreal has ironically remained cool to his comeback. Far from keeping Andy Kim down, he will force people to notice him as he did when Jeff Barry discovered in him over 35 years ago.
This brings us back to the concert. In a sleek black suit, Kim kicked off the evening with a rousing rendition of "Rock me Gently" - a song that brought him a Juno Award in 1974. From that point forward, the tone and mood of the night were set. If there were any among the 550 plus people in attendance who were skeptical, he quickly made them a believer.
This set the stage for an impressive list of Canadian artists to showcase their music. The group included Esthero, Hayden Neale of Jacksoul, Shaye, The Hidden Cameras, Andy Stochansky, Danny Michel, Blair Packham and Jully Black.
Ron Sexsmith who performed and co-wrote "What Ever Happened to Christmas" alongside Kim also treated fans to a special guest appearance.
Article comments
1 - Vern Halen
Ahhhh.. but did he play "Rainbow Ride," one of the greatest single pieces of forgotten power pop of all time? A real gem - just barely dented the charts, if I remember correctly.
2 - alessandro nicolo
Interesting way to put it. I simply can't remember if he performed it. I know he tends to play his hits in the States. I think that was his first quasi-major show in Canada. 'How did we ever get this way' is a cool one for me. The guy can rock.
3 - Vern Halen
Baby How'd We Ever Get This Way - I totally forgot about that one! Yep, he had some good material, fer shure.
4 - Sharon Hopkins
I've seen Andy perform "the Oldies" and he always brings down the house. He's awesome! But his new CD "I Forgot To Mention" shows just how "today" his music is. His "Whatever Happened To Christmas" is poignant, thoughtful and terrific. He is still "The Voice".
5 - alessandro nicolo
Sharon, you're right. He does, doesn't he? That's why I made the Bennett reference. Whatever happened to christmas is his latest work - did you know it was written and composed with Ron Sexsmith? If you haven't heard of him it's time you do! Give him a listen.
6 - Larry Killam
Even though I'm into Country now and write my own songs.Andy Kim will always be my Pop Rock idol.My favorite was Shoot E'm Up Baby because it was the first song I ever heard of his.Rock Me Gently,Sugar Sugar,So Good Together,Be My Baby,Rainbow Ride,Baby How'd We Ever Get this Way,Baby I Love You.Andy is finally on My Space.No matter what Andy sang they were all #1s to me.I love the new Christmas song.I have been looking for his old Lps forever it seems.I came across one at a yard sale and pass it up because it was scratched.Kicking myself in the rear I should of bought it for the cover alone.What really gets me I can't find His cds in stores.I have I Forgot To Mention.But I'm talking about all those old songs.I can find stuff from way back like Al jolson but just try to find Andy Kim.Try to find his songs from the 60's and 70's.I'm trying to find his songs on karaoke but the only song I came up with is Rock Me Gently.When I mention Andy Kim people think I mean Andy Gibb.I told them no then I name his songs and then they know who I'm talking about.He even had a big hit under Baron Longfellow called Amour.CKPC our local radio station plays Andy kim a lots.I think there must be someone there who is a fan too.I seen Ron Sexsmith last summer in Hamilton.(;AWESOME COLLAB RON & ANDY;)Andy great to see you on My Space.Your My Space Bro.~(;Yrral Mallik;)~(;Larry Killam;)
7 - Jeff
Hi Can anyone tell me where I might find the sheet music for Rock Me Gently? Does anyone know if another artist covered this song? Thanks