Massey Hall's Deane Cameron Studio Pledges Now Total $1.1M.
Friends of the late Canadian music executive Deane Cameron have collectively raised $1.1M to build a recording studio in his name that is set on the 7th floor of Toronto’s Massey Hall's newly built Allied Music Centre.
By FYI Staff
Friends of the late Canadian music executive Deane Cameron have collectively raised $1.1M to build a recording studio in his name that is set on the 7th floor of Toronto’s Massey Hall's newly built Allied Music Centre.
The new addition is part of the centennial hall’s $186.5M restoration and redevelopment as a music hub in the city and is expected to open later this year.
The campaign to raise funds for the studio component was organized by close friends Tim Trombley and David Munns–both former colleagues of Cameron’s when he was president of Capitol-EMI Canada.
Leading the way on the studio initiative was Gary Slaight with a very generous donation, and together with Slaight Music President Derrick Ross, they spearheaded a remarkable grassroots letter-writing initiative to their closest friends and colleagues. The response was well-received, and the donations poured in from a cross-section of Slaight’s well-heeled Canadian music industry friends that include Darren Throop, Rob Steele, Derrick Ross & Jen Walsh, Chris Taylor Family, Gil Moore, Steve Kane, Shane Carter, Randy Lennox, Donald Tarlton, Ray Danniels & Rush, Jeffrey Latimer, Sarah McLachlan School of Music, Geoff Mann & Kenna Danyliw, Universal Music, and Nettwerk Music Group. Combined, these donations alone accounted for over half of the overall Deane Cameron Recording Studio Campaign total.
Others named include Tom MacMillan who stepped in as interim CEO of the Hall and generously supported the campaign, alongside countless other donors and supporters of the project. Donations are still being accepted and can be made here.
“Deane had a remarkable ability to connect people through his passion for music, so it is especially fitting that his community of friends and colleagues have joined together to invest in a space named in his honour where artists at all levels of their careers will record their art,” said Jesse Kumagai, President & CEO Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall in a statement Wednesday. “We are grateful for the generosity demonstrated by all supporters of the Deane Cameron Recording Studio, and especially moved by the leadership of David Munns, Tim Trombley, Derrick Ross, and Gary Slaight whose support for the Massey Hall Revitalization has been transformational.”
Separately, co-chairs Tim Trembley and David Munns jointly stated: “Deane would be humbled, but very appreciative, for the outpouring of support for the Deane Cameron Recording Studio project. It is inspiring to know that so many from the community and from the industry have come forward to contribute both to his legacy and to this vital artist development resource as part of Allied Music Centre & Massey Hall’s expansion and revitalization.”
The Massey Hall Revitalization Project marks the most significant restoration, revitalization, and re-imagination of Massey Hall in its 128-year history, which includes a remarkably restored Allan Slaight Auditorium, and the construction of a 7-storey tower to the south, collectively known as Allied Music Centre. The expansion means Allied Music Centre will house four venues that include Massey Hall and other amenities for artists, educators, and community groups.
On May 16, 2019, the music industry mourned the loss of one of its greatest music champions. Deane Cameron started in the warehouse at EMI Music Canada in 1971, working his way to the top, becoming President in 1988 where he remained at the helm until 2012, leaving an indelible mark on Canadian culture. In 2015, Cameron took over as President & CEO of the Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall to drive the most significant revitalization in Massey Hall’s history.
