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Cris Derksen
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Obituaries: Acclaimed Cellist & Composer Cris Derksen Mourned by Canadian Musicians and Industry
Also this week: Bob Ezrin and others remember legendary rock producer Jack Douglas, tributes to Hamilton blues and rock bassist Bucky Buchanan and more.
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Cris Derksen, a renowned Indigenous cellist and composer, died in a car accident on May 15, at age 45. They were returning from their father's funeral near Slave Lake, Alberta.
An obituary in the Edmonton Journal reports that "Derksen was a beloved fixture on Canada’s classical and stringed music scene. Their style sometimes fused modern electronic sounds and Indigenous rhythms. Derksen was known as a generous mentor.
"Derksen hailed from the North Tallcree reserve in Northern Alberta, and their heritage was both in Cree and Mennonite traditions. They attended Victoria School for the Performing Arts in Edmonton and received a bachelor of music at UBC, where Derksen was principal cellist with the UBC Symphony Orchestra."
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In 2009, Derksen served as the curator in residence at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. They traveled and performed internationally including in Europe Mexico, Sweden, Australia and the United States. They performed with the Beat Nation Live Collective, Kanye West, Kinnie Starr, Tanya Tagaq, Rae Spoon, and traditional powwow groups.
Derksen’s website bio notes that "their unique sound began to take shape in 2006 when Derksen started performing with Tanya Tagaq, using multi-effect guitar pedals to make the cello more relatable and innovative. Their debut album, The Cusp, remains a staple on national radio and is frequently licensed for television and film.
"A staple of the Canadian Folk Fest circuit since 2007, Derksen has performed with a quartet and various indie rock bands. In 2016, they released Orchestral Powwow, blending symphonic elements with powwow music, a project performed with symphonies and arts festivals across Canada, marking their return to classical roots."
As a soloist-composer, Derksen performed with 15 different symphonies and chamber orchestras across Canada. They have been commissioned by prestigious ensembles such as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony and Orchestre Métropolitain.
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In 2022, Derksen was the composer for the Canadian Pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai, as well as in 2025 the World Expo in Osaka. Work on the podcast Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's by Connie Walker and Gimlet Media earned both a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award. In 2024 Derksen had their Carnegie Hall Debut performing with Orchestre Metropolitan and Yannick Nézet-Séguin with their piece Controlled Burn commissioned by Nézet-Séguin.
Derksen has worked with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and in 2026 wrote a 75 minute ballet Cikilaxwm: Controlled Burn for Ballet Kelowna with Indigenous choreographer Cameron Fraser-Monroe.
Derksen was also a dedicated advocate for diversity in classical music. They founded the Indigenous Classical Gathering at the Banff Centre for the Arts, served as the Artistic Advisor for the Calgary Philharmonib Orchestra and chaired the Equity Committee for Orchestras Canada. Through these roles, they strived to make classical music more reflective of Canada’s diverse population, opening doors for BIPOC composers and performers.
In 2009, Derksen told Exclaim!, "I don't really have a genre that I fully fit into, which I think is a good thing. I have a whole bunch of different audiences. I have an almost specifically Aboriginal audience, an indie queer audience and an older art-folk audience. As a musician, it's super helpful ― I can play a lot of different venues in the same city."
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In 2015, the Orchestral Powwow Project album of Derksen was produced in partnership with the independent record label Tribal Spirit Powwow. During the making of this album, Derksen utilized Tribal Spirit's library of powwow music as a resource and incorporated some of the traditional music found in this library in their project.
In 2019, the Art Gallery of Ontario commissioned Derksen to create a new choral work inspired by the Early Rubens exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Also in 2019, Derksen composed Maada’ookii Songlines, a choral work featuring 200 singers as part of the Luminato festival. Alongside Christine Tootoo and Jamie Griffiths, Derksen was part of a 2019 performance piece called Ikummagialiit, that was commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada as part of the Àbadakone exhibition on Indigenous art.
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Derksen released four acclaimed albums: The Cusp (2010), The Collapse (2013), Orchestral Powwow Project (2015) and The Visit (2025)
They also performed as the Cris Derksen Trio with drummer Jesse Baird and dancer Nimkii Osawamick, and her composition Maada’ookii Songlines was a choral piece incorporation 200 singers.
Over their career, Derksen received multiple awards nominations, including the Indigenous Music Awards, Juno Awards for instrumental album of the year, (for Orchestral Powwow Project), the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and Western Canadian Music Awards.
A performance by Derksen was scheduled for Sled Island festival in Calgary in June.
As news of Derksen's tragic passing spread, there was an outpouring of tributes musical colleagues and noted industry members.
Derksen’s booking agency, AIM, offered this tribute: "It is with profound, shattering sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of our dear friend, client, and visionary artist, Cris Derksen, following a car accident yesterday.
"To know Cris was to know a force of nature. They were fiercely authentic and deeply generous, and brought an uncompromising spirit to everything they touched. Their art was a reflection of their soul: poignant, powerful, grounded in heritage, and relentlessly innovative. At AIM, we are devastated by the loss of someone who was so much more than a client — we were family.
"We extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to her family, loved ones, the Indigenous arts community, and everyone moved by her incredible work.Thank you, Cris, for sharing your light, your fire, and your music with us. You left an indelible mark on this world, and your song will echo in our hearts forever."
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Friend and collaborator Tanya Tagaq posted this tribute on Instagram: "You've been part of my life for so long. You danced so hard you broke your foot, twice. I miss you already. All our crazy adventures. The music. You helped me when my daughter was injured. You were loyal and honest and so soft."
The Canadian Music Centre, on Facebook: "On behalf of the CMC team, I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Cris Derksen. Our hearts go out to Cris’ family, friends and all those who worked with them.
"I want to acknowledge the tremendous impact Cris has on contemporary music, through compositions and performances. They were a composer, a cellist, a mentor, a collaborator and a strong voice from the Indigenous classical community… inspiring and so much more. It felt like Cris' career was soaring with varying opportunities, such as a performance at Carnegie Hall of their work 'Controlled Burn' performed by l’Orchestre Métropolitan de Montréal. Soar onwards, Cris!"
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Kathleen Allan, artistic director of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and Chorus Niagara, issued a statement on Derksen's passing. "We are devastated by the loss of Cris Derksen. Cris was an extraordinary artist, visionary composer and deeply generous human being whose work had a way of exposing raw and difficult truths while leading with compassion, humanity, and hope. Their music challenged audiences to listen more deeply to one another and to the world around us, and to take meaningful action to create change beyond the concert stage.
"Working with Cris on the commissioning, premiere, and subsequent performance of Mass for Nîpîy: A Prayer for Water was one of the most transformative artistic experiences of my career and a defining moment for the Amadeus Choir community. What began as a work centred on Indigenous water sovereignty evolved, through Cris’s vision, into a universal call for collective responsibility, protection and care for one another and for the world we share. That message, and the spirit with which Cris carried it, remains more urgent and meaningful than ever.
"Just days before their passing, Cris joined the Amadeus Choir in Toronto for a landmark performance alongside Andrew Balfour and Sherryl Sewepagaham, a concert that at the time, many of us recognized as life-changing, and is now even more profound in retrospect. In the days since, our community has spoken again and again about the responsibility we now carry to ensure this music continues to be heard. We will carry Cris’s message forward with deep gratitude and a renewed passion for continuing their work.
"On May 25, I am scheduled to conduct selections from Mass for Nîpîy at Carnegie Hall. The entire concert will now be dedicated to Cris’s memory and presented in her honour. Though this loss is immeasurable, Cris’s voice will remain at the centre of this work, and their vision and music will continue to resonate far beyond that stage.."
Tpronto arts administrator, curator (The Music Gallery) and journalist David Dacks, on Facebook. "Processing the news of Cris Derksen's sudden passing. What a wonderful person they were. Their talent simply continued to unfold over the years and we won't know what would have come next (it's a good time to catch up with their recent album). They were a real pleasure to work with over the years in different capacities - always direct, insightful, professional and funny. My condolences to their family and friends. Rest in power, Cris."
Toronto music supporter Tina Cooper befriended Derksen when they worked with Cooper's husband, John Critchley. On Facebook, she posted: "Just devastated to learn Cris Derksen died in a car crash. Their lovely wife Rebecca is in critical condition. Cris has come to the studio here [Green Door Studio] to work with John on many projects over this last decade.
"They were nominated for a Juno together. They had an excellent studio shorthand. Cris was just in a few weeks ago recording magical music she composed for the Kelowna Ballet: Cikilaxʷm: Controlled Burn.
"Cris was so humble and excited about the incredible press they were receiving. It was fun to see. We recently took John 's and my daughter Cooper to see the TSO perform her piece for The Art Of Healing Program in collaboration with CAMH.
"It was incredible. We were so proud to be there. John was consistently blown away by their immense talent and imagination. I had come to consider Cris a friend. I will miss seeing them on dog walks in the neighbourhood and in the backyard. The world will miss their singular contributions. Close friends and family, her musical collaborators will miss their sweet ways and profound love and care. We are so sad for everyone."
In a Facebook post, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra stated "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Alberta composer, cellist, and collaborator Cris Derksen. Today, we are resharing 'War Cry', a powerful work she performed at the Winspear Centre alongside Cris' wife, vocalist Rebecca Benson, as part of the ESO’s Love Is A Battlefield concert.
"Most recently, Cris' music was also featured as part of Love Letters to Alberta earlier this season. Cris’ work carried strength, emotion, and connection, leaving a lasting impact on audiences, musicians, and communities across the country .Our hearts are with Cris’ family, friends, collaborators, and the wider music community mourning this tremendous loss. Cris' voice and music will continue to resonate far beyond the stage.
Noted Indigenous music industry ambassador Elaine Bomberry, on Facebook: "Was always a fun time running into Cris Derksen over the years, sharing giggles and warm hugs, and giving each other the thumbs up. We are forever grateful for your beautiful & soulful music, which will live on forever & will inspire future generations of classical musicians."
Colin Bruce "Bucky" Buchanan, an award-winning veteran blues bassist from Hamilton, has died at age 75.
He was a very popular member of the music community in Hamilton, where he worked with such local luminaries as King Biscuit Boy and Dave Rave and in such groups as Tim Gibbons & the Swampbusters and The Lowdown Dirty Mojos.
In its tribute, Hamilton music history website Steelore reported that "throughout his career Buchanan would play with a variety of artists. King Biscuit Boy, a hometown legend, would take Bucky on the road with him as well as have him in the recording studio for Biscuit’s album Mouth Of Steel in 1984."
He was featured on Everyday Magic, a 2003 solo album by Dave Rave (The Shakers and Teenage Head), and he frequently played in blues-rockers TG & The Swampbusters. In 2021 he recorded with another Hamilton band, the Lowdown Dirty Mojos, on their album Stone Cold Groovers. That album helped the group win the 2022 Maple Blues Award for new artist /group of the year.
Lowdown Dirty Mojos co-founder Paul Wootton tells Billboard Canada that "Bucky also played on two tracks of our first album Screamin’ Hoodoos. Steve and I didn’t have a band for the album, so we used six or seven different Hamilton bass players on it. Bucky was our original bass player once we formed a band and he played on our second album ,Stone Cold Groovers.
"We did a lot of travelling gigs with Bucky. He brought us the Huey Piano Smith song, 'High Blood Pressure' for our last and fourth album LUCKY 7. An anecdote for you: Bucky told me many many times, he just wanted to live longer than Keith Richards."
On Facebook, Steelore called Buchanan "a fountain of music knowledge. He would educate and amuse those around him with road stories, most passionately about his time with King Biscuit Boy. Our sincere sympathy to his family and friends. His passing is a great loss to the Hamilton music community."
Blues singer Corey Lueck (Smoke Wagon Blues Band) posted this tribute on Facebook: "There are a lot of egos in this business, and compared to the rest of the country Hamilton blues dogs had attitude, good attitude! The first time I saw Bucky Buchanan on stage I think was with The Little Red Rooster Blues Band in the village and he had that attitude. This guy was in the blues pocket and having a good f*&& n time!"
"He pinch hit for us a few times in our really early days with The Wagon and we always had an absolute blast followed by a party of course! After I got to know Bucky I'd say he was the most lovable guy on the Hamilton scene, always so encouraging to us young guys at the time. Sometimes I'd be on bills with all these older Hamilton cats that I didn't know very well with anxiety creeping, and Bucky would walk in the green room and put a smile on my face! He would always take me aside from the crowd, give me a compliment and encourage me to keep on keeping on. Those things stick with you forever.!
"Not that awards matter in this town but I'm glad he won a Maple Blues award a few years ago, because not enough unsung Hamilton legends like Buck get the credit they deserve. I will forever remember Buck in that big bad blues pocket with that big devilish shit-eating grin on his face. Condolences to all Bucky Buchanan's life long friends and band mates. I'm lucky to have been his friend."
Dave Rave passed on this tribute to Billboard Canada: "Bucky met us when we were playing with The Shakers in Grimsby ,Ontario, after a show. It was a colorful way to meet him and we all became great friends immediately. Over the years I performed with Bucky with Tim Gibbons, Claude DesRoches and Dan Gibbons.
"Bucky played with soul and inhabited the true spirit of the blues as he was part of sthe chool that nursed Crowbar, King Biscuit Boy, Trickbag and the Swampbusters. On my 2003 album, Everyday Magic, employed Bucky, Tim Gibbons ,Claude DesRoches and Rick Andrew to perform on my songs to get that authentic blues sound. And Bucky kept it real and on target. I'm so grateful for his help. He was one of kind. Hamilton's own Keith Richards with a hearty laugh and big smile. He will be missed by everyone forever. Hats off to you Bucky,"
Hamilton rockers Rocket & The Renegades, to Billboard Canada: "Bucky Buchanan played one of our first shows, at Homegrown Hamillton in 2015. We met through Richard Newell years before . Always a big smile and lots of encouragement. He cheered us on when we played outdoors in Niagara Falls and even made it to our video shoot for 'Born in the Hammer. '
"He was also in a band with Rick Prinsthal back in the day called Sweaty Betty. He had a loving personality and was a friend to many."
International
Jack Douglas, one of the most successful rock record producers in history, died on May 11, at age 80.
A Billboard obituary calls Douglas "a legend who worked on such landmark albums as Patti Smith's Radio Ethiopia, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy and Aerosmith's Get Your Wings.
"Douglas carved a wide, impressive swath through rock in his prime, working on a number of Aerosmith’s most beloved, multi-platinum 1970s LPs, including 1974’s Get Your Wings, 1975’s Toys in the Attic (which featured signature hits 'Sweet Emotion' and 'Walk This Way') and 1976’s Rocks, as well as 1980s' John Lennon and Yoko Ono Grammy-winning album Double Fantasy and Patti Smith’s 1976 album Radio Ethiopia."
"Born in the Bronx on Nov. 6, 1945, Douglas began his music career as a folk musician in the early 1960s and spent time as a songwriter working on Robert F. Kennedy’s 1964 senatorial campaign before pivoting to studio work at the then-new Record Plant in Manhattan. He quickly rose from janitor to working behind the boards and engineering albums by everyone from the New York Dolls to Alice Cooper, Miles Davis, Montrose, Mountain and the Who."
Douglas had befriended John Lennon during the 1971 recording of Lennon's Imagine solo album in 1971. That relationship led to Douglas producing the 1980 album of Lennon and wife Yoko Ono’s fifth album, Double Fantasy, released just prior to Lennon's murder in December of that year.
In addition to his long relationship with Aerosmith, Douglas also had a years-long association with Cheap Trick, helming some of their most beloved albums, including their 1977 debut, their landmark 1978 Live At Budokan album (and Budokan II), as well as 1980s Found All the Parts, 1985’s Standing on the Edge, 2003’s Special One and 2006’s Rockford.
Billboard reports that "throughout the 1970s and 80s, Douglas worked on albums by Blue Öyster Cult, Starz, the Joe Perry Project, Alice Cooper, The Knack, Graham Parker and, infamously, the Bee Gees/Peter Frampton soundtrack to the disastrous 1978 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band movie musical."
Douglas kept working throughout the 80s and into the new millennium, helming projects by Zebra, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s side project, Snake Pit, as well as grunge-adjacent bands Local H and Clutch. He also reunited with Aerosmith in 2004 for their blues covers album, Honkin’ on Bobo, and then again on their most recent album of originals, 2012’s Music From Another Dimension.
In 2012, Douglas contributed to a Bob Dylan tribute album On his Facebook page, Douglas noted that "I produced Joe Perry's track, 'Man Of Peace,' and also got to play drums. Engineer Warren Huart did his usual great job and in addition played some mean rhythm guitar." When Perry played the song on The Tonight Show, Douglas was in the sound booth.
Over the course of his long and illustrious career, Douglas also worked with some Canadian artists and producers. Heading that list is another superstar rock producer, Torontonian Bob Ezrin, the man behind classic albums by the likes of Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed and many more.
Ezrin actually played a crucial role in boosting Jack Douglas' career early on.
When contacted by Billboard Canada, Ezrin recalls that "Jack Douglas was a brilliant producer and engineer; musical, insightful and decisive and masterful in dealing with talented people.
"We spent several years in the '70s working side by side at Record Plant studios in New York when he was an engineer on my projects, but I quickly recognized the potential in him to do what I was doing. So, I encouraged him to make the transition from staff engineer to independent producer. To start, we co-produced albums with [Canadian blues-rock band] Crowbar and Sha Na Na and then, when I was asked to produce Aerosmith’s second album, I put him forward as the producer on the project with me as executive producer.
"I knew that Jack had the perfect personality and talent to do that job and I believed in him wholeheartedly. The result was fantastically successful and helped launch his career as one of the most important record producers of all time. The world has lost a major music maker and a good man and I am deeply saddened by his passing. He will be sorely missed."
One of Douglas' early projects was with Hamilton blues-rock band Crowbar, producing their 1973 album, KE 32746. As reported in Record Plant Diaries, ”Bob Ezrin suggested that Douglas go to Toronto and refine his producing abilities. 'So this was my out of town opening, and I produced a band called Crowbar and the album went Platinum,' recalled Douglas.' Did I know what I was doing, no, but I was able to make as many mistakes as I possibly could. No one knew it. The album sold well. It was a big album in Canada. When I came back to New York, I was asked to produce Aerosmith’s second album, which ended up being Get Your Wings.'"
Douglas also had a key role in the success of '70s rock band Harlequin, for instance. When the Winnipeg band began recording demos and travelling to Toronto to perform in the local bars and clubs, they were discovered by representatives of Jack Douglas.
The story goes that these two individuals tried to see another band in a larger Toronto bar downstairs, but could not gain admittance due to a sell-out crowd, but saw Harlequin instead. Douglas helped get Harlequin signed to CBS/Epic Records in 1979, and later that year that band released their first LP, Victim of a Song. Those two individuals, Lachlan MacFadyen and Kent Dobney, were the producers of that album and Douglas was listed as the record's executive producer. It went Gold, and received heavy radio play, particularly in Western Canada.
For the next two albums, Douglas acted as producer. The band's second release, Love Crimes (1980), yielded two hits, "Thinking of You" and "Innocence," the group's biggest hit to date. Harlequin's third album, One False Move (1982), contained two more hits, "Superstitious Feeling" and "I Did It for Love."
Before becoming one of Canada's most important booking agents, Ralph James (now senior vice-president at Paquin Artists Agency) was a member of Harlequin. He offers Billboard Canada this tribute: "It was a dream come true for Harlequin to have the opportunity to work with Jack Douglas. He was remarkably down to earth for a superstar producer and made us feel comfortable in pre-production and relaxed when we nervously arrived in Record Plant Studios in NYC.
"He had a way of focusing on our strengths as individuals and as a band, brought clarity to the arrangements, and his experience as an engineer delivered a quality to the recordings that remarkably stand the test of time 45 years later. He kept it simple with the bed tracks & keyboard parts and drew out great performances by vocalist George Belanger and guitarist Glen Willows, who wrote / co-wrote the band’s best material. Jack's contribution to rock music was truly phenomenal!"
On Facebook, George Belanger posted this tribute: "RIP Jack Douglas. Jack was a real renaissance man. He had many skills and talents, and you only had to work with him for a few minutes to discover them. He loved music and anyone who made it! He took his work seriously, had impeccable timing, and used humor to lighten the mood when things bogged down.
"He lived a great life, and I can guarantee that none of it was boring! His mind was always active and likely many steps ahead of anyone else’s thought process. He was patient when it was required and inspiring when necessary. May he rest in peace surrounded by some great Rock N Roll music for eternity! Loved the man!"
Another hit Canadian rock band who worked with Douglas were The Trews. They posted this Facebook tribute: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jack Douglas. One of the greatest record producers of all time and one that we were lucky enough to get to work with on our second album, Den of Thieves.
"Jack was a colourful and out-of-the-box thinker with an amazing charm and wit. He had a big influence on how that record turned out. Check out this promo video that we did for DOT back in the day for a small glimpse of that. As for us, we’ll be cranking Toys In the Attic, Rocks, Cheap Trick, Double Fantasy and the first Dolls album on repeat in his honour. R.I.P. Jack."
Hamilton rock 'n roller Dave Rave (Teenage Head, The Shakers) collaborated with The Trews and Jack Douglas on that album. On Facebook, Rave recalled that "I met Jack when he was working with The Trews. I had the honor of co writing with him on one of the songs, along with Jon Angus MacDonald, Colin Kirk MacDonald and Jack Syperek." Rave adds to Billboard Canada that "Jack was a beautiful man and really supportive of The Trews."
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