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Carole Vivier
FYI
Obituaries: Remembering Manitoba Film & Music Head Carole Vivier, Punk Pioneer Brian James of The Damned
We also acknowledge the passing of jazz-soul legend Roy Ayers, Dolly Parton's husband Carl Dean and R&B singer D'Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Tone!
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Carole Vivier, the former longtime CEO and Film Commissioner of Manitoba Film & Music and an Order of Canada recipient, died on March 4, at age 73, of lung cancer.
On its website, Manitoba Film & Music (MFM) posted this obituary and tribute: "It is with deep sadness that Manitoba Film & Music (MFM) has learned of the passing of Carole Vivier. Carole began working at MFM in 1985 and served as the agency’s CEO & film commissioner for 26 years (1993-2019). She was a passionate champion of Manitoba’s film and music sectors, and her contributions are truly immeasurable.
"When Carole took the helm at MFM she was determined to make the province a film and music hub. She lobbied the provincial government and eventually pioneered the first film tax credit in Western Canada. Always looking ahead, Carole also had the foresight to offer additional incentives including a frequent filming bonus to attract repeat clients to Manitoba.
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"Thanks in large part to Carole’s tenacity and innovative spirit, film production in the province grew from $12 million in the early 90s to over $269 million in 2019. Under her leadership, the province attracted high-profile productions including Channel Zero, Heaven is for Real, A Dog's Purpose, Shall We Dance, Aloft and Capote to shoot in Manitoba and co-produce with local companies. Carole was instrumental in supporting the careers of artists including Guy Maddin, Norma Bailey, Madison Thomas and other cultural talent.
"In music, Carole’s impact was also deeply felt. During her leadership, MFM supported the careers of major artists including Royal Canoe, Begonia, The Lytics, Chantal Kreviazuk and many others. She also helped propel artists onto the world stage by maintaining a presence at music festivals and events around the world including SXSW, Reeperbahn, NXNE and others. Her love for Manitoba musicians was palpable – she was forever raving about the latest album or singing along to her favourite Manitoba playlists.
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"In addition to her work at MFM, Carole served on the board of directors at the National Screen Institute, the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Canadian Film Centre Feature Film Advisory Committee, Burton Cummings Theatre Performing Arts Group, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Film Training Manitoba, among others. She was also instrumental in bringing the Juno Awards to Winnipeg in 2005 and was co-chair of the 2014 Winnipeg Juno host committee.
"In 2012, Carole was a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, awarded to Canadians who have made significant contributions to their community and country at large. In 2014, she was a recipient of the Order of Manitoba and in 2024, received the Order of Canada.
"In 2024, Carole helped to establish the Schroeder Institute of Entertainment & Media Arts – a training facility for the creative industries at RRC Polytech. Upon Carole’s retirement, a scholarship was established in her name that is presented to a graduating female or non-binary student of Sisler High School’s Interactive Digital Media program.
"Carole was an exceptional leader and changemaker because she led with her heart. She was a force of nature whose passion for elevating Manitoba’s artists and creators was undeniable. Thank you, Carole, for your indelible gifts. Your legacy has touched countless lives and shaped the music and film industries in our province. You will be so deeply missed."
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Shortly after her retirement from Manitoba Film and Music, Vivier learned of her cancer diagnosis and began actively assisting the cancer community. The Winnipeg Free Pressreported that "She became a vocal advocate for lung-cancer funding and awareness, as well as a tireless volunteer for CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, co-chairing the Guardian Angel committee, which is responsible for the popular annual benefit."
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As news of her passing spread, music industry organizations and colleagues all paid tribute to Vivier.
In a statement, BreakOut West noted that "It is with deep sadness that our BreakOut West team has learned of the passing of Carole Vivier. Carole was the 2021 WCMA Kevin Walters Industry Builder Award recipient and a valued member of our industry. "
Reynolds Mastin, President & CEO, Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), issued this statement: “We were deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Carole Vivier. Carole was a force in Canada’s cultural sector. Her extraordinary vision during three decades at the helm of Manitoba Film & Music built the organization into a powerhouse. Her advocacy led to the implementation of Western Canada’s first film tax credit in 1997, spurring tremendous growth in production activity across Manitoba, reaching over a quarter billion by the time of her retirement in 2019.
"With every fibre of her being, Carole was a passionate promoter and fierce protector of the Manitoba production industry. She will be profoundly missed, and we extend our deepest condolences to her loved ones, as well as to her friends and colleagues across Manitoba and the entire country.”
Renowned filmmaker Guy Maddin told the Winnipeg Free Press that “Carole is the reason we have a film industry in Manitoba, and it’s a strong sector cherished by the provincial government no matter who is in power. She had a vision. She pursued it doggedly and graciously. She represented our province abroad with so much strength and persuasive diplomacy that foreign producers flocked to our province in unprecedented numbers to shoot their projects here. She learned on the job, practically creating her job description on the fly as she plowed into uncharted waters.”
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Veteran Toronto manager, record label head (Curve Music) and Head of Domestic and International Relations, Brian Hetherman posted this tribute on Facebook: "This is sad news. Carole was an incredible woman, so kind and so supportive to the Manitoba cultural and entertainment industry overall. Carole was incredibly supportive of me as well, particularly in my early days of travelling to places like MIDEM, engaging me in meetings and dinners and helping me meet folks.
"We would always have a drink or a dinner and catch up on life and she would always share stories of her grandchildren, whom I know were her world…and she was clearly the coolest Grandma by far!!. So many wonderful memories of her, in so many great places and I always felt she was my surrogate 'Travel Mom' because she always made sure I was taken care of no matter where we were on the planet!..Travel well my dear on your journey, I know you will make the most of your journey the way you always did in this realm."
Toronto music booker Yvonne Matsell (on Facebook): "I spent today feeling pretty sad & quite tearful after getting the news from Barb Sedun about the passing of Carole Vivier. I met Carole during the earliest days of NXNE when we would do showcases at SXSW.
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"I knew Kevin Bloody Walters (which was my name for him and he wore it proudly) who was working with Carole at the Western Canadian Music Awards and we decided to combine forces for a yearly event at SXSW in the ‘house’ where we invited so many attendees and I programmed all the bands for the event .
"We would all arrive in Austin the day before the festival began, and have a group dinner & catch up at Manuels on Congress. It was always such a wonderful time with lots of laughter. I always looked forward to seeing her. She also always trusted my taste when running around at SXSW to see bands & she willingly followed my lead.
"I know Carole was very well respected in her career, leading the charge for both film & music in Manitoba. One thing I do know is that she deeply loved her husband, her daughters & her grandchildren & was so very proud of them . I really will miss this beautiful & kind lady."
You can read the official obituary here.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Vivier's memory to the Palliative Care unit at Riverview and Cancer Care Manitoba. A celebration of Vivier's life will be announced later this spring.
International
Roy Ayers, the American composer and artist nicknamed the Godfather of Neo Soul, has passed away on March 4, at the age of 84. News of his passing was confirmed on March 5, with a statement shared via his official Facebook page.
“It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4 in New York City after a long illness,” the post wrote. “He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed. A celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming.”
A Billboard obituary reports that "Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Ayers was surrounded by music from a young age thanks to his pianist mother and trombonist father. Ayers himself took to the vibraphone at the age of five when he was gifted a pair of mallets from Lionel Hampton.
"Performing music throughout high school thanks to a church choir and local bands, Ayers launched his musical career in earnest in 1962, serving as a sideman for saxophonist Curtis Amy and cool jazz outfit The Jack Wilson Quartet, releasing his debut solo album West Coast Vibes in 1963.
"By 1970, Ayers had formed his own group, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, and in 1973 he found wider fame after soundtracking Jack Hill’s blaxploitation film Coffy, starring Pam Grier. Roy Ayers Ubiquity experienced years of chart success in the latter half of the decade, starting with 1975’s Mystic Voyage, which hit No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and 1976’s Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which reached No. 10 on the same chart, and No. 51 on the Billboard 200."
The title track to the latter record became Ayers’ best-known compositions, going on to be sampled by over 200 artists, including Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Common, and covered by the likes of D’Angelo, Jamie Cullum and Robert Glasper. Billboard notes that "it also cemented his status as one of the more prominent figures in the neo-soul scene."
1977’s Lifeline saw “Running Away” hitting No. 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, Ayers’ career continued as a solo artist in the coming decades, with his biggest chart success coming by way of 1980’s No Stranger to Love, which reached No. 22 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He remained a prominent force on the charts throughout the ‘80s, with a couple of cuts making the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while his Eric Benet collaboration “When You Think Of Me” would give him his last appearance on the same chart, peaking at No. 46 in 2000.
Ayers would continue composing and performing into the 21st century, working with the likes of Erykah Badu, Tyler, the Creator, Kerri Chandler and more.
Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years and the man who inspired her classic hit "Jolene," died on March 3, at age 82.
According to a statement provided by Parton’s publicist, Dean died in Nashville, Tennessee. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” Parton wrote in a statement. No cause of death was announced.
Billboard wrote that "Parton met Dean the day she moved to Nashville at age 18 to pursue a career in music and they got married a short time later in Georgia in 1966, two years after that first run-in at the Wishy Washy Laundromat. Though Dolly would soon climb to the highest highs as a performer, songwriter and global superstar, Dean preferred to stay out of the spotlight and was rarely seen by the public."
Dean was a businessman, having owned an asphalt-paving business in Nashville. He is credited as the inspiration behind Parton’s classic song, "Jolene." Parton told NPR in 2008 that she wrote the song about a flirty bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.
Shortly after Dean's death, Parton released a new song in tribute to her husband, "If You Hadn't Been Here." Stream it here.
Brian James (born Brian Robertson), founding member of pioneering English punk-rock band The Damned, died on May 6, at age 70. A cause of death has not been reported.
The news was shared with fans via a post on
James’ Facebook page on the day of his death. "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of the true pioneers of music, guitarist, songwriter and true gentleman, Brian James,"
it read. The message added that the musician was surrounded by family when he 'passed peacefully.'"
The first band James joined was Blues Crusade,, and he then assembled his own group, Train, which mixed some jazz influences with their blues-based music. In 1969 the group released a single, Witchi Tai To, with Speakin’ My Mind on the b-side, but it was a commercial failure.
The Guardian reports that "James formed a new band, Bastard, a quartet which took much of its inspiration from the raw power of the Detroit band the Stooges, in particular their 1970 album Fun House (in 1979, James would tour as a member of the Stooges vocalist Iggy Pop’s band). The whole band moved to Brussels and were able to find enough gigs in Brussels to stay for a year and a half before returning to Britain.
"It was now 1975 and the first glimmerings of punk were stirring. James was briefly a member of London SS, along with the future Clash guitarist Mick Jones and Tony James (later of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik), but the group never played any gigs. Brian James was also part of the Subterraneans, a band comprising the NME journalist Nick Kent, the drummer Rat Scabies (real name Chris Millar) and the bassist Ray Burns, who would become Captain Sensible.
"This foreshadowed the creation of the Damned in early 1976 with the line-up of James, Scabies, Sensible and Vanian (real name David Lett), and"James formed The Damned in 1976 with bandmates Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian and Rat Scabies."
That year, they released what is considered the first-ever British punk single: “New Rose.” The guitarist would work on two albums with the foursome before leaving the group: 1977’s Damned Damned Damned and Music for Pleasure.
After leaving The Damned, James would form short-lived group Tanz Der Youth before starting The Lords of the New Church with Stiv Bators in 1980. That group released three studio albums: 1983’s Is Nothing Sacred?, 1984’s The Method to Our Madness and 1988’s Killer Lords."
Their punk-glam sound brought some success on the U.K. indie chart with the singles "New Church," "Open Your Eyes," "Russian Roulette" and a version of Madonna’s "Like a Virgin."
From 1992 until 1996, James played with the Dripping Lips (based in Brussels), with whom he recorded a brace of albums, including the soundtrack to the Belgian director Harry Cleven’s film Abracadabra.
In 2001 he was part of the supergroup Racketeers, alongside Clem Burke of Blondie, the Police’s Stewart Copeland, Duff McKagan from Guns N’ Roses and Wayne Kramer of MC5, and they recorded the album Mad for the Racket.
Between 1990 and 2015, James also recorded five solo albums, including Damned If I Do (2013), for which he re-recorded a batch of Damned songs that he had also been playing live with Scabies.
Billboard obituary notes "James' career came full circle in 2022 when he reunited with The Damned for a string of U.K. live shows. Five years prior, his former bandmates emphasized how important he’d been not only to the band, but to developing the English punk scene, in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone.“
"With The Damned, it was always about the music,” Vanian told the publication at the time. “Brian was a fantastic guitarist.” “We used to call Brian the riff-meister,” Captain Sensible recalled. “That’s why Jimmy Page was such a fan of the band at the time. There are photographs of him and Robert Plant backstage at our gig at the Roxy. Jimmy Page saw something special in Brian’s guitar style and writing, as did I, since I was a guitar player before The Damned and switched to bass to play with Brian. ”
In a statement on their official Facebook stage, The Damned paid further tribute : "Brian James was a visionary - the Damned is his masterpiece and Damned Damned Damned the album that kick started the 1976 UK punk revolution...Thankfully the original lineup got together to recreate the spirit of '76 London again recently.. a sonic delight that no-one who attended will ever forget. Least of all us!
"Although the great man is now gone his own particular take on punk and rock 'n roll in general lives on in his phenomenal body of work with The Damned and the Lords Of The New Church.
Young bands starting up could do a lot worse than take some of that onboard. This hasn't been easy to write - Brian James meant so much to this band but we cannot finish without saying (and I'm sure anyone who met him would agree) what an absolute gent he was. Thanks for everything BJ!"
Musical peers from Canada and around the globe saluted James as word of his death became known.
Veteran Toronto rock drummer turned entertainment lawyer David Quinton (The Mods, Dead Boys, The Jitters) posted this tribute on Facebook: "I wanted to share a little story about Brian James, who tragically passed away yesterday…We were backstage at The Ritz in NYC when a teenage boy approached Brian and asked him how to play 'Fish' by The Damned on guitar. Brian sat there with the kid for a very long time, teaching him the song until he got it. He was so patient and kind to that boy and I never forgot it. That’s the kind of guy he was…On that tour, I got to spend my 20th birthday playing with him and Stiv in Detroit on December 31, 1980."
John Kastner, vocalist with The Doughboys and Asexuals, offered this anecdote to Billboard Canada: "Back in the '80s, I used to love Stiv Bators [Dead Boys, Lords of the New Church]. He was my favourite singer. I also really loved Brian James' guitar playing. When they came to Canada for the first time with Lords of the New Church, my band Asexuals was lucky enough to open for them at the old Club Soda in Montreal. We were very excited playing the show and we had a good time.
"The Lords put on a great show. After it, the Lords were in the dressing room. I saw these two Japanese girls doing something behind the curtain so I go over and see Stiv passed out on the floor. He didn’t make it from the stage to the dressing room and these two girls are poking him with a pen trying to get his autograph. I brushed them off and made them leave him alone.
"I go knock on the dressing room door and Brian opens and I say, 'hey dude, Stiv is passed out here.' Brian says 'oh geez,' so I go over and pick Stiv up off the floor and I carry him to the dressing room. Brian helps me the rest of the way and he invites me in. He offers me a drink and I was like, 'no thanks,' and then he gives me a hug and says 'you guys were really great tonight. Thanks for your help. I hope you get to see you again.' He was just such a nice guy and such a great guitar player. He’s really gonna be missed."
On Facebook, John Catto, guitarist for The Diodes, offered this tribute: "In 1981 when I first came back over to the UK, Stiv was always around. And we were very much part of the whole Barracudas/new psychedelic scene. Then Nick Turner left to join the Lords of The New Church so they all became part of the routine, which is where I first met Brian. Always a great guy and I might add an exciting band. Pass forward a few years in 1990 I was in the Portabello Green meeting up with the caterer for our wedding in Toronto. I ran into Brian drinking at the bar who told me that Stiv had just died in Paris and what little info he had at that time. RIP Brian."
D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! behind some classic 1990s jams has died on March 7, at age 64.
He had been battling bladder cancer for over the past year, according to a statement released by his family on
social media.
“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” his family said. "He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné! He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many."
A Billboard obituary noted that "Wiggins was the co-founder of the 1980s/'90s soul funk/R&B trio that also featured his half-brother, Raphael Saadiq, on bass and vocals and cousin Timothy Christian Riley on drums/keyboards. The band was formed in their native Oakland, Calif., in 1986, releasing debut single 'One Night Stand' a year later.
"After signing with Wing Records, the group released their debut album, Who?, in 1988, which featured the hit single, 'Little Walter,' a prime example of the band’s signature mixture of funk, soul, R&B and gospel that rode the wave of the mid-1980s New Jack Swing revolution. The song peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while the album hit No. 69 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
"The band’s second, mostly self-produced studio album, The Revival, was released in 1990 (No. 34 on the Billboard 200) and it featured their signature dance funk anthem 'Feels Good,' (No. 9 on the Hot 100 singles chart). They followed with 1993’s classic R&B-leaning Sons of Soul LP — which contained their highest charting single, the Ice Cube-sampling New Jack Swinging classic'If I Had No Loot.' That song ran up to No. 7 on the Hot 100, with the album peaking at No. 24."
A final album, 1996’s House of Music, hit No. 32 on the Billboard 200 chart. After an absence, the group reunited in 2003 — without Saadiq — to appear on Grammy-nominated The Diary of Alicia Keys song “Diary” (No. 8 on the Hot 100) and then again in 2023, they reunited again for a U.S. tour celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Sons of Soul.
Wiggins also served as the bandleader for comedian D.L. Hughley’s short-lived Comedy Central series Weekends at the D.L. He also released a solo album, Eyes Never Lie, in 2000, which charted at No. 197 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
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