Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Alexander Mair as the 2024 inductee to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. Mair, a mainspring of Canada’s independent sector and proponent of Canadian talent for more than five decades, will be honoured amongst his peers at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala, taking place on Thursday, May 8, 2024 at the Koolhaus in Toronto.
“In an industry that continues to evolve, Alexander Mair remains unfaltering,” said Neill Dixon, President of Canadian Music Week. “From CIRPA to the CMRRA to Attic – his keen sense of business and personal passion for music have made him a leading player in the independent world and a textbook case study for countless indie labels, distributors and change agents that came after him. I am thrilled to see his efforts recognized after so many years.”
“I’m honoured to receive this award,” expressed Alexander Mair. “I understand it is to recognize the success of the Attic Music Group over the 27 years it existed. As well, it recognizes my efforts to help grow the Canadian music industry and put Canada firmly on the international map as a talent source.”
In a career spanning over 50 years and various ventures, Alexander Mair has been instrumental in establishing and guiding a number of organizations that remain vital to Canada’s music industry.
As a founding member of the Canadian Independent Record Production Association – now known as the Canadian Independent Music Association – and serving on its board for over 20 years, Mair was active in building what is now one of the industry’s most formidable associations recognized worldwide.
With the CMRRA – Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd – his foresight led to the creation of a music licensing agency which would go on to represent the works of thousands of music copyright owners and publishers.
A cofounder of the National Aboriginal Music Association, Mair brought a cohesive voice and recognition to Canada’s underserved Aboriginal recording artists and planted the seeds for an Aboriginal music category at the JUNO Awards.
His early start in promotions for Apex/Compo in the 60’s was quickly recognized with three Red Leaf Awards and soon found him working with then emerging singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Mair would go on to manage Lightfoot for 8 years, from his first international hit “If You Could Read My Mind” to his last international hit “The Edmund Fitzgerald”, as well as set up his publishing companies.
Led by a mantra of “think global, act local”, he co-founded and ran one of Canada’s most successful independent Canadian-owned recording companies – Attic Music Group – for close to 30 years. There, he was influential in developing the careers of Maestro Fresh Wes, Anvil, Lee Aaron, The Nylons, Teenage Head and Triumph and successfully distributing such international acts as Creed, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Jennifer Warnes, and Katrina and the Waves. The label realized sales in excess of $100 million in Canada as well as over a hundred gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums from the US, UK, Holland, Japan and Canada.
The publishing arm of the company represented the Canadian rights to such legendary international acts as The Beatles, Elton John, Genesis, Abba, Phil Collins, The Cars, and James Brown as well as hundreds of other writers – unsigned and signed to the label.
Mair continues his impact on the industry today as President of MHL Communications – through which he published the controlled circulation music magazine “Applaud!” and where he counts among his consulting clients various independent labels, law firms, the Minister of Heritage and the Cultural Ministers of Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia – and as Chairman of The Mobile Cartel/Volu.me – a leading mobile app developer for bands and musicians.
Encouraged by an unwavering commitment to building Canada’s music industry, Mair has served as a director and board member on a number of Canadian industry groups including: CAPAC/SOCAN, CMPA, OMDC, FACTOR, AVLA, and Radio Starmaker. A Honourary Governor of Roy Thomson and Massey Hall, he served on the board for 20 years, and continues his involvement to date as an active member of their programming committee.