Exciting news this morning: Blue Rodeo have been nominated for the JUNO Award for Group Of The Year!

This year’s awards will be handed out in a ceremony in Winnipeg on March 30, to be broadcast on CTV. For a look at the complete list of nominations, please visit JunoAwards.ca.

This Friday, January 31, at noon EST, BlueRodeo.com will host the LIVE world premiere of It’s In Our Nature To Fly, an eighteen minute short film directed by Chris Mills, featuring music from Blue Rodeo’s latest album, In Our Nature. Make sure you’re here (on the homepage) at noon on Friday for your first chance to see this beautiful and unique short film!

Update:

It seems like some clarification of my position is needed here. It bothers me that the good people of Fort Mac feel insulted or blindsided by my comments. Please understand I am not against the oil sands. Like most people I rely on oil products in my life. I am against expansion that does not go hand in hand with environmental protection. I believe it is possible to have an oil industry and clean air and water. I believe the people of Fort Mac, whether they work in the industry or not, deserve to be protected from unnecessary pollutants resulting from the extraction of oil. It can be done. I have great respect for all the folks up there temporary or permanent and we had one of the most memorable shows of the tour there last week. We need to have this dialogue for the betterment of all.

Thank you.

Jim Cuddy
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I believe that Neil Young is brave and articulate and very well informed about the oil sands.

Right now, Canada is at a crossroads between economics and the environment and we need to make a very, very brave choice. How much revenue are we willing to sacrifice to ensure that we have clean water, clean air and good health for the people and the planet?

To clarify, I was asked about the town of Fort McMurray, not the oil sands. My comments regarding the exaggeration of the conditions there were about Fort McMurray. The oil sands are as visually grotesque as described. Fort McMurray, on the other hand, is a thriving town whose people are directly affected by the issue of the expansion of the oil sands.

This is not a trivial issue and it is not a time for the media to do anything but provide clarity. This is an issue that is vital to all of our best interests. It is essential that we have an open dialogue about it and we force our government to listen.

Tuesday night’s show in Dawson Creek turned out to be anything but your typical Blue Rodeo performance, when the Encarta Events Centre was hit by a power outage just minutes into their set. That didn’t stop the band though: They quickly rallied an completed the show in an acoustic setting, turning what could have been a disappointment into a night to remember!

The Huffington Post has picked up the story; head to their site now for some pictures, video and thoughts from the fans in attendance!

Tonight in Vancouver, Blue Rodeo will take the stage at The Orpheum for the first date on the In Our Nature tour. This cross-country jaunt will see the band play from one of end of the country and back before wrapping up in Montreal on March 2. For a look at the complete tour and links to get your tickets, please visit the Tour page now.

See you on the road!

Happy new year! In an announcement released earlier this week, it was revealed that Jim and Greg have been both appointed as Officers of the Order of Canada. The induction will officially take place in a ceremony to be held later this year, but for now please join us in congratulating them on this honour!

Congratulations are in order to Dave W. of Winnipeg, MB! Dave is the lucky of winner of a pair of tickets to see Blue Rodeo’s January 23 show at the MTS Centre. Dave and his guest will also get to meet the band before the show. Congrats again, Dave, and thanks to everyone who participated!

Blue Rodeo’s In Our Nature tour kicks off Thursday, January 2, in Vancouver, BC. For a complete list of dates and tickets, please see the Tour page now.

Well, this is it: The last day in Blue Rodeo’s Twelve Days Of Christmas! We’ll wrap things up today with the band’s performance of “Wondering” from The Farmhouse Sessions.

Our last discounted item is the brand new cookbook, Sing For Your Supper, made up of recipes prepared by Kate Boothman and the band during the sessions for In Our Nature. Save 10% today only*!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as we have. Happy holidays and we’ll see you in 2014!

^{*While supplies last. Discount ends at midnight EST.}

With just two days to go, Day Eleven of Blue Rodeo’s Twelve Days Of Christmas brings us the last installment of the Farmhouse Chat series. Here we have Greg discussing how his hearing has affected the sound of Blue Rodeo in recent years.

Our deal of the day is the Outskirts Anniversary T-shirt, 30% off for the rest of the day*!

^{*While supplies last. Discount ends at midnight EST.}

Day Ten! For today’s installment of Blue Rodeo’s Twelve Days Of Christmas, we’ve got Bob Egan’s Farmhouse Chat, where Bob talks a bit about his role in the band.

Today only, we’re offering a 10% discount on the vinyl edition of the band’s latest, In Our Nature*. Grab your copy now in the BlueRodeo.com Store.

^{*While supplies last. Discount ends at midnight EST.}