Writer: Andrew Hind
Video Courtesy: Jim Cuddy, YouTube
Jim Cuddy entered the room, lanky, looking a decade younger than his 70 years, flashing a warm and genuine smile. The few lines on his face bear witness to a remarkable musical career spanning more than four decades, much of it spent as the frontman for Blue Rodeo.
Despite being a Canadian icon – he was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2024 – it is quickly apparent there were airs about the man. Cuddy is an every-man musical star. He firmly shook my hand, offered me something to drink, and settled casually into a chair.
Cuddy, in Muskoka on April 12th for a concert at the JW Marriott Rosseau Muskoka Resort and Spa, took some time to speak with 705BLACKFLY.COM about his career, being a proud Canadian, and the importance of song.
On April 3rd, Canada Post unveiled a stamp commemorative stamp in honor of Blue Rodeo’s 40 years as a band. What was that like?
It was surreal and obviously a huge honor. We didn’t get into this business to become stars. When we started, we just wanted to be a great bar band. We certainly had no expectation of the longevity and success we’ve enjoyed. I’m very grateful for it all. I recognize that I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a burgeoning Canadiana.
It’s funny. They don’t send you these stamps. My wife and I have a farm just north of Toronto and we went into a local post office to buy some. They only had ten on hand. I wanted to buy them all but the lady behind the counter explained it was policy to only sell five to a customer. After a moment she recognized me, but while apologetic she would still only sell me five! [Cuddy laughs at the memory].
You’re performing here at The Rosseau in a hall that holds hundreds, not thousands. Do you have a preference between large venues or more intimate ones?
They are both distinct experiences that, as an artist, I very much enjoy for different reasons. In a smaller, more intimate venue you build a relationship with the audience. It has a special vibe. Larger concerts have an immense energy that fuels you as a performer. You couldn’t ask me to pick one, anymore so then you could ask me to choose between studio music and performing live. They both fulfill me in different ways.
You struck a chord with many Canadians in the wake of Donald Trump’s attacks on our nation with your song We Used to Be the Best of Friends. Why did you write that?
We’re experiencing troubles with our neighbours in The States right now. I was inspired to write a song to express how I’m feeling, and how I think a lot of people are feeling. We Used to Be the Best of Friends is a song about a relationship breaking apart. It wasn’t written out of anger, but rather a sense of loss and grieving, because as the title says our countries and our people used to be the best of friends. In many ways, our lives have always been intertwined. And now, suddenly, it’s not. We’re in a period of shock and mourning.
The final lines are: “Give us a call when the fever ends…maybe we can be best friends again.” I hope so. But in the meantime, I’m a very proud Canadian and I stand by the ‘elbows up’ sentiment.
Your latest album has a reflective feeling to it. Are you in the stage in your life and career where you are looking back on?
I’ve always tended to mind my own personal memories, that’s not unusual. You begin songwriting from a personal place so that it’s authentic. I’m conscious of the fact that I’m a little older now with more years behind me than ahead, so I was looking back on relationships and reflecting on the journey while writing this album. It took a long time. It started during the pandemic and then came back to it later. I was fun to make and has deep personal meaning as it catalogues my past.
One song on the album, All the World Fades Away, really resonates with me. After my wife and I suffered a shared tragedy I locked feelings inside and buried them deep down, uncertain how to say certain things. The song says those words for me. Where did it come from and what does it mean to you?
The beauty of writing songs is that they capture feelings – my own and hopefully those of the audience. I think of being a performer as a public servant in a way. We entertain audiences, of course, but we also tap into emotions to tell stories and sometimes to heal. This song is about the good fortune you have if you’ve found a partner who helps your problems fade away, even if only for a while. It’s about my wife, Rena (actress Rena Polley), and a particular moment we shared when I realized how lucky I was.
The JW Marriott Muskoka concert series continues with CHILLIWACK. The Canadian rock legends will perform at the resort as part of the Gone Gone Gone farewell tour on Saturday May 10th. Tickets available at eventbrite.ca.
