Known as a pioneer of the “Cancon momentum,” music industry icon Stan Klees passed away on September 22, 2023 in Georgetown, Ontario.

It began with a chance meeting with DJ George “Hound Dog” Lorenz who suggested that Canada needed a musical East-West dialogue instead of a North-South one. That in time fostered the emergence of Canadian artists like Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray and Burton Cummings, Celine Dion and Shania Twain.

RPM Magazine began in 1964, becoming the loudest defender of Canadian music. Stan was a contributor and a veteran of the music industry by that time.

Born in Toronto at 177 Grange Ave to Stanley and Sabina Klees, Stan became the youngest DJ in CHUM radio history when at the age of 16 he produced and hosted the 4-5 p.m. afternoon timeslot.

As President of Astral records in 1960, he was encouraged by Bobby Darin and Dick Clark to start producing Canadian artists in Canada. He mentored with Bob Crewe in New York to refine his sound and from there formed Tamarac Record Productions and Red Leaf Records (with Duff Roman). It was Crewe who recognized Stan as “The Genius in Blue Jeans”.

The roster of Tamarac, Red Leaf consisted of Jason King, Shirley Matthews, Lynda Lane, Robbie Lane & the Disciples, The Big Town Boys, The Magic Cycle, Jack London & the Sparrows, The British Modbeats, The Sparrow (Steppenwolf), and Little Caesar & the Consuls whose “My Girl Sloopy” was a Billboard hit.

Stan and business partner Walt Grealis, worked relentlessly to build a “star system” in Canada. Ten months after RPM started, the magazine announced a yearly poll to pick the top artists and the best in the industry. The first RPM Gold Leaf Awards, which would later be renamed The Juno Awards in honour of Pierre Juneau, were held in 1970 at the St Lawrence Hall in Toronto. That night, Stan’s mom, Sabina, made sandwiches for all the guests.

Stan’s 10-part series in RPM introduced several proposals that would make Canadian music viable. The result was that in 1971 the CRTC formally established a ruling that radio stations had to incorporate 30% Canadian content into their programming. When these rules were announced by the CRTC, identifying recordings as to their eligibility for airplay became an enormous problem. Overnight, Stan designed the MAPL logo for Music, Artist, Production and Lyrics. Under the MAPL system, Canadian releases had to contain 3 of the 4 parts to be considered eligible. He also coined the phrase “Cancon”.

Along with The Juno Awards, Klees and Grealis began the Canadian Country Music Awards.

Stan was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995, whereupon the award was renamed the “Stan Klees Hall of Honour Builder Award”.

In 2001, Klees was awarded with a special achievement award from SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada).

In 2021, Stan was one of 24 visionaries (10 living) that were recognized with a “SOCAN Guardian Award” for the roles they played in boosting made-in-Canada content nationally and internationally.

As every winner of a Juno Award is aware, the names of Stan Klees and Walt Grealis are engraved on each statuette.

Although the consummate bon vivant, Stan did not wish for a service after his passing. Instead, with a Negroni in hand, we toast “Cancon’s Anonymous Hero”.



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