The Juno Awards

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Over the past 40 years or so, the Juno Award statuette has been through many changes and adaptations. Here’s the journey of the metronome-shaped RPM Gold Leaf awards into the Juno Award of the present-day.

1970-74 The Juno Awards (originally called the RPM Gold Leaf award) was designed by the co-founder of the Juno Awards, Stan Klees. It was an 18 inch award, made of walnut, designed to bear a resemblance to a metronome.

1975 The award was re-created into a larger (23 inch), more acrylic version. The designer was once again Stan Klees. This was the year that the Juno Awards were first televised, and was also the year they were renamed. The name “Juno Awards” was given to honour CRTC (Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission)’s first chairman and former President of CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company), Pierre Juneau. The award was revised from its previous 1970 version because it was considered to not be attractive enough.

1978-1983 The statuettes went through minimal change to include the new “Juno Awards” logo.

1984-1999 Over this period of time, the award was slightly altered several times. Some of these changes include modifying the height (making it smaller) to make it easier to hold, and adding a Maple leaf inlay on the 25th anniversary of the Juno Awards. From 1970-1999 the award maintained its original metronome shape.

2000-2010 With the newest century, came a newer version of the award. It was a human figure created using molten glass with a musical staff spiraling around it. This design was created by Shirley Elford.

2011- On the 40th anniversary of the Juno Awards, a new modification came to the statuette. To honour Shirley Elford, and her beautiful design, the human figure was engraved into a cryst...

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...ecome the chairman of the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). He remained chairman until 1975, and truly left an impact on the CRTC, which later used his name for the Juno Awards. In 1975, he was chosen as Minister of Communications, then chairman of the National Capital Commission. From 1982-1989 he occupied the role of President at Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). He retired in 1989.

In 1975, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada and was elected a member of the Royal Society of Canada. He received honorary doctorates from York University, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Trent University and Université de Moncton. Mr. Juneau brought attention to Canadian artists who gained their fame in the `70s and brought international respect to Canada’s talent. He is described by the Globe and Mail as “The Godfather of Canadian Swagger.”

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