Manitoba Music Welcomes Music Industry Legend Ralph James on Jan 21

Winnipeg audiences will have a rare opportunity to hear from music industry legend and The Agency Group Canada president, Ralph James. James will be in town on January 21 for an interactive discussion of his storied career, and on the many opportunities and strategies Canadian artists and music companies can use to flourish in the current music environment. The influential and innovative James knows a thing or two about the topic, having risen to the top Canadian music royalty, and taken many artists with him. This keynote address in Manitoba Music’s MusicWorks Series will have him discussing his unique view of finding success in Canadian music.

James started his career as the bass player for CBS rock band and WCMA Hall of Fame inductee, Harlequin, touring North and South America for over a decade. He helped foster The Agency Group's Toronto office in 1996 with Neil Warnock and Jack Ross, starting with a small roster of established Canadian artists and signing then-unknown acts such as Nickelback, Three Days Grace, and Billy Talent, among others, who have since garnered great international success. In the same nature as the artists he's developed, James’ career has continued to flourish, with multiple awards including Canadian Music Week's Booking Agent of the Year Award five times, and nods from the Bobby Brooks North American Agent of the Year Award at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Industry Builder Award at the West Coast Music Awards.

This extraordinary keynote is part of Manitoba Music’s winter season of professional development workshops for the music industry. Primarily hosted in the Manitoba Music Resource Centre, MusicWorks presents experienced music industry veterans, hot new trend setters, and tastemakers speaking on the most important topics for today’s artists and music industry entrepreneurs. Find out more at manitobamusic.com/workshops.

MusicWorks is made possible by the generous support of the Province of Manitoba through Industry Workforce Development of Manitoba Competitiveness, Training and Trade; The SOCAN Foundation; the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) through the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters.