Terry Kelly (singer)
Encyclopedia
Terry Kelly, CM
(born in St. John's, Newfoundland) is a Canadian
country
/folk music
artist, athlete and professional speaker. Kelly has released six studio albums and charted eleven singles on the RPM
Canadian country singles chart. In addition to award nominations from the Juno Award
s and the Canadian Country Music Association
, Kelly has also won seven East Coast Music Awards. Kelly received the King Clancy Award in 2000, an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from the University of Kings College in 2001, an Honourary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s University in 2002 and was inducted into the Order of Canada
in 2003, the highest civilian honour within the Canadian system of honours. He sang the Canadian National Anthem at the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games and also sang at the official installation ceremony of the 28th Governor General of Canada (David Lloyd Johnston) in 2010.
, a cancerous condition that left him blind. His parents sent him to the Halifax School for the Blind when he was seven. His recording career began in high school when he released five albums with instrumental band The Stringbusters.
At the 1979 Canadian Track Championships, Kelly was a double silver medallist. He became the third blind person in the world to run a sub five-minute mile. He competed in the 1980 Paralympics
in Arnhem, Netherlands
and carried the Olympic torch as part of the cross Canada Torch Relay.
Kelly released his first studio album, On the Move, in 1985. His second album, Face to Face, was released in 1988. "In My Father's House," the first single from Kelly's third studio album, 1992's Divided Highway, was nominated for Single and SOCAN Song of the Year at the 1993 Canadian Country Music Association
Awards. The same year, Kelly set an East Coast Music Awards record when he won every award that he was nominated for, including Album of the Year (Divided Highway), SOCAN Song of the Year ("In My Father's House"), Male Vocalist of the Year, Country Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated for a 1995
Juno Award
for Best Country Male Vocalist
. A fourth album, Far Cry from Leaving, followed in 1997.
In 2000, Kelly was presented with the King Clancy Award. The following year, Kelly received an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from the University of Kings College. He also received an Honourary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s University in 2002. Kelly made music history with the release of his 2002 album, The Power of the Dream. It was the first music CD
in the world with Braille
liner notes. In 2003, Kelly was appointed to the Order of Canada
.
His most recent single, "A Pittance of Time," was released in 2003. The song inspired a musical production, Two Minutes of Silence - A Pittance of Time. Kelly released his first Christmas album, Old Tyme Christmas, in 2004. In 2005, he was presented with the Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Country Music Association. Kelly became a member of Team Canada in 2007 and travelled to Afghanistan
to perform for Canadian troops.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born in St. John's, Newfoundland) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
/folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
artist, athlete and professional speaker. Kelly has released six studio albums and charted eleven singles on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Canadian country singles chart. In addition to award nominations from the Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s and the Canadian Country Music Association
Canadian Country Music Association
The Canadian Country Music Association was founded in 1976 as the Academy of Country Music Entertainment to organize, promote and develop a Canadian country music industry. The association changed its name to the Canadian Country Music Association in 1987.-Awards:The CCMA held the first Canadian...
, Kelly has also won seven East Coast Music Awards. Kelly received the King Clancy Award in 2000, an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from the University of Kings College in 2001, an Honourary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s University in 2002 and was inducted into the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2003, the highest civilian honour within the Canadian system of honours. He sang the Canadian National Anthem at the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games and also sang at the official installation ceremony of the 28th Governor General of Canada (David Lloyd Johnston) in 2010.
Biography
At the age of one, Terry Kelly was diagnosed with retinoblastomaRetinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is a rapidly developing cancer that develops in the cells of retina, the light-detecting tissue of the eye. In the developed world, Rb has one of the best cure rates of all childhood cancers , with more than nine out of every ten sufferers surviving into...
, a cancerous condition that left him blind. His parents sent him to the Halifax School for the Blind when he was seven. His recording career began in high school when he released five albums with instrumental band The Stringbusters.
At the 1979 Canadian Track Championships, Kelly was a double silver medallist. He became the third blind person in the world to run a sub five-minute mile. He competed in the 1980 Paralympics
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
in Arnhem, Netherlands
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
and carried the Olympic torch as part of the cross Canada Torch Relay.
Kelly released his first studio album, On the Move, in 1985. His second album, Face to Face, was released in 1988. "In My Father's House," the first single from Kelly's third studio album, 1992's Divided Highway, was nominated for Single and SOCAN Song of the Year at the 1993 Canadian Country Music Association
Canadian Country Music Association
The Canadian Country Music Association was founded in 1976 as the Academy of Country Music Entertainment to organize, promote and develop a Canadian country music industry. The association changed its name to the Canadian Country Music Association in 1987.-Awards:The CCMA held the first Canadian...
Awards. The same year, Kelly set an East Coast Music Awards record when he won every award that he was nominated for, including Album of the Year (Divided Highway), SOCAN Song of the Year ("In My Father's House"), Male Vocalist of the Year, Country Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated for a 1995
Juno Awards of 1995
The Juno Awards of 1995, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 26 March 1995 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum...
Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Country Male Vocalist
Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year
The Juno Award for "Country Recording of the Year" has been awarded since 1970, as recognition each year for the best country music artist in Canada...
. A fourth album, Far Cry from Leaving, followed in 1997.
In 2000, Kelly was presented with the King Clancy Award. The following year, Kelly received an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from the University of Kings College. He also received an Honourary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s University in 2002. Kelly made music history with the release of his 2002 album, The Power of the Dream. It was the first music CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in the world with Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
liner notes. In 2003, Kelly was appointed to the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
His most recent single, "A Pittance of Time," was released in 2003. The song inspired a musical production, Two Minutes of Silence - A Pittance of Time. Kelly released his first Christmas album, Old Tyme Christmas, in 2004. In 2005, he was presented with the Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Country Music Association. Kelly became a member of Team Canada in 2007 and travelled to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to perform for Canadian troops.
Albums
| Year | Title | CAN Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | On the Move | |
| 1988 | Face to Face | |
| 1992 | Divided Highway | 18 |
| 1996 | Far Cry from Leaving | |
| 2002 | The Power of the Dream | |
| 2004 | Old Tyme Christmas |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN AC | CAN | |||
| 1985 | "Driving to Mexico" | On the Move | |||
| "Jeffrey's Song (Daddy on the Road)" | |||||
| "The Swinger" | |||||
| "Old Tyme Christmas Song" | Old Tyme Christmas | ||||
| 1988 | "Mama Likes to Rock 'n' Roll" | 28 | 90 | Face to Face | |
| "Evangeline" | |||||
| "How Far Can a Little Girl Fall" | 28 | ||||
| "Inspiration" | 94 | ||||
| 1993 | "In My Father's House" | 28 | Divided Highway | ||
| "We Can Do Anything" (w/ Kelita) | 27 | ||||
| "There Goes the Fire" | 22 | ||||
| 1994 | "River of No Return" | 8 | 17 | ||
| "The Girl Is on a Roll Tonight" | 10 | ||||
| 1995 | "Heart Set on You" | 25 | |||
| 1996 | "Don't Take Me Home" (w/ Laura Smith Laura Smith Laura Smith is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 1995 single "Shade of Your Love", one of the year's biggest hits on adult contemporary radio stations in Canada, and for her adaptation of the Scottish folk song "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean" which she entitled "My Bonny"... ) |
38 | 51 | Far Cry from Leaving | |
| 1997 | "Far Cry from Leaving" | 22 | |||
| "Moment to Moment" | 73 | ||||
| 1998 | "Bettin' on Love" | 71 | |||
| 1999 | "The Rhyme and the Reason" | 42 | |||
| 2002 | "The Power of the Dream" | The Power of the Dream | |||
| 2003 | "You Can Start Again" | ||||
| "A Pittance of Time" |