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, Music". The magazine was reported to have variations in its title over the years such as RPM Weekly and RPM Magazine. RPM maintained several format charts including Top Singles (all genres), Adult Contemporary, Dance, Urban, Rock/Alternative and Country Tracks (aka Top Country Tracks) for country music.

The RPM Awards[link]

The modern Juno Awards had their origins in an annual survey conducted by RPM since its founding year. Readers of the magazine were invited to mail in survey ballots to indicate their choices under various categories of people or companies.

The RPM Awards poll was transformed into a formal awards ceremony, The Gold Leaf Awards in 1970. These became the Juno Awards in following years.^[1]

1964 RPM Awards[link]

The RPM Awards for 1964 were announced in the 28 December 1964 issue:^[2]

• Top male vocalist: Terry Black
• Top female singer: Shirley Matthews
• Most promising male vocalist: Jack London
• Most promising female vocalist: Linda Layne
• Top vocal instrumental group: The Esquires^[3]
• Top female vocal group: Girlfriends
• Top instrumental group: Wes Dakus
• Top folk group: The Courriers^[4]
• Top country male singer: Gary Buck
• Top country female singer: Pat Hervey
• Industry man of the year: Johnny Murphy of Cashbox Canada
• Top record company: Capitol Records of Canada
• Top Canadian Content record company: Capitol Records of Canada
• Top national record promoter: Paul White, Capitol Records of Canada
• Top regional record promoter: Ed Lawson, Quality Records
• Top album of the year (GMP): That Girl by Phyllis Marshall

A column on page 6 of that issue noted that the actual vote winner for Top Canadian Content record company was disqualified due to a conflict of interest involving an employee of that company who was also working for RPM. Therefore, runner-up Capitol Records was declared the category's winner.

1965 RPM Awards[link]

The Annual RPM Awards for 1965 were announced in the 17 January 1966 issue, with more country music categories than the previous year:^[5]

• Top male vocalist: Bobby Curtola
• Top female singer: Catherine McKinnon
• Most promising male vocalist: Barry Allen
• Most promising female vocalist: Debbie Lori Kaye
• Top vocal/instrumental group: The Guess Who
• Top female vocal group: Girlfriends
• Top instrumental group: Wes Dakus
• Top folk group: Malka and Joso
• Top folk singer: Gordon Lightfoot
• Best produced single: "My Girl Sloopy", Little Caesar and the Consuls
• Best produced album: Voice of an Angel by Catherine McKinnon
• Top country male singer: Gary Buck
• Top country female singer: Dianne Leigh
• Most promising country male singer: Angus Walker
• Most promising country female singer: Sharon Strong
• Top country instrumental vocal group: Rhythm Pals
• Top country instrumentalist: Roy Penney
• Top country radio personality: Al Fisher, CFGM Toronto
• Top Canadian disc jockey: Chuck Benson, CKYL Peace River
• Top record company: Capitol Records of Canada
• Top Canadian Content record company: Capitol Records of Canada
• Top national record promoter: Paul White, Capitol Records of Canada
• Top regional record promoter: Charlie Camilleri, Quality Records

See also [link]

• List of RPM number-one alternative rock singles
• List of RPM number-one country singles
• List of RPM number-one dance singles

References[link]

1. ^ Young, David (2005). "The CBC and the Juno Awards". Canadian Journal of Communication 30 (3): 343–365. http://www.cjc-online.ca/viewarticle.php?id=1005. Retrieved 2008-01-01. 
2. ^ "The RPM Awards". RPM (RPM) 2 (18): 1, 6. 28 December 1964. 
3. ^ "Esquires, The (Ottawa)". The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia. Jam!. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/E/Esquires_Ottawa.html. Retrieved 2008-01-01. 
4. ^ "Events and Activities". National Gallery of Canada. 4 February-24 April 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-11-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20071115033403/http://www.gallery.ca/exhibitions/exhibitions/sixties/english/events/index.html. Retrieved 2008-01-01. "The Courriers were Ottawa’s answer to Peter, Paul and Mary..."  See event listing for 21 April 2005.
5. ^ "The RPM Awards". RPM (RPM) 4 (21): 1. 17 January 1966. 

External links[link]

• RPM archive charts
• RPM (historical information)
• Library and Archives Canada: "The RPM Story"
• "The RPM Legacy"
• The Canadian Encyclopedia: RPM
• Thow, Megan (Spring 2002). "Critical Miss". Ryerson Review of Journalism. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927021800/http://www.rrj.ca/issue/2002/spring/369/. Retrieved 2007-09-15. 

v t e Lists of number-one singles in Canada CHUM Chart 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 RPM Top Singles 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 RPM Alternative 30 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 RPM Country singles chart 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 RPM Dance Chart 1976 1977 1978 1979 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Canadian Singles Chart 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Canadian Hot 100 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Hot Canadian Digital Singles Chart 2010 2011 2012 R3-30 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

v t e   Canadian</font> Albums Chart Comprehensive albums 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Country albums 1978 1979 1980 1981 1984 1989 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2009)

Norman Greenbaum (born November 20, 1942, Malden, Massachusetts, United States) is an American singer-songwriter. He was raised in a traditional Jewish household and attended Hebrew school. His initial interest in music was sparked by southern blues music and the folk music that was hugely popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He performed with various bands in high school and studied music at Boston University for two years. In college he performed at local coffeehouses but eventually dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in 1965.

Career[link]

Greenbaum is best known for his song "Spirit in the Sky". It sold two million copies across 1969 and 1970.^[1] Sales for this song reached over one million by May 1970 alone, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A..^[1] The song, with its combination of 'heavy' guitar, hand-clapping, and spiritual lyrics, has been used in many films, advertisements, and television shows. Warner Bros. Records released "Spirit in the Sky" to tremendous response in 1970; a December 1970 survey of the top 100 songs of the decade, hosted by radio personality Robert W. Morgan, listed "Spirit in the Sky" at #7.

Although "Spirit in the Sky" has a clear Christian theme, Greenbaum was, and still is, a practicing Jew.^[2][3] He was inspired to write the song after watching country singers Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner singing a religious song on television.

In a 12/06/2011 interview with classic-rock music journalist Ray Shasho of The Examiner, Greenbaum stated that western movies were the real inspiration for "Spirit In The Sky":

Norman Greenbaum: If you ask me what I based “Spirit In The Sky” on… What did we grow up watching? …Westerns! These mean and nasty varmints get shot and they wanted to die with their boots on. So to me that was spiritual, they wanted to die with their boots on.

Ray Shasho: So that was the trigger that got you to write the song?

Norman Greenbaum: Yes. The song itself was simple, when you’re writing a song you keep it simple of course. It wasn’t like a Christian song of praise it was just a simple song. I had to use Christianity because I had to use something. But more important it wasn’t the Jesus part, it was the spirit in the sky. Funny enough… I wanted to die with my boots on.

Though Greenbaum is generally regarded as a one-hit wonder;^[2][3] several of his records placed prominently in the charts. In 1968, under the name Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band, he recorded the novelty hit "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago".

"Spirit in the Sky" remakes[link]

Another group, Doctor and the Medics, became a one-hit wonder of sorts with their version of "Spirit in the Sky" in 1986 (they had a minor hit with the follow-up "Burn", and a hit album Laughing at the Pieces). Also in 1986, an all-girl punk band called Fuzzbox had a hit with the song. British television stars The Kumars also became one-hit wonders in the UK, when they and Gareth Gates reached #1 with the same song in 2003. "Spirit in the Sky" is featured on the video game Rock Band 2. The song was also remade by the Christian band Stellar Kart and debuted in their 2010 album, Everything Is Different Now. The Kentucky Headhunters recorded it, including it on their 1991 album, Electric Barnyard.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky web page
• Interview with Norman Greenbaum