George Canyon is a Canadian actor, country singer, and songwriter, born on August 22, 1970, in Fox Brook, Pictou County, Nova Scotia. He later resided in Hopewell, Nova Scotia.
Canyon has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including awards from the CMA, CCMA, ECMA, SOCAN, Juno, and the Music Box.
In 2004, he gained national recognition after competing in Nashville Star 2, where he finished as the runner-up, becoming the only Canadian to reach this stage of the competition. Following this exposure, he earned acclaim from fans and industry peers, highlighted by his top 5 hit "My Name." He also won a Juno Award for Best Country Recording of the Year for his album, One Good Friend, and received four Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) nominations, including Male Vocalist of the Year and the Fan Choice Award.
Canyon appeared as a U.S. Forest Ranger in the last two episodes of the seventh season of the television series Trailer Park Boys.
On September 22, 2007, he performed at China-Canada: Hand in Hand, a concert in Vancouver co-hosted by CCTV (China Central Television) and CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) to mark the one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. During this event, he notably sang "What a fine Jasmine blossom," a duet in Mandarin with singer Tang Can.
On January 9, 2008, Canyon was appointed Honourary Colonel at 14 Wing Greenwood, the largest air base on Canada’s east coast, by Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
Awards and Nominations
- 2004: Winner, CCMA, Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award
- 2004: Winner, Music Industry of Nova Scotia, New Artist Recording of the Year – for the album George Canyon
- 2004: Winner, Music Industry of Nova Scotia, Country Recording of the Year – for the album George Canyon
- 2005: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Galaxie Rising Star
- 2005: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Country Recording of the Year – for the album One Good Friend
- 2005: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year
- 2005: Winner, Canadian Radio Music Awards, Best New Group or Solo Artist (Country) for the single "Good Day To Ride"
- 2005: Winner, Juno Award, Country Recording of the Year for One Good Friend
- 2005: Winner, CCMA, Fans' Choice Award
- 2005: Winner, CCMA, Male Artist of the Year
- 2005: Winner, CCMA, SOCAN Song of the Year, for the single "My Name"
- 2005: Winner, CCMA, Single of the Year, for the single "My Name"
- 2005: Winner, Music Box Awards (Paris, France), New Artist Male US/Canada
- 2005: Winner, Nova Scotia Crystal Tourism Awards of Excellence, Ambassador Award
- 2006: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year
- 2006: Winner, CCMA, Male Artist of the Year
- 2006: Winner, CCMA, Single of the Year, for the single "Somebody Wrote Love"
- 2007: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year
- 2007: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Country Recording of the Year
- 2007: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Video of the Year, for the video "Drinkin' Thinkin'"
- 2007: Nominee, ECMA, Best Album of the Year, for the album Somebody Wrote Love
- 2007: Winner, Juno Award, Country Recording of the Year for Somebody Wrote Love
- 2008: Winner, The East Coast Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year
- 2008: Winner, CCMA, Humanitarian Award
- 2010: SOCAN Award for Greatest Number of Performances on Canadian Country Radio during 2009
- 2011: Canadian Country Music Awards Record Producer(s) of the Year with Richard Marx for the album Better Be Home Soon (Universal)
- 2013: East Coast Music Awards Fan’s Choice Video of the Year for "Saddle Up" (Director: Warren Sonoda)
- 2013: East Coast Music Awards Song of the Year for "These Hands" (co-written with Dave Gunning)
- 2015: Inductee, Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.