Famous Canadian Composers

Alanis Morisette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress. Renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice, Morisette has been named by Rolling Stone as the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst. A recipient of 13 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, Morisette has released several successful albums, including Jagged Little Pill, which was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Best known as the band leader in Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman, Paul Shaffer is a Grammy Award-winning Canadian multi-instrumentalist and singer. He co-wrote the 1980s’ hit It's Raining Men sung by the Weather Girls and later revived by Geri Halliwell.

Best known to international audiences for his scores of the hit trilogies The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Canadian composer Howard Shore had begun playing music at age 8 and was part of bands by age 13. He has 3 Academy Awards and 4 Grammy Awards in his kitty.

Known for her music that showcases the issues of Native Americans, Canadian-American singer Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first person from any indigenous community to win an Oscar, with the song Up Where We Belong. She had also been blacklisted by many radio stations earlier due to her activism.

Win Butler is an American-Canadian multi-instrumentalist, musician, singer, and songwriter. He is credited with co-founding the popular Canadian indie rock band, Arcade Fire. Also a humanitarian, Butler contributed to a charity record named Do They Know It's Hallowe'en as part of a UNICEF benefit project. A multi-talented personality, Win Butler often participates in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Rufus Wainwright is an American-Canadian composer, singer, and songwriter. In 1998, Wainwright was recognized as the Best New Artist by Rolling Stone magazine. Over the years, he has received several awards like Juno Awards and GLAAD Media Awards. He has also received nominations for prestigious awards like the Grammys and BRIT Awards.

Hank Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist who had an extensive career spanning half a century. He rose to fame in the 1950s and released around 140 albums during his career. He endured extreme difficulties as a youngster and sought solace in music, eventually becoming one of the most influential artists in all of country music. 

Canadian musician, composer, and arranger David Foster is a prominent figure in the international music scene and has worked with the likes of  Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, and Madonna. The winner of 16 Grammy Awards, he has also been nominated for the Academy Awards thrice. He launched the David Foster Foundation to help sick children.

Grammy Award-winning Canadian sound engineer and music producer Robert Jens Rock, or Bob Rock, has not just worked with bands such as Metallica and Aerosmith, but has also composed for films such as Mission: Impossible II and St. Elmo's Fire. He is part of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Canadian folk musician Stan Rogers is remembered both for his baritone voice and for his 6’4” frame. The rock bassist was initially mistaken for Gordon Lightfoot for his singing style. He died in an unfortunate fire on an Air Canada flight in Ohio at age 33.

Jackie Mittoo was a Jamaican-Canadian songwriter, keyboardist, and musical director. He is best remembered for his association with the Studio One record label where he worked as a musical director. Jackie Mittoo is also remembered as one of the most important members of the popular ska band, The Skatalites.

Tami Neilson is a singer-songwriter who has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards, including two consecutive awards in 2009 and 2010. Her 2014 album Dynamite was included in The Guardian's top ten country albums of the year list, while her 2015 album Don't Be Afraid peaked at number one on the New Zealand Music Charts.

Canadian avant-garde artist Michael Snow has also been associated with the development of the artistic scene in the US. Part of the structural film movement, he is best remembered for his experimental film Wavelength, which was a 45-minute movie on the events taking place in a room.

Mostly a self-taught pianist, Alberto Guerrero was a legendary Chilean composer who is also remembered as the mentor of Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould. In Search of Alberto Guerrero, penned by his student John Beckwith, was his first detailed biography, as Guerrero himself left little written record about himself.

Violet Archer was a Canadian teacher, pianist, organist, and composer. She studied music at McGill University and Yale University and taught music at the University of Alberta, where she eventually became the chairperson of the Theory and Composition Department. She was also a musician and composer with a prolific output. Jan Randall and Allan Gilliland are among her students.