Quintessential Canadian band April Wine is to be inducted into Canada’s Music Hall of Fame during a televised segment of the Juno Awards in St. John’s, NL on April 18.

The band that has always had Myles Goodwyn as its mainstay has charted an impressive 21 Top 40 hits in Canada since the release of ‘Fast Train’ in 1971 and albums such as Electric Jewels (1973), Stand Back (1975), The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy (1976), Forever for Now (1977), First Glance (1978), Harder … Faster (1979), The Nature of the Beast (1981), and Power Play (1982) have sold more than 7 million copies in Japan, Europe, the US at at home in Canada. And, over the years, this legacy band has been nominated for 11 Junos but never actually won one.

April Wine made its start when vocalist/guitarist and songwriter Myles Goodwyn teamed up with the Henman brothers – guitarist David Henman, drummer Ritchie Henman and cousin/bassist Jimmy Henman  – in Halifax, NS. A self-titled album and the single ‘Fast Train’ made enough noise to spur Montreal-based Aquarius Records to bring in a name producer, resulting in transplanted Canadian songwriter/producer Ralph Murphy helping to mould a sound for the band over the next two albums, and giving them a certified hit with ‘Could Have Been A Lady’ which had been a hit for Hot Chocolate in the UK.

The Henman brothers left April Wine during recording of the third album. Remaining band members Myles Goodwyn and Jim Clench auditioned replacements in early 1973, and selected Jerry Mercer and Gary Moffet. The band became tighter and flashier with its new members, resulting in the well received album ‘Electric Jewels’.

Two years later, in 1975, April Wine released ‘Stand Back’ that yielded the Cancon chestnut ‘Oowatanite’ that helped to sell over 200,000 of their fourth album. A year later Aquarius Records spent an unprecedented high five-figures in marketing to launch ‘The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy’- an album that saw Clench replaced by Steve Lang. The album was a hit from the get-go. Aquarius pushed the envelope to get advance orders that guaranteed platinum status out-of-the-box, a first for a Canadian band in English Canada, and the resultant tour set another milestone, grossing in excess of $1-million from a massive coast-to-coast tour of the nation. The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy album also included one of the band’s enduring hits, ‘Like A Lover, Like A Song’that showcases songwriter Goodwyn’s dark lyrical romanticism.

Next came ‘Forever For Now’ with Brian Greenway fleshing the quartet out to a quintet. The album was another certified success and spun off another Goodwyn-penned April Wine classic, ‘You Won’t Dance With Me’. After that April Wine famously played the foil to The Cockroaches who turned out to be the Rolling Stones, both bands playing two shows at the El Mocambo on March 4 and 5, 1977 – and both releasing live albums from the venerable Spadina club.

The celebrity status and subsequent media attention from the shows helped firmly launch April Wine in America. Still signed to Aquarius at home, Capitol Records signed the band for the US and other territories, and making good on the newfound opportunity, April Wine turned in a trio of electric albums that spun off hits and platinum sales in America with ‘First Glance, then ‘Harder…Faster’ and finally ‘The Nature Of the Beast’. By this time the band and Goodwyn in particular were exhausted from touring and the constant pressure to become bigger and better.

An 18 month recess saw them return in good form with ‘Power Play’, ‘Animal Grace’ and ‘Walking Through Fire’ in years 1982, 1984 and 1986. Although the albums were well received the momentum that preceded them was lost. Since then various line-ups backing Goodwyn have produced four more albums, the last being ‘Roughly Speaking’ in 2006.

All told, April Wine has sold more than 7-million albums, won two Felix Awards and yet with 11 Juno nominations over the years, April Wine has yet to actually the award. That opportunity is now likely lost, but at least the Recording Academy is now recognizing the band’s stature and success over the years. Last year, Goodwyn accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his band from the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. In April he pauses from touring and recording to accept another achievement award on the Juno program, an acknowledgement long overdue.

Goodwyn is one of Canada’s under-rated, often-times overlooked songwriters. At times charismatic, he is also a stage performer who has never really felt comfortable in the spotlight,while his songs have often spoken of troubled romances, loneliness and vulnerability. Over the years his wit and lyricism, matched by his knack for memorable melodies, have become part of the Canada’s cultural fabric. April Wine has endured as a band in name, but it is Myles Goodwyn that has largest charted its course and written its musical legacy.

In announcing the Juno induction, Melanie Berry, President & CEO of CARAS said: “With the release of their debut album in 1971, April Wine kicked off a remarkable run of hit records both in Canada and around the world. For 40 (plus) years, the band has given music fans great songs to rock to and live shows to remember. Their induction to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame is exceptionally deserving, and highlights a long history of musical accomplishments.”

“To be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame is a tremendous honour; and on behalf of all April Wine members, past and present, a heartfelt thank you to the Juno Awards. I look forward to the presentation in Newfoundland on April 18th,” said Myles Goodwyn, lead member of the band.