Jim Cuddy

Biography

James Gordon Cuddy, (born December 2, 1955) is a Canadian singer-songwriter primarily associated with the band Blue Rodeo.

Early life and education

Cuddy was born in Toronto, Ontario. His mother Jean Cuddy was an English teacher at Monarch Park Secondary School. He attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute, where he met and befriended Greg Keelor, his future bandmate. He also went to Upper Canada College and Queen's University.

The Hi-Fis

After graduating from university, Cuddy and Keelor formed a band called the Hi-Fis along with Jim Sublett on drums and Malcolm Schell playing bass. The band released a single in 1980 featuring "Look What You've Done" and on the B side "I Don't Know Why (You Love Me)". The record was not a commercial success, and when they couldn't get a record deal in Toronto, they headed off to New York City. In New York they met keyboardist Bob Wiseman, but were still unable to arrange a recording contract. They later moved back to Toronto.

Blue Rodeo

In 1984, Cuddy and Keelor formed a new band, Blue Rodeo, with Wiseman, and recruited Bazil Donovan on bass and Cleave Anderson on drums as backup. Since that time, Cuddy has continued to lead the band, which has toured extensively and released 16 studio albums.

Jim Cuddy Band

Cuddy has recorded a number of solo albums and performs live with the Jim Cuddy Band, featuring musicians such as Bazil Donovan, Colin Cripps, Joel Anderson, Steve O'Connor, Anne Lindsay and Gavin Brown. Guest performers on his solo albums have included Kathleen Edwards, former Weeping Tile member Sarah Harmer, and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy.

Other endeavours

Jim Cuddy's song "Whistler" from the All in Time album was featured in the 2002 documentary Ski Bums by John Zaritsky.
In 2016, Cuddy participated in a benefit concert in Edmonton, Alberta and another in Toronto, Ontario for the citizens of Fort McMurray, whose town was destroyed by fire.
On March 19, 2020, he performed the first concert in the National Arts Centre's #CanadaPerforms series of livestreamed home concerts by Canadian musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He narrates the TVOntario documentary series Striking Balance.

Personal life

Cuddy married Canadian actress Rena Polley in 1984. They have three children: daughter Emma; and two sons, Devin and Sam, who are also musicians. His brother Loftus Cuddy was a Conservative candidate for the riding of Toronto—Danforth in the 2004 Canadian federal election, but he was not elected.
In the 2004 edition of Canada Reads, Cuddy advocated for Guy Vanderhaeghe's novel The Last Crossing, which won the competition. In the 2007 edition of Canada Reads, an "all-star" competition pitting the five winning advocates from previous years against each other, Cuddy returned to champion Timothy Taylor's novel Stanley Park.
In 2016, Cuddy collaborated with Tawse Winery in Niagara to launch a new wine brand, Cuddy by Tawse.
In 2017, Cuddy narrated the documentary TV series Striking Balance.