Canada's Walk of Fame is getting a serious boost of musical star power on Saturday as singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and guitar guru Randy Bachman are being officially added to the downtown Toronto walk, and Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy is helping pay tribute to Team Canada 1972.
Longtime David Letterman musical director and fellow Walk of Famer Paul Shaffer is emceeing the glitzy awards gala, which happens Saturday night after a red carpet stroll that draws thousands of fans.
Other 2012 inductees include famed Canadian ballet dancer Sonia Rodriguez, CFL star Russ Jackson, and legendary comedian and Saturday Night Live alumnus Phll Hartman.
Juno- and Grammy-winning R&B artist Melanie Fiona will also receive the 2012 Allan Straight Award, which honours a young Canadian who is "making a positive impact in the fields of music, film, literature, visual or performing arts, sports, innovation or philanthropy."
Weekend festivities include performances by heavyweights Johnny Reid and Jann Arden, as well as a free, all-day Nathan Phillips Square concerts that include Grand Analog, DJ Champion, Melanie Fiona and dozens more.
With the help of hockey veterans and Olympians, Jim Cuddy and his son Devin, along with Canrock veteran Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, also helped pay tribute to Team Canada 1972, who 40 years ago beat the Soviets in the iconic Canada/Russia Frienship Series.
Canada's Walk of Fame was first opened in 1998. Past honourees include Neil Young, Rush, Bryan Adams, Glenn Gould, Nelly Furtado, Drake, k.d. lang, Céline Dion, Daniel Lanois, Alanis Morisette, Joni Mitchell, Sandra Oh, Russell Peters, Howie Mandel, James Cameron, Bobby Orr, Karen Kain, Kids in the Hall, Pamela Anderson and dozens more.
The awards ceremony will air on television October 14.
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