Alain Simard, Andre Menard inducted into Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame

TORONTO – Two Quebec musical giants are being inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.

Alain Simard and Andre Menard are the co-founders of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which had its first edition in 1980.

The festival attracts about two million visitors a year and has featured more than 15,000 concerts since its inception.

In 1977, Simard and Menard helped found Equipe Spectra, which designs, manages and produces large-scale cultural events.

Another of their productions is the FrancoFolies, an annual music festival in Montreal with about 250 shows.

Simard and Menard were to be inducted at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala in Toronto on Thursday night.

“The impact that Andre and Alain have had on the musical landscape of our country has been immense,” said Neill Dixon, president of Canadian Music Week. “We are delighted to induct them into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.”