Jim Cuddy is amused to learn that his band Blue Rodeo's latest album, Are You Ready?, has entered the national chart at No. 3.
Amused, because while he cannot recall a better first-week performance for any of the band's nine previous studio albums, the media have deemed it newsworthy that the beloved veteran band of Canadian country rockers could not displace 50 Cent from the top spot. And because the second spot is occupied by Michael Buble.
"Isn't that wild," Cuddy asks. "Could you have three more different records in the Top 3?"
Far from being concerned, Cuddy is secure in his band's position within our hearts, grateful for what he and Blue Rodeo have achieved over the past two decades and likely pleased for 50 and Buble.
Cuddy is that kind of guy. He's demonstrated as much by lending moral and vocal support to two of Ottawa's finest -- Jim Bryson and Kathleen Edwards -- on their most recent albums and in concert.
"That's no hardship," Cuddy says of working with the singer-songwriters. "They're both really talented. It's easy to support people like that."
Cuddy and his bandmates have similarly given their stamp of approval to such worthy Canadian talent as The Sadies and Oh Susanna. But Cuddy downplays the mentoring aspect of the relationships he, Greg Keelor, Bazil Donovan, Bob Egan, Glenn Milchem and new Blue Rodeo keyboardist Bob Packwood have developed within the community.
"It's really just a musical exchange," he insists. "You know, we get as much from them: It's great to meet and play with other musicians.
"We're having the same thing with Matt Mays (opening act for the tour that hits the Corel Centre Sunday at 7:30 p.m.), getting him and his band onstage each night, watching them go through what they go through and seeing how they're handling this tour -- and seeing ourselves as a young band and remembering how exciting it was.
"When you're used to being a bar band and you come on a tour like this and you're only playing 35 minutes a night, you've got a lot of extra energy. And you don't always use it for good. That's been very entertaining to watch."
If founding members Cuddy, Keelor and Donovan had been in danger of forgetting what it was like to be that young, energetic band that first performed as Blue Rodeo 20 years ago, they've had numerous reminders of the old days in recent months -- from reunions of the original lineup (with keyboardist Bob Wiseman and drummer Cleave Anderson) for a DVD retrospective and for a special 20th anniversary concert; to a dusted-off early stage favourite, Beverley Street, newly recorded for inclusion on Are You Ready?.
"That was such a standard," Cuddy says of the vintage folk-rock composition that rests as comfortably on Are You Ready? as it would have on the band's debut album, Outskirts.
"We always played it live. And when somebody played it for Greg recently he was just smitten again, so he brought it in to the studio. He said 'Let's do Beverley Street' and in half an hour we had it."
Cuddy pauses to reflect on another fine album courtesy of one of our nation's enduring treasures.
"I guess there is a bit of nostalgia to it," he concludes. "It's pretty hard to not somehow have the themes be affected by what has happened to you along the road. It's not like many businesses -- you have to put your heart and soul into this business.
"You weave your personal story in and out of your work life. So as you look back and see all the choices you made and where they've led you, all those things start to work their way in.
"Besides, we're certainly more surrounded by hints of mortality than we used to be. Still a ways to go, but the sign's on the wall."
