As reported by Ultimate Guitar.
Iconic Canadian rockers Triumph will be honored with the “Legends of Live” award at the 2019 Live Music Industry Awards on Friday, May 10 in the Osgoode East Ballroom at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The award recognizes artists who have made great contributions to the Canadian music industry through live music touring and concerts. All three members of Triumph — Rik Emmett, Mike Levine and Gil Moore — will be in attendance to accept the prestigious award.
Triumph formed in Toronto in 1975 after a chance meeting led Emmett, Levine and Moore to embark on a marathon jam session. They immediately decided to form a band and their debut, “Triumph,” was released in 1976 on Attic Records. Triumph’s gift for delicate, intricate pieces and blistering rave-ups was evident on this first album. The second album, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Machine,” followed in 1977.
Triumph’s initial popularity developed in an unusual way. Both “Triumph” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Machine” were first released only in Canada and garnered significant airplay in Texas. The “Lone Star State” has always been a prime United States market for hard rock and fans responded so favorably that Triumph specifically undertook a Texas tour to promote “Rock ‘N’ Roll Machine.” RCA Records signed Triumph on the strength of the positive buzz generated and the band’s steadily increasing notoriety, and in 1978 released a compilation off the first two albums titled “Rock ‘N’ Roll Machine.”
The Canadian hard-rock power trio Triumph stands out as a visionary, uniquely influential entity among their fellow brethren. Virtuoso musicianship, soaring melodies and exceptional songs with a positive perspective and outstanding live shows made Emmett, Levine and Moore destined for stardom. They defined and epitomized arena rock. Individually, Emmett, Levine and Moore received countless accolades for their instrumental abilities. Their creative prowess manifested itself in other outlets as well. Levine co-produced some of the band’s early work. Emmett became a cartoonist for Hit Parader magazine. Moore designed Triumph’s phenomenal live show, which consistently evolved over the years and always utilized state-of-the-art lighting, laser and pyrotechnic effects. In fact, Triumph received the influential Performance magazine’s “Innovators Of The Year” award in 1981 for the unique way they changed the arena rock landscape.
Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the “RES 9” album from Emmett’s band RESOLUTION9.
After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.
Emmett has said in various interviews over the years that he would welcome the chance to play Triumph songs with Moore and Levine again but that those two have been reluctant to commit. “If the carrot was big enough and golden enough, I think it would make Mike and Gil, but especially Gil, do it,” Emmett told the QMI Agency back in 2012.
Watch “Never Surrender” official live video here:
