The Tragically Hip

2008 National Arts Centre Award

Rock band

The Tragically Hip were formed in 1983 by five friends from Kingston—Rob Baker, Gordon Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair—taking their name from a skit from the cult classic movie Elephant Pants by Michael Nesmith. The Hip have sold millions of records worldwide, enjoying both mass popularity and critical acclaim.

The group released their first album, The Tragically Hip, in 1987 and have since released twelve albums, earning two diamond certifications. In 2002, The Tragically Hip met and performed for Her Majesty the Queen at a gala event in celebration of her Golden Jubilee. The band was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2003 and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards in 2005.

Known for their powerful, energetic live performances and their ironic wordplay and references to quintessentially Canadian subjects from hockey to history, The Hip have established a demanding concert itinerary. They have toured extensively in Canada, the U.S., Europe and Australia. Most recently the band finished a 2006–07 tour to promote their platinum selling album World Container where they continued to sell out arenas across Canada.

The Tragically Hip continue to support numerous charitable organizations, lending their name to help raise and donate millions of dollars for various social and environmental causes, including the Special Olympics, The Waterkeeper Alliance, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and Camp Trillium.

The Tragically Hip are currently recording a new studio album.