2011 | Jack Richardson Producer of the Year (Sponsored by Slaight Music) | Daniel Lanois | | The JUNO Awards

One of the most distinctive and celebrated producers of his time, Daniel Lanois is also a gifted composer and solo artist; whether performing his own material or helming records for the likes of U2, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel, the hallmarks of his singular aesthetic remained the same. Noted for his unparalleled atmospheric sensibilities, Lanois pursued emotional honesty over technical perfection, relying on vintage equipment and unorthodox studio methods to achieve a signature sound both viscerally powerful and intricately beautiful. He was born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Québec; his French-Canadian family was firmly rooted in music, with his mother a singer and both his father and grandfather noted for their prowess on the violin. Following his parents’ 1963 separation, Lanois and his mother moved to the English-speaking suburbs of Hamilton, ON; there he learned to play guitar, and with his brother, Robert, began making primitive home recordings on a cheap cassette player. In 1970, the siblings purchased a four-track machine, setting up a recording studio in the laundry room of their home and offering their services to local bands for a 60-cent fee.