The Tenors

The Tenors
Clockwise from top left: Remigio Pereira, Fraser Walters, Victor Micallef, and Clifton Murray
Background information
Also known as	The Canadian Tenors
Origin	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Operatic pop
Years active	2007-present
Labels	Universal Music Canada (2007-present) Decca (2008-present) Verve Records (2012-present)
Website	http://www.tenorsmusic.com/
Members	Remigio Pereira Victor Micallef Fraser Walters Clifton Murray

The Tenors (formerly known as The Canadian Tenors) are a vocal quartet consisting of Remigio Pereira, Victor Micallef, Fraser Walters, and Clifton Murray. They perform operatic pop music that is a mixture of classical and pop, featuring songs such as "The Prayer" and Panis Angelicus from the former genre,^[1] and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah from the latter.^[2]

Originating from Canada, Pereira from Ottawa/Gatineau, Micallef from Toronto, Walters from Vancouver and Murray from Port McNeil, the Tenors have performed on more than 60 international television programs. They appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show with Celine Dion in 2010,^[3] at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards,^[4] at the opening ceremonies of 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and on ITV (TV network) Diamond Jubilee Show at Windsor Castle for HM Queen Elizabeth II. The venues they have performed in include the Tel Aviv Opera House, and the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. They also appeared on the 2009 Grey Cup broadcast and on CBC Television’s Holiday Festival of Ice.^[5]

They have shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan,^[6] Neil Young,^[7] Paul Anka,^[8] Justin Bieber,^[8] Paul McCartney,^[9] Brian McKnight, David Foster,^[6] and Natalie Cole.

Universal Music Group released their platinum-selling self-titled debut album and double-platinum holiday album, The Perfect Gift. The Tenors filmed a PBS special at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts that began airing in 2012.^[10]

The Canadian Tenors were renamed The Tenors in November 2012 in advance of their third album Lead With Your Heart.^[11] Also in 2012, The Tenors Signed a US distribution deal with Verve Records.

The Tenors latest release Lead With Your Heart went platinum in Canada in seven weeks. The album garnered a 2013 JUNO Award for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year ^[12] and a JUNO Award Nomination for Jack Richardson for Producer of the Year for Bob Ezrin's production of the title track "Forever Young." Lead With Your Heart was featured on Katie, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, ET Canada, CNN Morning Live, e-Talk and FOX & Friends.

Career

Origin

The group was the creation of Jill Ann Siemens, originally as a trio (Philip Grant, Paul Ouellette and Ken Lavigne) and debuted in 2004 in Victoria. Siemens then did a cross-Canada search to find four new voices, and chose Micallef, Pereira, Walters and Jamie McKnight. They released their self-titled debut The Canadian Tenors in 2008.^[13]

Walters, Micallef and Pereira have been singing a repertoire of popular and classical music together for seven years. In January 2009 Clifton Murray replaced Jamie McKnight and the official The Canadian Tenors were formed.^[3]

The Perfect Gift (2009-2011)

The band released their first holiday album The Perfect Gift on November 3, 2009, and was later certified platinum by Music Canada.

In September of that year, the group toured with David Foster as the opening act. They performed O Canada at the 2009 Grey Cup game. On February 10, 2010, the Tenors appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and sang "Hallelujah" alongside Celine Dion.

The album was released in the US October 30, 2010, and has since peaked at #7 on the Top Holiday Albums Chart.

On December 13, 2010, The group performed during a holiday special called Canadian Tenors and Friends, which drew 957,000 viewers.^[14] The performance included the Tenors, Justin Bieber, and Jackie Evancho.

The Canadian Tenors appeared at the 2011 Emmy Awards, performing a version of Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah."

Another special called Season of Song featuring the Tenors aired December 14, 2011, attracting 743,000 viewers.^[15]

2012-2014: Lead With Your Heart

The band announced on July 25, 2012, that they were signed by David Foster to Verve Records.^[16]

The group's third album Lead With Your Heart was released in Canada on October 9, 2012 through Universal Music Canada. Lead With Your Heart is a 12- track classical crossover album. It includes covers of Forever Young (Bob Dylan song), Amazing Grace and Nessun Dorma. The album also includes new compositions written by The Tenors.

Walter Afanasieff, Bob Ezrin and Marco Marinangeli have production and co-writing credits on the album.

The album's first single "I Believe," was released on iTunes on July 24, 2012 and was sampled on CTV during the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[17] The group was awarded with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal on January 24, 2013.^[18]

On August 2, 2013, Lead With Your Heart was released in the United Kingdom. Later that year The Tenors appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

In October 2013 The Tenors released a single I Thank You with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Spokesperson Laura Kaeppeler to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.

Conceived by Kenny Munshaw and co-written with The Tenors and Marc Jordan, I Thank You was recorded in London and produced by Grammy nominated producer and songwriter Sacha Skarbek.

2015-present: Under One Sky

The Tenors recorded their second PBS Special on March 12, 2015 at Caesar's Windsor Palace in Windsor, Ontario, featuring their new album, Under One Sky. The Canadian release of the CD is planned for May 4, 2015 and a US release date one month later, in June. The PBS special is also slated for release in June 2015 to public television stations. Under One Sky features both original and re-recorded songs, and was well received at the PBS taping by a live, international audience.

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

External links

• Official website
• The Tenors at the Internet Movie Database