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Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1955-2023 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
4.66 m of textual records and other materials
2,716 photographs
1035 audio recordings
83 moving image recordings
62 posters
43 items of realia
Publisher's series area
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Bruce Cockburn is a well known Canadian singer and songwriter. He was born in Ottawa on 27 May 1945. After playing in Ottawa rock bands (The Children, Esquires, 3’s a Crowd), Cockburn became a folk singer with a humanist, poetic style combining elements of jazz, rock and reggae. His recordings include Sunwheel Dance (1971), In the Falling Dark (1976), Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws (1979), Stealing Fire (1984), the singles collection Waiting for a Miracle (1987), The Charity of Night (1996), and Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu (1999). Cockburn has written songs in English and French; among his signature pieces are “Goin’ to the Country,” “Musical Friends,” his 1980 hit “Wondering Where the Lions Are,” “The Trouble with Normal”, "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" and “Lovers in a Dangerous Time.”
Concert touring and regular album releases in the United States, Australia and Europe have given Bruce Cockburn a solid international reputation. All 31 of Cockburn's albums were recorded on the Canadian label True North Records, while some distribution has been managed by the American companies Columbia Records and Rounder Records.
Cockburn is also well known as a social activist. His song “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” (1984) was inspired by a visit to Central American refugee camps on behalf of Oxfam. In 1986 he performed two benefit concerts that raised funds to help the Haida in their land claims struggle. He has also worked with the Unitarian Services Committee, Friends of the Earth and World Vision Canada. “If a Tree Falls” (1989) calls for an end to destruction of the world’s rain forests. The 1996 song “The Mines of Mozambique” documents the deadly impact of anti-personnel mines. After addressing the land-mine issue in dozens of interviews, Cockburn and singer-songwriter friend Jackson Browne headlined a fundraising concert in Ottawa on 3 December 1997 that marked the signing of a United Nations treaty banning their use.
Environmentalist David Suzuki and musical peer Gordon Lightfoot inducted Cockburn into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Cockburn is also the recipient of numerous other awards, including the Order of Canada. Bruce Cockburn continues to actively write and record music as well as support his humanitarian interests and causes. This biographical sketch has been adapted from The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The fonds is very comprehensive and includes: 32 notebooks in which Cockburn composed most of his song lyrics from 1969 to 2002; song sheets and scores; correspondence, including fan mail; awards, including gold records; promotional material, including posters; tour books; scrapbooks; photographs; a copy of each of Cockburn’s recordings; video and film items; and other material.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The first accrual (2010-18) was acquired in 2010 from Bruce Cockburn via his manager, Bernie Finkelstein. The second (2013-017) and third (2014-006) accruals were donated by Bruce Cockburn in May 2013 and February 2014. The fourth accrual (2013-023) was donated by Barbara Bloemhof in June 2013. The fifth accrual (2014-036) was acquired from Bruce Cockburn in August 2014. The sixth accrual (2016-011?) was acquired from Bruce Cockburn in 2016. The seventh accrual (2021-021 and 2023-038) was acquired from Bruce Cockburn in 2023.
Arrangement
The first accrual has been arranged into the following series: (1) Notebooks; (2) Song Sheets, Scores, Lyrics, Etc.; (3) Letters and Other Personal Documents; (4) Charities and Causes; (5) Fan Mail and Related Publications; (6) Photographs; (7) Awards; (8) Promotional Material; (9) Tour Books; (10) Folk Festivals and Other Programs; (11) Memorabilia; (12) Scrapbooks; (13) Sound Recordings; (14) Moving Images; (15) Publications and Clippings; (16) Legal Documents; (17) Realia—Guitars and Clothing.
The second, third, and fourth accruals have been arranged into the following series: (1) Lyrics and Sheet Music; (2) Speeches and Notes; (3) Correspondence and Fan Mail; (4) Tour Books; (5) Audio; (6) Publications and Clippings; (7) Memorabilia and Other Material.
The fifth accrual has been arranged into the following series: (1) Sheet Music, Speeches, and Ephemera; (2) Sound Recordings.
In the sixth accrual, the processing archivist added records to existing series from the first accrual. Series represented include: (3) Correspondence and Other Personal Documents; (5) Fan Mail; (6) Photographs; (8) Promotional Material; (9) Tour Books; (10) Programs; (11) Memorabilia; (13) Sound Recordings; (15) Clippings and Publications; (17) Realia; (18—new series) Rumours of Glory.
The seventh accrual has been arranged into the following series: (1) Notebooks and Tour Books; (2) Liner Notes, etc.; (3) Concert and Festival Programs; (4) Speeches; (5) Personal and Correspondence; (6) Research Material for 2014 Memoir Rumours of Glory; (7) Magazines with Features on Cockburn; (8) Awards; (9) Photographs; (10) Promotional Material; (11) Sound and Video Recordings.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
There are no access restrictions.
Please note that Notebooks 24 and 25, and the Manzer guitar are unavailable at this time. They are on loan until 2026.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
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Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised by K. Pugh in 2024.
Fonds-level description revised by G. Dunks in 2025.
