Singer-songwriter and mega-hit maker Andy Kim signed Montreal’s golden book at City Hall on Thursday afternoon.
Among those joining the celebration were Montreal’s vice mayor Sterling Downey, vice-chair of the executive committee and responsible for culture, Magda Popeanu, and Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who is friends with Kim.
Kim also received Montreal’s first-ever hometown star in recognition for his induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame just last year.
The man behind Rock Me Gently and Sugar Sugar — performed by the Archie’s in the late 1960s — shaped Canada’s musical landscape and entertained fans around the world in a career that spans 50 years.
Growing up with his family on De Castelneau and St-Denis streets, Kim moved to New York in his teens to pursue his music career.
“I’ve always felt that the community that I wanted to live in — the community of friendship and love and most importantly forgiveness — came from the streets that I roamed and the home that I lived in,” he said.
After all these years, he keeps fond memories of his childhood in Montreal.
“Having friends that speak a different language and getting along with your neighbours, that’s the cool thing about growing up in Montreal,” he said.