Rush, Charlebois join Songwriters' Hall of Fame

Toronto rock trio Rush and Montreal music legend Robert Charleboiswere inducted into the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame on Sunday night.

The sixth annual awards galawas held at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. St. Catharines' rockers Alexisonfire, former Primus frontman Les Claypool and Hamilton folk troubadour Jacob Moonwere among the acts thatperformed during the evening.

Charleboissang his classic song, Ordinaire.

"It's humbling, frankly, to be joining a group that includes Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot and so many other great songwriters," Geddy Lee, Rush's lead vocalist, told the Toronto Star.

"Any time your country honours you is important, it's huge," he added.

The Juno award-winning band has been together since 1968.In its early years itwent through a number of reconfigurations, achieving its current form when drummer and lyricist Neil Peart replacedthe band'soriginal drummer, the lateJohn Rutsey, in 1974.

Peartdelivered the acceptance speechas he and fellow band members, Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson,were inducted.