Triumph’s Rik Emmett on Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame induction

Nearly five decades after emerging from Mississauga’s rock scene, Triumph will be honoured at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Legends gala on Oct. 17 at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre.

The hard rock trio — guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore — will be inducted by fellow Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane, recognizing a career that carried arena-sized ambition and melodic songwriting to international stages.

SWOMP caught up with Emmett for an interview. 

For Emmett, the honour reflects the band’s belief that powerful music could also be positive and purposeful.

Triumph’s catalogue — from Lay It on the Line and Magic Power to Fight the Good Fight and Follow Your Heart — combined virtuosic musicianship with lyrics about perseverance and hope.

Formed in 1975, Triumph rose from Toronto-area clubs to headlining arenas across North America. Their blend of precision playing and theatrical stagecraft helped define Canadian arena rock through the late 1970s and ’80s.

At the height of their fame, the band performed before half a million fans at California’s 1983 US Festival, cementing their place among rock’s elite.

The Hall of Fame recognition comes after a renewed wave of interest in Triumph’s legacy. The 2021 Banger Films documentary Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine introduced their story to a new generation, while a surprise reunion performance at the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton marked the group’s first public show in 17 years.

Emmett will perform at the gala with guitarist Phil X, who joined the band in its later years, linking Triumph’s past with the musicians they continue to inspire.

Triumph joins a select list of Canadian artists to be honoured for their songwriting contributions. The gala will also see k.d. lang induct Jane Siberry, Murray McLauchlan induct Ian Thomas, and Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene honour Andy Kim.

More details can be found at https://www.cshf.ca/.