{{Infobox musical artist | name = Bernie Finkelstein | image = Bernie Finkelstein Headshot.jpg | alt = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|08|12}} | birth_place = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada | death_date = | death_place = | origin = | instrument = | genre = | occupation = [[Music executive]], [[Talent manager|manager]] | years_active = 1966–present | label = [[True North Records|True North]] | associated_acts = [[Bruce Cockburn]]<br>[[Murray McLauchlan]]<br>[[Dan Hill]]<br>[[The Golden Dogs]] [[Blackie and the Rodeo Kings]], [[Rough Trade (band)|Rough Trade]], [[Stephen Fearing]], [[Barney Bentall]] | website = www.berniefinkelstein.com }}

'''Bernard Finkelstein''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (born August 12, 1944 in [[Toronto]]) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] music executive and talent manager.<ref name=wm>McPherson, David, "Bernie Finkelstein's Golden Mountain", ''Words and Music'', Fall 2012</ref><ref name="tce">{{cite web |title=True North Records |first= |last= |authorlink= |url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/true-north-records-emc/ |website=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |date=14 December 2013 |publisher=[[Historica Canada]] |accessdate=19 March 2017}}</ref>

Finkelstein began his career in music as the manager of [[The Paupers]] from 1966 to 1967 and [[Kensington Market (band)|Kensington Market]] from 1967 to 1969.<ref name="tce"/>

In 1969, Finkelstein founded [[True North Records]]. The first artist signed to the label in 1969 was [[Bruce Cockburn]]. Through 1972–1981, in partnership with Bernie Fiedler, he managed the careers of [[Ronney Abramson]], [[Bruce Cockburn]], [[Murray McLauchlan]] and [[Dan Hill]]. In 1970, he and Cockburn became partners in the music publishing firm Golden Mountain Music.<ref name=wm />

By the time Finkelstein sold True North, the label had released over 550 albums, including records from such Canadian notables as [[Rough Trade (band)|Rough Trade]], [[Randy Bachman]], [[The Rheostatics]], [[Lynn Miles]], [[Cowboy Junkies]], [[Colin Linden]], [[Catherine MacLellan]], [[Tom Wilson (musician)|Tom Wilson]], [[Moxy Früvous]], and [[Lighthouse (band)|Lighthouse]], among others. True North continued to also release records for acts that Finkelstein managed including [[Blackie & The Rodeo Kings]], [[Murray McLauchlan]], [[Stephen Fearing]], [[Barney Bentall]] and [[Bruce Cockburn]]. During the period from 1969 to 2007 True North received over 40 Gold and Platinum records and over 40 [[Juno Awards]].

In December 2007, True North was acquired by an investment group led by [[Linus Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1315695/linus-acquires-true-north-records|title=Linus Acquires True North Records|magazine=Billboard|date=18 December 2007|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> Finkelstein remained as chairman and long-term consultant. He continued as Cockburn's manager and also managed [[The Golden Dogs]].

Until 2011, Finkelstein was the Chairman of [[MuchFACT]] for 26 years, an organization he co-founded with [[Moses Znaimer]] in 1984 when it was known as VideoFACT. Finkelstein was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2006, the [[Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] (CARAS) awarded Finkelstein the [[Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award]], given to "individuals who have contributed to the growth of the Canadian music industry".

Finkelstein received the [[Order of Canada]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Order of Canada: Bernard Finkelstein |website=The [[Governor General of Canada]] |url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=10172&t=12 |access-date=19 March 2017}}</ref> On April 16, 2012, Finkelstein's autobiography, ''True North: A Life Inside The Music Business'' was published.

On October 10, 2012, he received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from [[York University]] in Toronto.

In 2012, Finkelstein co-produced the Bruce Cockburn documentary Pacing The Cage with director Joel Goldberg. The doc was well received and later was released as a DVD and has been a best seller on the DVD charts.

On June 22, 2015, Finkelstein was honoured by [[SOCAN]] at the 2015 SOCAN Awards in Toronto, where he received its Special Achievement Award.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.socan.ca/about/awards/2015-socan-awards |title=2015 SOCAN Awards &#124; SOCAN |access-date=2016-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802041429/http://www.socan.ca/about/awards/2015-socan-awards |archive-date=2017-08-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.finkelsteinmanagement.com Finkelstein Management] *[http://www.truenorthrecords.com/ True North Records]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Finkelstein, Bernie}} [[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]] [[Category:1944 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian autobiographers]] [[Category:Canadian record producers]] [[Category:Canadian music industry executives]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Toronto]] [[Category:True North Records]]