Krytiuk, Jury

Websites:  No
Origin: Melfort, Saskatchewan → Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Bootstrapped and Unstoppable: The Story of Jury Krytiuk
Jury Krytiuk is a Canadian songwriter, producer, arranger, publisher, and record executive whose imprint on the country’s musical landscape spans decades and continents. Originally from Melfort, Saskatchewan, he moved to Ontario in 1969, where he took on the role of National Sales Manager for Canadian Music Sales Corp. Ltd. and manager of the Dominion label. It was during this period that he developed an instinctive understanding of the entire musical ecosystem—from distribution to publishing to artist development—and began building a model for a Canadian-owned, artist-focused music industry.

In 1971, he co-founded Boot Records Limited with Stompin’ Tom Connors, creating one of the most independent and nationally-minded labels in Canadian music history. While the label was initially formed to house Connors’ catalogue, Boot quickly became a launching ground for regional and grassroots Canadian artists in country, bluegrass, folk, and beyond. Krytiuk was its driving force: producing, arranging, scouting talent, and managing day-to-day operations while investing his own money into recordings, marketing, and pressing. With no grants or subsidies, he built a label infrastructure that outpaced many government-backed initiatives of the time.

Boot's early product was distributed nationally through London Records, but after the company was absorbed by Polygram and abandoned its Canadian content, Krytiuk responded by building his own national distribution network from scratch. Through this independent network, he not only distributed Boot product but also released albums by other independent Canadian artists including Stan Rogers, Wonderful Grand Band, and Keath Barrie. His work with Stompin’ Tom Connors remains a defining chapter of Canadian music history, but it was The Emeralds from Edmonton who brought Krytiuk his biggest commercial success abroad. Their recording of “The Bird Dance” (also known as “The Chicken Dance”) became a global sensation, selling over six million copies and earning worldwide recognition.

“I wasn’t part of a big multinational company with thousands of dollars to spend,” he later reflected. “I spent my own money without any grants or subsidies. And now that I look back, I’m amazed at what I was able to accomplish.”

Through Boot and its budget imprint Cynda Records, Krytiuk developed a remarkably diverse catalogue. Cynda allowed him to issue reissues, international titles, orchestral and pop releases, and projects that fell outside the commercial expectations of the time. One of his own personal projects was the 1972 album A Tribute to Burt Bacharach, which he arranged and released under the Jury Krytiuk Orchestra & Chorus. The album demonstrated his range as an arranger and producer far beyond the country-folk realm.

Krytiuk also launched the careers of numerous now-celebrated artists. In addition to his early work with Connors and Dick Nolan, he was instrumental in developing the careers of Ted Wesley, Stevedore Steve, Con Archer, Sharon Lowness, Roy Payne, Humphrey and the Dumptrucks, Donna and Leroy, and Joyce Seamone. He discovered Liona Boyd and released her first albums, promoted her Carnegie Hall debut, and secured her as the opening act for Liberace in Las Vegas—an engagement that launched her international breakthrough. He also helped launch Rita MacNeil’s career, released material by Ian Tyson, and played a role in advancing Canadian performers across genres and geographies.

Parallel to his work at Boot, Krytiuk became deeply involved in music publishing. He founded offices in Nashville and Ireland, where he administered the catalogues of major international artists, including Don Williams and Crystal Gayle, and for ten years, managed the publishing operations of Johnny Cash. His publishing interests weren’t limited to mainstream country: he became a tireless advocate for preserving and reviving the works of songwriters like Roy Payne, Ellis Coles, and Wince Coles, often digging through long-lost cassettes and regional recordings to locate rare material.

His commitment to Indigenous and Northern artists was not only national but global in its reach. Krytiuk released groundbreaking albums by Inuit artists such as Morley Loon, Charlie Panigoniak, and Willie Thrasher, and was among the first to see those recordings exported beyond Canada. Some titles found strong resonance in Greenland and were even released by Melodiya in the Soviet Union, a rare occurrence for Western, non-USSR artists. Krytiuk later learned that Indigenous communities in Northern Canada, Greenland, and parts of the USSR shared language and cultural ties—an insight that framed his work not just as musical export but as cultural connection. In an upcoming conversation, he hopes to share the full story of personally accompanying a shipment of records to Greenland, where he witnessed their reception firsthand.

Boot’s classical and instrumental wing, including the Boot Master Concert series (launched under Eleanor Koldofsky’s direction), issued albums by Liona Boyd, The Canadian Brass, pianist Monica Gaylord, and Ukrainian-born bass Yosyp Hoshuliak. The label also issued product by international acts such as Barley Bree, De Danann, Mushroom, and The Bushwackers Band, often through licensing and Canadian distribution.

Krytiuk’s musical reach also extended into reggae. In the early 1970s, as political violence in Jamaica escalated, several major artists fled to Canada. Sensing a new cultural wave, Krytiuk launched Generation Records to issue albums by Jackie Mittoo, Ernie Smith, Carlene Davis, Judy Mowatt, Ken Boothe, and Chalawa, expanding his catalogue into Caribbean and international grooves while giving refuge to artists in exile.

Throughout the 1990s, Krytiuk continued to archive and master much of the Boot catalogue, working closely with engineer Albert McDonald, who mastered much of the material to DAT cassette. As technology shifted, Krytiuk has remained actively involved in finding ways to digitally transfer and preserve these masters—often searching for rare hardware just to keep the archives alive.

As of today, Boot Records is preparing to rise again, with new recordings scheduled for release in the near future. Krytiuk remains engaged as both a creative and strategic force. His legacy is not only reflected in the songs and albums he shepherded into existence, but also in the fierce independence, cultural pride, and long-term vision that defined every aspect of his work.

Though he never had the benefit of corporate backing or government grants, Jury Krytiuk built a national institution from scratch—and in doing so, helped define the sound of Canadian music. His labels gave voice to the North, to the immigrant, to the working class, to the folk poet, and to the overlooked. His reach was wider than many realized: from Nashville to Nunavut, from Edmonton to the USSR, his influence stretched quietly and confidently, one record at a time.
-Robert Williston