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Matt Mays is among the musicians photographed at Toronto’s Great Hall by photographer Lisa MacIntosh for her book.

The preservation of Toronto music venues is a big story in this town, but what about the preservation of the musicians?

Enter photographer Lisa MacIntosh, whose new self-published book Music Makers: Portraits at the Great Hall salutes a storied building while adoringly capturing a who's who of players on the roots-music scene.

Working in black and white, MacIntosh photographed more than 200 (mostly Canadian) musicians over some 30 months, starting with the Carpet Frogs' Jeff Jones and finishing with Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy. The finished product is an elegant, upbeat document that presents the likes of Sylvia Tyson, Fred Penner, Shakura S'Aida and the big ham Tom Wilson in a pristine setting.

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical is making its North American premiere in Toronto on Saturday. Meat Loaf says the transformation of his iconic album into a stage show has brought him to tears.

The Canadian Press

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