Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Throwback Thursday: Melissa McClelland - Victoria Day

Original Post: April 14, 2009
Updated Post: May 29, 2025


Local Singer/Songwriter Melissa McClelland (now part of Whitehorse) released her newest album, Victoria Day on April 14, 2009.

According to her website: "The songs capture all of the beauty and charm of the girl next door while lacing the punch at the sock hop with home-made moonshine."

Information:
Personnel
You can stream the album below


Previous (Nominations for the 2025 Hamilton Arts Awards, Including Our Marketing Queen) - - - Next (Black Music Month Videos)

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Hamilton Arts Awards Short List, Including Our Very Own Marketing Queen


We here at the Hamilton Blues Lovers are proud to announce that our very own marketing queen,  Linda Fraser is on the 2025 Hamilton Arts Awards Short List. We'll be rooting for her to win at the June 12th ceremony.

Arts Champion Awards
Creator Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Throwback Thursday: Groove Corporation Debut Album - Record Prophets

Original Post: April 4, 2009
Updated: May 22, 2025



Update: The band is no longer active so it will be hard finding a CD version of this recording. This was the band's only album.

On April 4, 2009, Hamilton's Groove Corporation released their debut album, Record ProphetsThis is a recording to play and boogie. Their funk, soul, R&B sound is infectious and will have you dancing.

Consisting mainly of cover tunes (Jungle Boogie, James Brown's Cold Sweat, a swing version of KISS's Detroit Rock City, and more) - the collection also has three incredible originals by the band.

The album is available through You TubeSpotify, and Apple Music.

Band members: 
  • Bass – Steve Hilbert
  • Drums – Frank Vignanello
  • Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Mixer – Alex MacDougall
  • Keyboards, Vocals – Lily Sazz
  • Lead Vocals, Congas – Kim Campagnaro
  • Saxophone – Peter McFarland
  • Saxophone, Vocals – Cole G. Benjamin
  • Trumpet – Rich Sumstad, Rob Gellner
More information
Stream the album below.


Saturday, May 17, 2025

Winners of the 2025 East Coast Music Awards

The East Coast Music Awards: Festival and Conference (May 7-11, 2025) ended in a number of talented Eastern Canadian artists earning accolades in St. Johns, NFLD. This included Nova Scotia's Old Man Luedecke, a musician signed to Waterdown's True North Records.

Stompin’ Tom Awards


Previous (Fiddle Day Videos) - - - Next (Victoria Day Videos)

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Throwback Thursday: Laid Off Stelco Worker Records Heartfelt YouTube Videos

Original Post: April 9, 2009
Updated Post: May 15, 2025


Remo Cino, who was laid off from Stelco in November of 2009, wrote and recorded heartfelt songs about Hamilton steel industry's woes. The Hamilton mountain resident has posted them on YouTube.

Sunday, May 11, 2025

46th Annual Blues Music Award Winners including Canada's Sue Foley

On May 8, 2026, The Blues Foundation announced the winners of their 46th Annual Blues Music Awards winners in Memphis, Tennessee. The only Canadian artist to win was Ottawa's Sue Foley, who is signed to Waterdown's Stony Plain Records

Below is the new report from Blues Rock Review:

Links: Blues Music AwardsMore Blues Music Awards Stories, Video above courtesy of Blues Rock Review

Below is a complete list of winners.

Please Support Local Charities




Please Support Local Charities


From their website: We are a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, and have been helping the needy families of Oakville since 1988. We currently serve 350 to 420 families (approx. 1,300 people) per month from our location at 1240 Speers Road, between 3rd Line and 4th Line.

The Hamilton Blues Lovers (HBL) want to showcase a deserving local charity every week.  HBL is not affiliated with these charities nor does it fund raise for them.



Thursday, May 8, 2025

Please Support Our Wonderful Sponsors




Please Support Our Wonderful Sponsors


NEED COMPUTER HELP? Try First Choice Computer Solutions
Their service is friendly and reliable. In person and remote assistance available.



Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Throwback Thursday: 2009 Juno Award Winners + Nominees

Original Post: March 29, 2009

Expanded & Updated Post: May 8, 2025




On Sunday, March 29, the 2009 Junos were handed out.

Below is a complete list of winners (bolded and at the top of the category) and nominees.
Local artists are in italics.

Producer of the Year
Songwriter of the Year
  • City and Colour (St. Catharines), "Waiting...", "Sleeping Sickness", "The Girl"



    Links: City and ColourMore City and Colour StoriesVideo above courtesy [PIAS]

  • Nathan Ferraro, "Never Again", "Change For You", "Unaware" (The Midway State)
  • Hedley, "Old School", "For The Nights I Can't Remember" (with Dave Genn), "Never Too Late" (with Greig Nori) (Hedley)
  • Alanis Morissette, "Underneath", "Not As We", "In Praise of the Vulnerable Man" (Alanis Morissette)
  • Gordie Sampson, "When I Said I Would" (Whitney Duncan), "Just A Dream" (Carrie Underwood), "Davey Jones" (Gordie Sampson)
Dance Recording of the Year
Music DVD of the Year
Children's Album of the Year
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
Blues Album of the Year
* released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)
Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Adult Alternative Album of the Year
Recording Engineer of the Year
Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Rock Album of the Year
Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Solo)
Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Group)
Video of the Year
New Artist of the Year
  • Lights
  • Jessie Farrell
  • Crystal Shawanda
  • Kreesha Turner
  • Nikki Yanofsky
New Group of the Year
  • The Stills
  • Beast
  • Cancer Bats
  • Crystal Castles
  • Plants and Animals
Fan Choice Award
Album of the Year
  • Dark Horse, Nickelback
  • Famous Last Words, Hedley
  • Lost in the 80's, The Lost Fingers
  • 70’s Volume 2, Sylvain Cossette
  • Simple Plan, Simple Plan
Aboriginal Recording of the Year
Alternative Album of the Year
  • Oceans Will Rise, The Stills
  • The Chemistry of Common Life, Fucked Up
  • In the Future, Black Mountain
  • Parc Avenue, Plants and Animals
  • Soft Airplane, Chad VanGaalen
CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year
Classical Album of the Year (large ensemble)
Classical Album of the Year (solo or chamber ensemble)
  • Homage, James Ehnes
  • Haydn: Six Sonatas for Piano, Anton Kuerti
  • Schubert: Complete Piano Trios, The Gryphon Trio
  • Schumann: Sonata in F#Minor & Humoreske, Angela Hewitt
  • Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues opus 87, David Jalbert
Classical Album of the Year (vocal or choral performance)
  • Gloria! Vivaldi's Angels, Ensemble Caprice
  • Bach and the Liturgical Year, Shannon Mercer and Luc Beauséjour
  • Handel: Arias, Karina Gauvin
  • Schumann: Dichterliebe & other Heine Settings, Gerald Finley
  • The Voice of Bach, Daniel Taylor
Francophone Album of the Year
Instrumental Album of the Year
International Album of the Year
  • Viva La Vida, Coldplay
  • Black Ice, AC/DC
  • Chinese Democracy, Guns N' Roses
  • Death Magnetic, Metallica
  • Sleep Through the Static, Jack Johnson
Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year
  • Embracing Voices, Jane Bunnett
  • A Bend in the River, Roberto Occhipinti
  • Existential Detective, Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble
  • Rasstones, François Bourassa Quartet
  • The Sicilian Jazz Project, Michael Occhipinti
Traditional Jazz Album of the Year
Pop Album of the Year
World Music Album of the Year
Single of the Year
Classical Composition of the Year
  • "Flanders Fields Reflections", John Burge
  • "From the Dark Reaches", T. Patrick Carrabré
  • "Manhattan Music", Bramwell Tovey
  • "Notes Towards A Poem That Can Never Be Written", Timothy Corlis
  • "Song of Songs", Sid Robinovitch
Country Recording of the Year
  • Beautiful Life, Doc Walker
  • Chasing the Sun, Tara Oram
  • Dawn of a New Day, Crystal Shawanda
  • Thankful, Aaron Pritchett
  • What I Do, George Canyon
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Rap Recording of the Year
Reggae Recording of the Year
  • "Everything", Humble
  • "Jah Lift Me Up", Blessed
  • "Renegade Rocker", Dubmatix
  • "The Peacemaker's Chauffeur", Jason Wilson
  • "Truth Will Reveal", Souljah Fyah

Previous (Community Votes Milton Nominees) - - - Next (Train Day Videos)

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Community Votes Milton - Deadline is May 18


From April 16 to May 18, citizens of Milton can cast a ballot in Community Votes Milton 2025.

Below are the music-related nominees.

Local Band

Live Entertainment


Previous (Accordion Day Videos) - - - Next (Throwback Thursday: 2009 Junos)

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Community Votes Niagara Region - Deadline is May 18



From April 16 to May 18, citizens of the Niagara area can cast a ballot in Community Votes Niagara Region 2025.

Below are the music-related nominees.

Local Band

Live Entertainment


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