Winners of the 2024 Ontario Folk Music Awards Including Guelph's Samir Baijal

The 2024 Ontario Folk Music Awards were handed out at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario on Sunday, October 6, 2024 following the Folk Music Ontario Conference. 

Below is a complete list of winners

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Samir Baijal (Hillside Festival)
• Album of the Year: Payadora Tango Ensemble featuring Lenka Lichtenberg and Aviva Chernick​ - "Silent Tears, The Last Yiddish Tango"
• Community Builder Award: Pat O’Gorman and Julie Schryer
• Performing Artist of the Year: The Angelique Francis Band
• Song of the Year:  “Annie’s Daughter” - The Pairs (written by Renée Coughlin, Noelle Frances Coughlin, Hillary Watson)
• Recording Artist of the Year: Good Lovelies
• Songwriting Award: Leah Holtom
• Taylor Mitchell Bursary: All of the Developing Artist Program participants at this year’s Folk Music Ontario conference

A number of area artist were showcased at the conference including:

• Will Gillespie
• Janice Jo Lee
• Spencer Mackenzie
• Minuscule
• Kristin Nicholls
• Sultans of String
  

Links: Will Gillespie, More Will Gillespie Stories, Video above courtesy of Will Gillespie

Links: Saltwater Hank, Video above courtesy of Richard Garvey

Links: Ontario Folk Music Awards, More OFMA Stories 

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Happy Poet's Day (Videos by Jeff Seffinga, Janice Jo Lee, Gary Barwin, Klyde Broox)

Update of 2019 Post

Links: Jeff Seffinga, Video above courtesy of BLUEANGELGALLERY



Links: Janice Jo Lee, More Janice Jo Lee Stories, Video above courtesy of Janice Lee



Links: Gary Barwin, Video above courtesy of Gary Barwin



Links: Klyde Broox, Video above courtesy of Decolonizing Mindsets

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CONGRATS! Kitchener's Janice Jo Lee Wins 2015 Oktoberfest Woman of The Year Award (Arts and Culture)

Talented Kitchener singer/songwriter and poet, Janice Jo Lee has won the in the Arts and Culture category of the 2015 KW Oktoberfest Woman of The Year Awards.  She received the honour at a ceremony held on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at Bingemans in Kitchener.  The event celebrates the wonderful achievements of women living and working in Waterloo Region.  Janice is in good company - last year's winner was songstress Alysha Brilla.

CONGRATS!







Blast from the Past: Janice's Album - Down to Earth

Links: KW Oktoberfest Woman of The Year Awards, Janice Jo Lee, More Janice Jo Lee Stories, Videos above courtesy of Janice Lee

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Janice Lee and the Free Radicals Debut Album: Drown the Earth

There's very little repetition on Drown the Earth, the debut album from Kitchener poet and singer/songwriter Janice Lee and her band, the Free Radicals.  Each song is a moving, unique musical statement.

Janice and friends throw jazz, blues, folk, funk, gospel, soul and more at the listener but still manage to have a beautiful, cohesive indie-like and beyond.  The lyrical content is also empowering and has a social consenciense. 

These amazing Free Radicals include AFL, Brockenshire, Daniel MacPherson, Rachel Avery, and Kathryn Wetlauffer.

You can download this fabulous album on cdbaby or iTunes.

Videos below courtesy of Janice Lee.







Links: Janice Lee, More Janice Jo Lee Stories, More Releases

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