The Grand River Blues Award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who have contributed to blues music and the growth of blues in the region.
For over 15 years now Cheryl was there on day one to mentor the youth campers with her musical expertise and MC our most popular live performances of our region’s teens. Each August THE GRAND RIVER BLUES CAMP offers a four-day Youth Blues Camp, providing an intensive Blues educational experience to improve musical skills, to learn from and play with professional musicians. On the last day of the Camp students perform with peers at the Kitchener Blues Festival - kitchenerbluesfestival.com. Blues Music is the foundation for modern popular music including such as Jazz, Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, R&B etc.
Also, for many years now Cheryl Lescom has masterfully MCed the main stage at City Hall during the Kitchener Blues Festival.
Cheryl Lescom has been part of the Canadian music scene for over 45 years. Starting off in 1975 with several of her own bands before becoming a back up singer for Ronnie Hawkins and touring with Long John Baldry. Cheryl also sang on many national jingles in the 1980's. She has toured and performed with the likes of Jeff Healey, Matt Minglewood, Dutch Mason, and the Downchild Blues Band to name a few. To date, Cheryl has released 6 CD's and has earned awards such as The Kitchener Blues Festival - Mel Brown Award 2006 and the Kitchener Waterloo Arts Award for Music 2009.
The event will feature performances by a select number of nominated artists and special guests, and is open to all Folk Canada Conference attendees. Still to be announced are the Estelle Klein Award recipients, the Laureate for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and Culture in Climate Award.
Established in 1987 and now in its 39th year, the Folk Canada Conference (previously the Folk Music Ontario Conference and Ontario Council of Folk Festivals) will take place October 14-18 in Hamilton, Ontario and welcomes attendees from across the country to the event. To learn more, Folk Canada invites interested parties to visit their website and sign up for their newsletter.
“The Ontario Folk Music Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the incredible talent and creativity found across the province,” says Rosalyn Dennett, Executive Director of Folk Canada. “We’re proud to recognize this year’s nominees and bring the folk community together in Hamilton to celebrate their work.” Rosalyn Dennett is available for interviews, and select artists are available for interviews and performances in advance of the event.
Below is a complete list of nominees. Local artists are bolded.
Bill Durst, our 2026 winner of the Mel Brown Award, and always an audience favourite, is a Canadian Blues- Rock- Roots guitarist, singer, songwriter, entertainer who has written and recorded over 125 songs on 12 albums with 7 national radio chart hits. Bill has opened for or shared the stage with Rush, Aerosmith, BTO, Yardbirds, John Mayall, Savoy Brown, Bobby Rush, Little Feat, George Thorogood, Bad Company, Loverboy, Edgar Winter Group, Jeff Healey, Burton Cummings, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Jack de Keyser, April Wine, L.A. Guns, David Wilcox, Bob Seger, Sly And The Family Stone and more. Mr. Durst has toured across North America and in Europe and tours extensively in Canada.
As a kid growing up in Wingham and then London, Ontario (which is halfway between Toronto and Detroit), Bill was heavily influenced by Motown, R&B, Toronto Psychedelic Soul music as well as the British Blues Invasion and Jimi Hendrix.
Bill’s entrance on the national/international stage was with his classic rock band Thundermug formed from London R&B groups in 1969. By the summer of 1972 the band had a number one hit and a fan following in Eastern Canada. The band went on to record a total of 5 albums, (3 albums in the early/mid 1970s and two CDs in the mid 1990s) releasing records in the US and Europe. Bill put out his first two solo releases in the mid eighties but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Durst got some real career momentum. In 2004 he proclaimed his intention to start up a “little, fuzzy, psychedelic blues band” and since then Bill and his co-writer Joe DeAngelis have produced 5 full length CDs: The Wharncliffe Sessions (’05), The Great Willy Mammoth (’09), Bill Durst Live (‘12) and Hard And Heavy (’13) Good Good Lovin ('15).
It is with great pride and joy to share the news that The Acoustics have just been nominated for a JPF Music Award for World Album of the year 2009, for our CD,
JPF (Just Plain Folks Music Organization) is a community of over 51,500 Songwriters, Recording Artists and Music Industry Professionals — and host to the world's largest independent music awards
The Acoustics, the only Canadian artists to be nominated in this category. Not bad, eh!!!
Hoping for the best!
Ciao for now
Alfonso
Update from their Myspace Blog
Unfortunately we did not win the award for World Album of the year. However for what it’s worth we came in 2nd place! Second out of ten nominees is not bad.
In early July, Living Blues Magazine announced the winners for their 2026 awards. The only Canadian winner was former Burlingtonian Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, who earned the Critics Poll Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) award.
Living Blues Magazine has announced the nomineees for their 2026 awards. You can vote for your favourites (even write-ins). Deadline to vote is June 15, 2026.
Below is a complete list of nominees. Canadian acts are bolded.
Former Hamiltonian Paul Langille is up for the Blues category
The Lowdown Dirty Mojos features band members who are currently living in Hamilton/Oakville gor the nod for Ontario Independent Recording Artist of the Year
People can vote for their favourites until May 8, 2026 by clicking here
Winners will be revealed in two events: June 7, 2026 at Aeolian Hall and June 14, 2026 at London Music Hall as part of London Music Week - June 6 to 14.
From now until March 27, 2026 (the week of the Junos in Hamilton) you can vote for the 2026 Famous Hamiltonian Contest. In honour of the Junos, all nominees are musicians.
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