2023 Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards Winners!

Below is a list of music-related winners. Click here for full list.

1st Place = Diamond

2nd Place = Platinum

3rd Place = Gold

Local Musician or Band

• Diamond: Ryan Vivian
  
  
  
  Links: Ryan Vivian, More Ryan Vivian Stories, Video above courtesy of Jay Lolli
  
  
• Platinum: Brad Soucie
  
  
  
  Links: Brad Soucie, More Brad Soucie Stories, More Tom Petty Covers/Stories, Video above courtesy of Brad Soucie
  
  
• Gold: Justine Fischer
  
  
  
  Links: Justine Fischer, More Justine Fischer Stories, Matty Simpson, More Matty Simpson Stories, Video above courtesy of Stellablu477

Live Entertainment Facility

• Diamond: FirstOntario Concert Hall
• Platinum: Bridgeworks/The Casbah
• Gold: Theatre Aquarius

Live Music Bar / Lounge

• Diamond: The Casbah
• Platinum: Coach & Lantern
• Gold: &Then You

Local Festival

• Diamond: Supercrawl
• Platinum: Dundas Cactus Festival
• Gold: Festival of Friends

Radio Station

• Diamond: 92.9 The Grand
• Platinum: K-Lite FM 102.9/CBC Radio
• Gold: KX 94.7 New Country

Best Music Instruction

• Diamond: Adam Scott
• Platinum: Ania Fritch Music Studio
• Gold: Long & McQuade - Hamilton

Music Instructor

• Diamond: Steven Collett
• Platinum: Adam Scott
• Gold: Ania Fritch

Musical Instruments Store

• Diamond: Long & McQuade - Hamilton
• Platinum: The Acoustic Room
• Gold: Picks and Sticks ONE OF OUR SPONSORS!

Special mentions

• St. Charles Adult & Continuing Education Centres (Lou, our blogger's workplace) won Gold for Best Adult Education 

Links: Readers' Choice Awards, More Spec Readers' Choice Awards Stories

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Previous (2023 Canadian Country Music Awards Winners)

Vote for the 2023 Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards

Below is a complete list of music-related nominees. Please click the picture above for the complete listings. Deadline to vote is August 21, 2023)

Click here for the winners.

Local Musician or Band

• Brad Soucie
• Cameron Michael Caton (COVID Elvis)
• Gareth Inkster
• John Atlee Band
• Justine Fischer
• Lowdown Dirty Mojos
• Ryan Vivian
• Steve Oros
• The Poster Boys
• Ty Price

Live Entertainment Facility

• Binbrook Little Theatre
  
• Bridgeworks
• Drury Lane Theatre Productions Inc.
• FirstOntario Centre
• FirstOntario Concert Hall
• Hamilton Theatre Inc.
• Levity Comedy Lounge
• Players' Guild Of Hamilton
• The Casbah
• The Mule Spinner
• The Westdale
• Theatre Ancaster
• Theatre Aquarius
• Tracie's Place Restaurant and Karaoke

Live Music Bar / Lounge

• &Then You
• Club Absinthe
• Coach & Lantern
• Doors Pub - Taco Joint & Metal Bar
• Iron Horse Saloon
• Merk Snack Bar
• Pub Fiction Gasbar & Grill
• The 1515 Brown Barrel Tap & Grill
• The Casbah
• The Corktown
• The Endzone Bar & Grill
• Tracie's Place Restaurant and Karaoke

Local Festival

• Brott Music Festival
• Burlington Sound Of Music
• Dundas Cactus Festival
• Festival of Friends
• Hamilton Fringe Festival
• It's Your Festival
• Locke Street Festival
• Music in the City
• Sew Hungry
• Supercrawl
• Winona Peach Festival

Radio Station

• 101.5 The Hawk
• 92.9 The Grand
• 93.3 CFMU
• 93.5 Jukasa Radio
• Arise Christian Radio AM1380
• CBC Radio
• Hot Country 93.9
• Jewel 92.1
• K-Lite FM 102.9
• KX 94.7 New Country
• LITE 92.1

Best Music Instruction

• Adam Scott
• Ania Fritch Music Studio
• Big Johnny Blue
• Blossom Musik
• Capstone Music
• Crystal Lee
• Dundas Conservatory of Music
• Hamilton Academy of Music
• Impact Percussion
• Long & McQuade - Hamilton
• Melody Man Studios
• Mr. Ben's Open Door Music
• Tabone Academy of Music

Music Instructor

• Adam Scott
• Ania Fritch
• David Brideau
• Dustin Jodway
• Erin Ronnigen
• Jennifer Budd
• Loralee McGuirl
• Matt Dunlop
• Steven Collett
• Theresa Noon-Hunter

Musical Instruments Store

• All Star Music Canada
• Birchway Sound
• Cithara Guitars Inc.
• Long & McQuade - Hamilton
• Long & McQuade - Burlington
• M.E.S Music Equipment Sales Ltd
• Mountain Music
• Picks and Sticks ONE OF OUR SPONSORS!
• The Acoustic Room
• Tundra Music

As a favour, we'd also like to ask you to vote for:

• St. Charles Adult & Continuing Education Centres (Lou, our blogger's workplace) for Best Adult Education 
• Sean Dawson (Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd. Brokerage - One of our sponsors) for Best Real Estate Agent

Links: Readers' Choice Awards, More Spec Readers' Choice Awards Stories

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CONGRATS! 2018 Spectator Readers' Choice Award Winners!

On Friday, October 26, the 2018 winners of the Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards were unveiled. The special supplemental section featured the best that Hammertown has to offer, including our wonderful music community. 

Here's a list of all the music-related winners.

P = Platinum (1st place)

D = Diamond (2nd place)

G = Gold

Everything else is in the top ten.

Local Musician or Band 

• P: Freedom Train
  
  
  
  Links: Freedom Train, More Freedom Train Stories, More Rush Covers/Stories, Video above courtesy of Freedom Train 
  
  
• D: Carl Jennings (Freedom Train)
• G: John Atlee
  
  
  
  Links: John Atlee, More John Atlee Stories, Video above courtesy of John Atlee

Top Ten

• Brad Soucie
• Chris Wheeler (guitar)
• Darcy Feaver
• Ginger St. James
• Laura Cole
• Liam McGlashon
• Matty Simpson

Concert Venue

• P: FirstOntario Concert Hall (aka Hamilton Place)
• D: FirstOntario Centre (aka Copps Coliseum)
• G: This Ain't Hollywood

Festival

• P: Supercrawl
• D: Festival of Friends
• G: It's Your Festival

Live Entertainment Facility

• P: Tracie's Place
• D: FirstOntario Concert Hall (aka Hamilton Place)
• G: This Ain't Hollywood

Live Jazz Club

• P: Artword Artbar
• D: Zyla's
• G: Doors Pub/Mulberry Street Cafe/This Ain't Hollywood

Live Music Bar/Lounge

• P: Come by Chance/This Ain't Hollywood/Tracie's Place
• D: Darcy Feaver
• G: Casbah

Music Instructor

• P: Sotyria Violaris (Intune)
• D: Adam Scott
• G: Adrean Farrugia

Musical Instrument Store

• P: Pick N Sticks
• D: Long and McQuade
• G: Acoustic Room

Music School

• P: Intune Music Academy
• D: Mr. Ben's Open Door Music
• G: Picks N Sticks

Radio Station

• P: CKWR 98.5FM
• D: KX94.7 New Country
• G: 92.9 The Grand

Recording Studio

• P: Halo
• D: BOXO Studio
• G: QED Media

Record/CD Store 

• P: Cheapies
• D: Into the Abyss
• G: Dr. Disc

A special congrats to one of our sponsors, Picks N Sticks, who won platinum for Musical Instrument Store and Gold for Music School:

We would also like to give a shout out to our Blogger's workplace, the St. Charles Adult Education Centre who won Platinum in the Adult Education category and Diamond in the Learning Centre category.

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

Links: Readers' Choice Awards, More Spec Readers' Choice Awards Stories

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Previous (News Roundup: Polaris Heritage Prize, Dave Rave, NAMMYS, more) - - - Next (Sax Day Videos w Sonny Del-Rio)

GOOD LUCK! Spectator Readers' Choice Award 2018 Nominees! Vote Deadline Sept 25

The Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards are here again and there's only have a few days left to vote. Click here to vote. Deadline is September 25, 2018 at 5pm. 

Here are the nominees for the Local Musician or Band category:

• Brad Soucie
• Cadillac Bill and the Creeping Bent
• Carl Jennings (Freedom Train)
• Chris Wheeler (guitar)
• Darcy Feaver
• The David Love Band
• Freedom Train
• Ginger St. James
• John Atlee
• Laura Cole
• Liam McGlashon
• Lloyd Andrews
• Matty Simpson
• Rob Kirkham and Neon Rain
• Tim Connolly

Other music related categories include Concert Venue, Festival, Live Entertainment Facility, Live Jazz Club, Live Music Bar/Lounge, Music Instructor, Musical Instrument Store, Music School, Radio Station, Record/CD Store and Recording Studio.

One of our sponsors, Picks 'N' Sticks is up for Music School, Musical Instrument Store,  and a few of their Instructors are up for awards too.

Lou, our Blogger would also appreciate a vote for his workplace, the St. Charles Adult Education Centre in the Adult Education and Learning Centre categories.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

Links: Readers' Choice Awards, More Spec Readers' Choice Awards Stories

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Previous (Benjamin Dakota Rogers + Rachel Heart Videos) - - - Next (News Roundup: Sarah Harmer, Crowbar, Luckystickz, Polaris Winner)

News Roundup (Alfie Smith, Hamilton Gets Special Juno, Hairy Mulligan, Brad Soucie)

Hamilton Receives Special Juno for Hosting the Event

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News

Local

• Barber Shop Podcast w Alfie Smith
  
  
  
  Links: Alfie Smith, More Alfie Smith Stories, Video above courtesy of Barber Shop Podcast 
• The Story of the Hamilton Blues Society
• CH Video: Paul Anthony as Johnny Cash
• Local Winners in CBC Searchlight National Finals
• 1st Annual Hammer Blues Award Winners
• Hamilton is Now the Blues Capital of Canada!
• Charity Brown Wins Mel Brown Award
• New Album Reviews: Steel City Rovers, Leonard Burns and Dell

World

• Academy of Country Music Award Winners
• Blues Music Award Nominees
• Passings: Sid Tepper (Elvis Songwriter), Wally Lester (Skyliners)

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The Adventures of Trebleclef, the Hamilton Blues Lovers Monkey

Trebleclef checked out Duane Rutter and Friends at the Cat N Fiddle in Hamilton.

 

 

Click here for more pictures

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Our little Monkey was also at the 1st Annual Hammer Blues Awards

 

 

Click here for more pictures.

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Recently Added

Main List of Sites

• April Severin (YouTube)
• Brantford Bands
• Nicholas Jacobs 1967 (YouTube)

Our Performer List

• The DoneFors
• Hairy Mulligan
  
  
  
  Links: More ZZ Top Covers/Stories, Video above courtesy of Domenic Nardone
• Leonard Burns and Dell
• Out of Towners
• Steven Ryan
• Karen Thornton
• Luke Warm
• The Jamie Williams Band

Our Venue List

• Eden Mills Hall

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Birthdays

Thursday, April 30

• Scott Fitzpatrick
• Andrew Hill
• Ken Whitely

Saturday, May 2

• Chris Antonik

Sunday, May 3

• Riley Ducharme (Boy With An Atlas)
• Garnet Rogers

Monday, May 4

• Brennagh Burns
• Hailey Gillis
• Matt Storch

Tuesday, May 5

• Robbie Antone
• Frank Koren

Wednesday, May 6

• Mike Blackborow (Backroom 11)

Thursday, May 7

• Dan Corak (IN2U)
• Gene Hardy
• Jordan John
• Nonie

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Featured Video

Links: Brad Soucie (singer), More Brad Soucie Stories, Video above courtesy of Dyl Smith, More Tragically Hip Covers/Stories

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Previous (Local Jazz Videos) - - - Next (New Mark McNeil CD)

News Roundup (Donald Dunn, Jace Martin, Brad Soucie)

Local

• CBC: Hamilton artists leading downtown's rebirth
• Bishops: Hamilton's first R&B band
• Feature on Ron Palangio Group

Canada

• Leonard Cohen accepts prize and donates award money

World

• Nothing But the Blues Podcast #191 (featuring Guitar Mikey and Robin Banks)
• Donald "Duck" Dunn (Blues Brothers, Booker T) passes
• Blues Hall of Fame 2012 Inductions
• Blues Music Awards 2012
• Hendrix estate coming out against bio pic
• Jerry Garcia in Ripley's comic strip

Funny Stuff

• Cartoon: Dangers of concert lighters
• Piano cartoon

Blasts from the Past

• 2009: New JP Riemens CD
• 2010: Chris Cracknell & Steve Didemus@Pheasant Plucker
• 2011: Videos of 32 Gunrack, Mike Woods & Wilson Family Forgery

Featured Videos




Links: Jace Martin, More Jace Martin Stories, Video courtesy of 22VeeTee



Links: Brad Soucie, More Brad Soucie Stories, Video courtesy of Brad Soucie

News Roundup (Hall of Fame, Ariana Gillis, Podcasts)

Local

• We Got Blues Facebook Fan Page
• New Dock Holliday (Brad Soucie) web site
• Daniel Lanois to be inducted into Hall of Fame
• Festival of Friends looking into music museum
• Live Blues Burlington Facebook group

Canada

• Gordon Lightfoot to be inducted into Songwriter Hall of Fame

World

• Podcasts: Bandana Blues #425, Roadhouse #365, Nothing But the Blues Feb 15, SA Blues #156,
• Blues Hall of Fame 2012 inductees

Blasts from the Past

• 2009: Jacob Moon gets Rush stamp of approval for cover
• 2010: Shrimp Daddy and the Sharpshooters@Hooters
• 2011: Tom Wilson@Moonshine Cafe

Featured Video (courtesy of Ariana Gillis)

Cool YouTube Videos (Brad Soucie, Freedom Train, Bob Bryden)

Video Courtesy of Brad Soucie Music





Videos courtesy of 33FTTV





Videos courtesy of TheTeeBuckle1

Links: Brad Soucie - Freedom Train - Bob Bryden

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Brad Soucie @ Coach and Lantern (July 25, 2010)

Click here if you can't see the videos.

This was a CD Release Party. Click here for a review of the Disc and more footage from the show.







Later on, he was joined by his brother Brendan Soucie on bass





Click here for Brad's site.

New Brad Soucie CD + CD Release Party

Local Singer/Songwriter Brad Soucie released his sensational, self-titled, debut CD EP on July 25, 2010 at the Coach and Lantern in Ancaster.

The five songs on the disc showcase his astonishing acoustic guitar work and outstanding gruff voice. The songwriting is superb as well.

Many of the tunes have incredible hooks (Travelin' Woman, People, Johnny 18) and softer elements too (Go On, Wakin' Up).

The CD is available at his wonderful live shows.

Below are live performances from his CD Release party. The first is a song off the new disc.

Click here if you can't see the videos.







Click here for more video from this show.

Click here for Brad's site.