2026 Juno Nominees Including Local Artists

The Junos are coming once again to the Hammer and a number of local artists have been given the nod.

The main ceremony will be televised on March 29, 2026 from TD Coliseum in Hamilton.

Below is a video of the official announcement.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Below is a complete list of nominees. Local acts are bolded.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Later Tonight - Josh Ross (Waterdown) 
• The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb
• SWAG II - Justin Bieber 
• So Close To What - Tate McRae 
• Hurry Up Tomorrow - The Weeknd 

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Ooh Yeah! - Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (formerly of Burlington) released on Stony Plain (Waterdown) 
  
  
  
  Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic
  
  
• Hear My Heart - Steve Marriner (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys) 
• Sing Pretty Blues - Crystal Shawanda 
• The Medicine - Miss Emily 
• Answer the Call - Secondhand Dreamcar 

CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Little Leaf - Chris McKhool (Burlington) 
• Ari Cui Cui et les jeux d’rôles (Les contes classiques en musique) - Ari Cui Cui 
• All the Earth Speaks - Ginalina 
• Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 - Hip Kids Music 
• Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro “Rhyme Travellers – Back to the Time Machine”  - Young Maestro 

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR 

• Kimiko’s Pearl - Kevin Lau (commissioned by Bravo Niagara)
• Cloud Path - Amy Brandon 
• The Laws of Nature - Andrew Staniland 
• The Complete Piano Solos (1989-2023) Vol. 1 – The Plains - Linda Catlin Smith 
• Music for Body-Without-Organs - Nicole Lizée 

COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Later Tonight - Josh Ross (Waterdown )
• Let Your Horses Run - Brett Kissel 
• The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb 
• One Of Us - James Barker Band 
• Golden Child - Meghan Patrick 

FAN CHOICE 

• Josh Ross (Waterdown) 
• bbno$ 
• Cameron Whitcomb 
• James Barker Band 
• Justin Bieber 
• Karan Aujla 
• Shawn Mendes 
• Shubh 
• Tate McRae
• The Weeknd

METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Antibloom - Silverstein (Burlington)
  
  
  
  Links: Silverstein, More Silverstein Stories, Video above courtesy of UNFD
  
  
• Heaven Let Them Die - Counterparts 
• An Insatiable Violence - Cryptopsy 
• Shadow Work - DESPISED ICON 
• A Pathway to the Moon - Unreqvited 

RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 

• John ‘Beetle’ Bailey (Waterloo)
• Jason Dufour
• L Stu Young
• Serban Ghenea
• Shawn Everett

SINGLE OF THE YEAR 

• Hate How You Look - Josh Ross (Waterdown) 
  
  
  
  Links: Josh Ross, More Josh Ross Stories, Video above courtesy of JOSH ROSS
  
  
• Options - Cameron Whitcomb 
• DAISIES - Justin Bieber 
• Sports Car - Tate McRae 
• Cry For Me - The Weeknd 

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• My Second Last Album - Bahamas 
• Fantasy Life - Begonia 
• Uh Oh Patrick - Watson 
• Let it Hiss - The Barr Brothers 
• Humanhood - The Weather Station 

ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR 

• Pink Elephant – Arcade Fire 
  Catherine Lepage (Art Director/Directrice artistique), Simon Rivest (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Daniel Lanois (Illustrator/Illustrateur), Norah Chassagne (Illustrator/Illustratrice), Régine Chassagne (Illustrator/Illustratrice, Photographer/Photographe)
  
  
• Beat Bouquet – Misc Spectacles 
  Jérôme Beaulieu (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Etienne Bonneville (Designer/Concepteur), Chris de Muri (Illustrator/Illustrateur) Alina Herta (Photographer/Photographe)
  
  
• Tsunami Sea – Spiritbox 
  Kevin Moore (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Kyle Joinson (Photographer/Photographe)
  
  
• The Hard Way – Cameron Whitcomb 
  Logan Dane Morrison (Art Director/Directeur artistique)
  
  
• Bambini Symphonique – Alain Trudel and Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal GSI
  Mykael Nelson (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Nicolas Lemieux (Designer/Concepteur), Liliane Jodoin (Illustrator/Illustrateur) & Felipe Arriagada (Illustrator/Illustrateur)

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee 
• Who Will Look After The Dogs? - PUP 
• SAYA - Saya Gray 
• SORRY, IT’S OVER - The OBGMs 
• All Cylinders - Yves Jarvis 

ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• NU2U - Nuela Charles 
• Conditions of Love Vol. 1 - Rose Cousins 
• Better Broken - Sarah McLachlan 
• Rebuild - Shawn Hook 
• Believer - Sister Ray 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

• bbno$ 
• Daniel Caesar 
• Justin Bieber 
• Tate McRae 
• The Weeknd

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR 

• Cameron Whitcomb 
• Goldie Boutilier 
• Jade LeMac 
• Jutes 
• MICO 
• Noeline Hofmann 
• Sacha 
• Saya Gray 
• Sofia Camara 
• yung kai 

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE) 

• Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem
• Where Waters Meet Canadian Chamber Choir featuring Sherryl Sewepagaham 
• Ichmouratov: The Ninth Wave, Viola Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1 
• Haydn: Symphony No. 43 in E-Flat Major, Hob. I:43 “Mercury” & Symphony No. 49 in F Minor, Hob. I:49 “La passione” 
• Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Le Baiser de la fée (Divertimento) 

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) 

• Current: MISSING ATOM (Artists of the Opera MISSING), Timothy Long & The Continuum Ensemble - Bright Shiny Things
• Re/String - CC Duo & collectif9 
• Vivaldi Les Quatres Nations (reconstruites) -  Ensemble Caprice 
• Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Mariko Anraku, Conrad Chow, Ron Korb & Rachel Mercer 
• in an archipelago - Standing Wave 

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST)

• Tchaikovsky: The Seasons - Bruce Liu 
• Zaytoun - Haitham Haidar 
• Preludes by Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, Górecki - Jan Lisiecki 
• Awake and Dreaming - Katherine Dowling 
• Obsession - Marie Nadeau-Tremblay 

COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Dragonflies - Adam Christie 
• Fish From the Jar - Charlie Demers 
• Dawud - Dave Merheje 
• homesick. - Faris Hytiaa 
• I’m Nervous - Robby Hoffman 

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• VULNERABLE TOO - Bridge Music 
• Outlaw Gospel - collect.assembly 
• the light that leads to YOU - Elenee 
• WHERE THE HEART IS - Kofi Dartey 
• Jubilate - Ryan Ofei 

CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR 

• Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee 
• LOVECHILD - Sebastian Gaskin 
• Chapter 1 - Shawnee Kish 
• Siibii - Siibii 
• Sage My Soul - Tia Wood 

CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

• Set Me Free - Adria Kain 
• Mirage - Avenoir 
• Son Of Spergy - Daniel Caesar 
• PAID IN MEMORIES - Jessie Reyez 
• Life 2 - Majid Jordan 
• THERAPIST - SadBoi 

CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Strange Trip Ahead - Mariel Buckley 
• The Hammer & The Rose - Matt Andersen 
• Purple Gas - Noeline Hofmann 
• These Dark Canyons - The Young Novelists 
• Further From the Country - William Prince 

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

• Loving You - Kideko & A-Trak 
• Do What I Want - Anna Sofia 
• Dominate - CHYL 
• Bet On Me - Debby Friday Royal
• i, sabotage - Felix Cartal 

ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Channel 303 - Cloverdale 
• The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life - Debby Friday Royal 
• Bab El Mdina - Didon 
• Shades of Meridian - ÈBONY 
• Glow Up - Korea Town Acid

FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Dogue - Ariane Roy La 
• On s’enverra des fleurs - Fredz 
• Les amours de seconde main - JF Pauzé 
• Journal d’un Loup-Garou - Lou-Adriane Cassidy 
• Dix chansons démodées pour ceux qui ont le cœur abîmé - Pierre Lapointe 

GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Bab El Mdina - Didon 
• Ghoyoum - Kazdoura 
• Future Village - Kizaba 
• Legends - PIQSIQ 
• Rammana - Salin 

GROUP OF THE YEAR 

• Arcade Fire 
• Mother Mother
• Peach Pit 
• The Beaches 
• Three Days Grace 

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• LOTUSLAND - Aaron Paris 
• The love it took to leave you - Colin Stetson 
• Ritual II - Crown Lands 
• désert (deluxe) - Jean-Michel Blais & Lara Somogyi 
• Le piano et le torrent - Viviane Audet

JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 

• Cirkut
• Greg Wells
• Gus van Go
• Joel Stouffer
• Karen Kosowski

JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) 

• Afrokando - Alexis Baro Y la Big Band 
• CODE Red - CODE Quartet 
• Are You Really Real - Shuffle Demons 
• Impact - The Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet 
• East Meets West: Connections - Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra 

LATIN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

• Índole - Alex Cuba 
• BAILA Y CONFÍA - Andy Rubal 
• Vanity- Isabella Lovestory 
• La Belleza - Lido Pimienta 
• He Sanado Varias Cosas - Mario Puglia 

JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO) 

• City Lights - Anthony D’Alessandro 
• Kinda Out West - Aretha Tillotson 
• Immersed - Justin Gray 
• Deeper Down - Nancy Walker 
• Crossing Paths - Renee Rosnes

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR 

• Bellatores - Adrian Villagomez Apashe & Vladimir Cauchemar 
• DRIVING - Adrian Villagomez Eddie Benjamin 
• luther - Karena Evans Kendrick Lamar & SZA 
• OK! - Shiraz Haviah Mighty 
• Listen2me - Winston Hacking Foxwarren 

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• bbno$ - bbno$ 
• SWAG II - Justin Bieber 
• 7 - Nelly Furtado 
• So Close To What - Tate McRae 
• Hurry Up Tomorrow - The Weeknd 

RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR 

• KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SPARROW - ARDN 
• About Time - Connor Price 
• Misery Loves Company - NorthSideBenji 
• DRY CRY - SadBoi 
• ELEMENTS Vol. 2 - TOBi 

RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR

• Mula feat. Big Sean - Connor Price 
• PURSUIT - Freddie Dredd 
• UNLIMITED feat. Playboi Carti - NAV 
• DUMB - SonReal & Snotty Nose Rez Kids 
• Who’s Driving You? - TOBi, Saukrates & Jully Black

REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

• Ready For You - Exco Levi & Kheilstone 
• Dagga Riddim Cypher Jojo  - You Made That, Yung 2nuff, Erin B, Topman Meeko, One Don & Enzooo  
• Deh Yah - Kirk Diamond 
• Welcome To Paradise - Naomi Cowan 
• More Reggae (Funk It Up) - Samora & Ammoye 

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Roll With The Punches - Bryan Adams 
• INERTIA - grandson 
• No Hard Feelings - The Beaches 
• Metro - The Blue Stones 
• The Damn Truth - The Damn Truth 
• Alienation - Three Days Grace 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 

• Ashton Simmonds (Daniel Caesar)
• Jessie Reyez
• Justin Bieber 
• Tate McRae 
• The Beaches 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (NON-PERFORMER) 

• Elizabeth Lowell Boland
• Hayley Gene Penner
• Mustafa
• Nathan Ferraro 
• Tobias Jesso Jr.

SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

• Afsos - AP Dhillon & Anuv Jain 
• P-POP CULTURE - Karan Aujla 
• Renaissance - Ikky & Raf Saperra 
• Supreme - Shubh 
• By Any Means - Sukha

TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Battle At The Beach - Bad Eagle 
• On The Move - Bear Creek 
• Me & You - Manitou Mkwa Singers 
• Anirniliit Suli - Piunguałaq 
• Nakota Tayhunyabi - YB Nakota 

TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

• Have A Baby (With Me) - Daniel Caesar 
• **GOLIATH** - Jessie Reyez 
• Say Yes - Melanie Fiona 
• Formed - Savannah Ré 
• Reasons To Stay - Tanika Charles 

TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• I Lost My Heart On Friday - Aerialists 
• Gold and Coal - Cassie and Maggie 
• The Moon’s Daughter - Heather MacIsaac 
• Heal The Divide - Morgan Toney 
• Folk Signals - The Southern Residents 

UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR

• Cosmic Affliction (toi toi toi) - AADJA BPitch 
• Main de Fer - Annie-Claude Deschênes 
• Icarus F7 - Acting 
• Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant - Gene Tellem Love 
• Yeah! - Pacific Coliseum 

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

• Under the Lemon Tree - Ale Nuñez 
• Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland - Alex Samaras 
• Seascape feat. Norma Winstone & Joe LaBarbera - Atlantic Jazz Collective 
• Caity Gyorgy with Strings - Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher 
• Get Out of Town - Laura Anglade 

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories

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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

• Daniel Lanois (Hamilton): "Here Is What Is" and "Not Fighting Anymore" 
  
  
  
  Links: Daniel Lanois, More Daniel Lanois Stories, Video above courtesy of Daniel Lanois - Topic
  
  
• Stuart Brawley, "Don't Stop Now" and "Falling" (Emmy Rossum)
• David Foster, "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Seal), "Silent Night" (Josh Groban)
• k.d. lang, "I Dream of Spring" and "Coming Home" (k.d. lang)
• Nickelback and Joey Moi (co-producer Mutt Lange), "Gotta Be Somebody" and "Something in Your Mouth" (Nickelback)

Songwriter of the Year

• City and Colour (St. Catharines), "Waiting...", "Sleeping Sickness", "The Girl"
  
  
  
  Links: City and Colour, More City and Colour Stories, Video 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

• "Random Album Title", Deadmau5 (Niagara Falls)
  
  
  
  Links: Deadmau5, More Deadmau5 Stories, Video above courtesy of deadmau5
  
  
• "Move For Me", Deadmau5 vs. Kaskade
• "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", James Doman
• "Get Blahsted", Hatiras and MC Flipside
• "Yes We Can", House Music United

Music DVD of the Year

• Blue Road (Blue Rodeo) (member from Hamilton)
• Here Is What Is (Daniel Lanois) (Hamilton)
• It All Started With A Red Stripe (Moneen)
• Live in Las Vegas - A New Day... (Céline Dion)
• A MultiMedia Life (Buffy Sainte-Marie)

Children's Album of the Year

• Snacktime!, Barenaked Ladies (member from Grimsby)
• FiddleFire!, Chris McKhool (Burlington)
• Catchy Tune, Jack Grunsky
• The Kerplunks, The Kerplunks
• Oui!, Gregg LeRock

Vocal Jazz Album of the Year

• Lucky, Molly Johnson (Waterloo's John "Beetle" Bailey, producer)
• If the Moon Turns Green..., Diana Panton (Hamilton)
• Ella...Of Thee I Swing, Nikki Yanofsky
• Ima, Yvette Tollar
• Parkdale, Elizabeth Shepherd

Blues Album of the Year

* released on Waterdown's Stony Plain Records)

• Ramblin' Son, Julian Fauth *
• Acoustic Blues: Got 'Em from the Bottom, Big Dave McLean*
• Mess of Blues, Jeff Healey*
• Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield, Amos Garrett
• Love & Sound, Garrett Mason

Artist of the Year

• Sam Roberts
• City and Colour (St. Catharines)
• Bryan Adams
• k.d. lang
• Serena Ryder

Group of the Year

• Nickelback
• The Trews (Hamilton)
• Great Big Sea
• Simple Plan
• Tokyo Police Club

Adult Alternative Album of the Year

• Is It O.K., Serena Ryder
• Asking for Flowers, Kathleen Edwards (Hamilton)
• Exit Strategy of the Soul, Ron Sexsmith (St. Catharines)
• The Baroness, Sarah Slean
• Between the Beautifuls, Hawksley Workman

Recording Engineer of the Year

• Kevin Churko, "Disappearing" and "The Big Bang" (Simon Collins)
• John "Beetle" Bailey (Waterloo), "Lucky" and "If I Were A Bell" (Molly Johnson)
• Mike Fraser, "Rock N' Roll Train" (AC/DC), "Them Kids" (Sam Roberts)
• Joey Moi, "Gotta Be Somebody" and "Never Gonna Be Alone" (Nickelback)
• Randy Staub, "Something in Your Mouth" (Nickelback)

Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year

• Ending Is Beginning, Downhere
• Salvation Station, newworldson (St. Catharines)
• Colors and Sounds, Article One
• I Will Go, Starfield
• Roar of Heaven, Life Support

Rock Album of the Year

• Love at the End of the World, Sam Roberts
• No Time for Later, The Trews (Hamilton)
• Terminal Romance, Matt Mays & El Torpedo (Hamilton)
• Fortress, Protest The Hero
• Parallel Play, Sloan

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Solo)

• Proof of Love, Old Man Luedecke
• Happy Here, Suzie Vinnick (Vineland)
• Tinderbox, Fred Eaglesmith (Hamilton)
• Ghost Notes, Matthew Barber (Hamilton)
• The Contradictor, Ndidi Onukwulu

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Group)

• Chic Gamine, Chic Gamine
• Mountain Meadows, Elliott Brood (Hamilton)
• Fast Paced World, The Duhks
• Highway Prayer, Twilight Hotel
• XOK, NQ Arbuckle

Video of the Year

• Anthony Seck, "Honey Honey" (Feist)
  
  
  
  Links: Feist, More Feist Stories, Video above courtesy of FeistMusic
  
  
• Davin Black, "Blond Kryptonite" (Saint Alvia) (Burlington)
• Wendy Morgan, "Going On" (Gnarls Barkley)
• Dave Pawsey, "Detroit '67" (Sam Roberts)
• Dave Pawsey, "Them Kids" (Sam Roberts)

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

• Nickelback
• Céline Dion
• Feist
• Hedley
• The Lost Fingers

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

• Running for the Drum, Buffy Sainte-Marie (has since been stripped of the award)
• Auk/Blood, Tanya Tagaq
• First Law of the Land, Billy Joe Green
• No Lies (album)|No Lies, Tracy Bone
• The World (And Everything In It), Team Rezofficial

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

• Anouk Pennel and Stéphane Poirer, En concert dans la forêt des mal-aimés avec l'Orchestre Métropolitain, Pierre Lapointe
• Mark Sasso, Casey Laforet, Mountain Meadows, Elliott Brood (Hamilton)
• John Cook, Kelly Ferguson, John James Audubon, Koko Bonaparte, Sugarbird, Paul Reddick
• Phoebe Greenberg, George Fok, Daniel Fortin, Leda & St. Jacques, Productions l'Éloi, Pulse of the Planet, Slim Williams
• Dallas Wehrle, Robyn Kotyk, Alex vs. Alex, Kensington Heights, Constantines

Classical Album of the Year (large ensemble)

• Beethoven: Ideals Of The French Revolution, Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Kent Nagano
• Bach: Métamorphoses, Orchestre symphonique de Québec and Yoav Talmi
• Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8, Tafelmusik and Bruno Weil
• Bruckner: Symphonie No 9, Orchestre Métropolitain and Yannick Nézet-Séguin
• Haydn: Symphonies 62, 107 & 108, Toronto Chamber Orchestra and Kevin Mallon

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

• Tous les sens, Ariane Moffatt
• L'arbre aux parfums, Caracol
• Cœur de pirate, Cœur de pirate
• Tradarnac, Swing
• Le volume du vent, Karkwa

Instrumental Album of the Year

• Nostomania, DJ Brace presents The Electric Nosehair Orchestra
• Auk/Blood, Tanya Tagaq
• The Furniture Moves Underneath, Inhabitants
• The Soundtrack, Creaking Tree String Quartet
• Telescope, Steve Dawson

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

• Second Time Around, Oliver Jones
• For Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson Quartet
• Small Wonder, Brad Turner Quartet
• Solo, Chris Donnelly
• TV Trio, John Stetch

Pop Album of the Year

• Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette
• Holes, The Midway State
• No Sleep at All, Creature
• Passion, Kreesha Turner
• Wake Up and Say Goodbye, David Usher

World Music Album of the Year

• Africa to Appalachia, Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko
• The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun, George Dimitri Sawa
• Cairo to Toronto, Maryem & Ernie Tollar
• Contrabanda, Lubo and Kaba Horo
• Shivaboom, Eccodek

Single of the Year

• "Dangerous", Kardinal Offishall
• "Gotta Be Somebody", Nickelback
• "Lay It on the Line", Divine Brown
• "Lost", Michael Bublé
• "Taking Chances", Céline Dion

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

• The Love Chronicles, Divine Brown
• Elise Estrada, Elise Estrada
• Money, Zaki Ibrahim
• The Promise, Deborah Cox
• TONY, Ivana Santilli

Rap Recording of the Year

• Not 4 Sale, Kardinal Offishall
• A Captured Moment in Time, DL Incognito
• The Book, D-Sisive
• I Rap Now, Famous
• Point Blank, Point Blank

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

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories

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Community Votes Burlington 2024 Winners

Earlier this year, Community Votes Burlington announced their 2024 winners, which were voted on by the citizens of the city.

Below are the music-related winner. Click here for the full list.

Local Band

• Platinum: Rob Fitzgerald
  
  
  
  Links: Rob Fitzgerald, Video above courtesy of Rob Fitzgerald
  
  
• Gold: Killin' Time Band
  
  
  
  Links: Killin' Time Band, More KTB Stories, Video above courtesy of Killin' Time Band
  
  
• Silver: Bent City Rockers
  
  
  
  Links: Bent City Rockers, Video above courtesy of Carmen MacIntyre
  
  
• Bronze: Andre Bisson Band
  
  
  
  Link: Andre Bisson, More Andre Bisson Stories, Video above courtesy of André Bisson

Entertainer

• Platinum: Chris McKhool
  
  
  
  Links: Chris McKhool, More Chris McKhool Stories, Video above courtesy of Chris McKhool
  
  
• Gold: DJ Floops

Live Entertainment

• Platinum: Slye Fox
• Gold: Drury Lane Theatrical Productions
• Silver: Uptown Social House
• Bronze: Carrigan Arms

Entertainment

• Platinum: Slye Fox
• Gold: Chutney Music
• Silver: The Golfers Academy Inc

Night Club

• Platinum: Play Bar
• Gold: NYX Lounge
• Silver: Club 54

Radio Stations

• Platinum: 102-9 Klite
• Gold: KX947 New Country FM
• Silver: 97.7 Hitz FM
• Bronze: Byrnes Media

Music Lessons

• Platinum: Arcadia Academy Of Music / Shepherd Private Coaching
• Gold: Tiptoe Music
• Silver: Myriad Ensemble
• Bronze: Capstone Music
• Top Picks: Long and McQuade, Melody Man Studios, Music Centre - City Of Burlington, Rock This Way-School of Rock

Youth Music Lessons

• Platinum: Shepherd Private Coaching
• Gold: Arcadia Academy Of Music
• Silver: Capstone Music
• Bronze: Young Artists' Theatre
• Top Pick: Melody Man Studios

Music Retailer

• Platinum: Looney Tunes
• Gold: ODDSPOT
• Silver: Melody Man Studios
• Bronze: Sunrise Records

Musical Instruments

• Platinum: Long and McQuade
• Gold: Melody Man Studios
• Silver: Cyclomedica Canada Limited
• Bronze: Mountain Music

Links: Community Votes, More Community Votes Stories

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Violin Day Videos by Chris McKhool

Links: Chris McKhool, More Chris McKhool Stories, Video above courtesy of Chris McKhool - Topic

Links: Sultans of String, More Sultans of String Stories, Video above courtesy of Sultans of String

Links: Chris McKhool, More Chris McKhool Stories, Video above courtesy of Chris McKhool

More Violin Day Videos

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Sultans of String Bring Home Two 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Burlington's Chris McKhool of Sultans of String with his two awards
Picture courtesy of My Bodacious Blog

The winners for the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards were announced during a weekend event on March 31 - April 2, 2023 in Vancouver. The Sultans of String, a band with members from Burlington, took home two of the awards.

View both ceremonies below

Video above courtesy of prixfolkawards

Links: CFMA, More CFMA Stories, Video above courtesy of prixfolkawards

Below is a complete list of winners. Local acts are bolded.

• Global Roots Album: Sanctuary by Sultans of String (some members from Burlington)
  
  
  
  Links: Sultans of String, More Sultans of String Stories, Duke Redbird, Video above courtesy of Sultans of String
  
  
• Producer(s): Chris McKhool (Burlington) & John 'Beetle' Bailey (New Hamberg) - Sanctuary by Sultans of String 
• Children’s Album: Folk For Little Folk Volume 1 by Gordie Crazylegs MacKeeman
• Contemporary Album: Long Haul by John Wort Hannam
• Contemporary Singer: Kyle McKearney
• English Songwriter(s): Abigail Lapell
• Ensemble: The Slocan Ramblers
• French Songwriter(s): Geneviève Roberge-Bouchard & Alain Barbeau 
• Indigenous Songwriter(s): Amanda Rheaume
• Instrumental Group: Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves 
• Instrumental Solo Artist: Waymzy
• New/Emerging Artist(s): RedFox
• Pushing the Boundaries Award: Oktoécho
• Single: Sing Me A Song by William Prince and Serena Ryder
  
  
  
  Links: William Prince, More William Prince Stories, Serena Ryder, More Serena Ryder Stories, Video above courtesy of William Prince
  
  
• Solo Artist: John Wort Hannam
• Traditional Album: Hurricane Clarice by Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
• Traditional Singer: Lizzy Hoyt
• Unsung Hero Award: Ghislaine Cormier
• Vocal Group: The McDades 
• Young Performer(s): Fiddelium

Links: CFMA, More CFMA Stories

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GOOD LUCK! 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominees including local artists

Highlights from the news release: 

(October 4, 2022 - SAINT JOHN) The Canadian Folk Music Awards celebrates its 18th edition, with a roster of nominations that celebrates the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music. This year’s nominees span the country from Leader, Saskatchewan, to Papineauville Québec, and from Salt Spring Island, British Columbia to Fredericton, New Brunswick  — celebrating the diversity and talent of artists and musicians across Canada.

Established by Canada’s vibrant and internationally-recognized folk music community, the awards currently boasts 19 categories. Nominees are chosen for each category through a two-stage jury process. More than 100 jurors, located across Canada, representing all official provinces, territories and languages, determine the official recipients in each category.

The CFMA 2023 Awards Weekend takes place March 31 - April 2, 2023, and we are looking forward to heading to Vancouver, BC! The weekend will capture the true heart of our folk community, while celebrating the 2023 nominees and the category recipients.

Here is the nominee announcement

Links: CFMA, More CFMA Stories, Video above courtesy of prixfolkawards

Below is a complete list of nominees. Local acts are bolded.

*Signed to Waterdown's True North Records

Children’s Album 

• Tuba Blues by My Friend Christopher (Hamilton)
  
  
  
  Links: My Friend Christopher, Video above courtesy of MyFriendChristopher
  
  
• The Full Circle by The Relative Minors (Cambridge)
  
  
  
  Links: Video above courtesy of The Relative Minors - Topic

• Ça suffit pour s'amuser by Hannah Shira Naiman
• Folk For Little Folk Volume 1 by Gordie Crazylegs MacKeeman
• Ponderosa Bunchgrass and the Golden Rule by The Oot n' Oots

Contemporary Album

• Sanctuary by Sultans of String (some members from Burlington)
• Cerulean by Ken Yates
• Down-Home by Kyle McKearney
• eleven by Madison Violet
• Hurricane Coming by Shawna Caspi
• Long Haul by John Wort Hannam
• Tongues by Tanya Tagaq
• Zhawenim by Digging Roots

Contemporary Singer

• Barney Bentall*
• Angelique Francis
• Boy Golden
• Ken Yates 
• Kyle McKearney

Global Roots Album 

• Sanctuary by Sultans of String (some members from Burlington)
  
  
  
  Links: Sultans of String, More Sultans of String Stories, Video above courtesy of Sultans of String
  
  
• III by Ayrad
• Thieves of Dreams / Zloději snů by Lenka Lichtenberg
• Tradisyon by Wesli Louissaint
• Until When by Jaffa Road

Instrumental Group 

• RanchWriters*
• Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves 
• Proulx-Demers
• Shannon Quinn & Tony Quinn
• The McDades

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award 

• Sultans of String (some members from Burlington)
• Mélisande [électrotrad
• Lenka Lichtenberg
• Oktoécho
• Digging Roots

Producer(s) 

• Chris McKhool (Burlington) & John 'Beetle' Bailey (New Hamberg) - Sanctuary by Sultans of String 
• Brenley MacEachern & Lisa MacIsaac - eleven by Madison Violet
• Corwin Fox & Yael Wand - Saltwater Heartwood by Yael Wand
• Katia Makdissi-Warren - Transcestral by Oktoécho
• The Fretless & Joby Baker - Open House by The Fretless

Solo Artist 

• Barney Bentall *
• James Keelaghan 
• Jocelyn Pettit
• John Wort Hannam
• Suzie Ungerleider

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English Songwriter(s) 

• Abigail Lapell
• Andrew McClelland aka Li'l Andy 
• John Wort Hannam
• Matt Patershuk
• Tim Buckley
• Yael Wand

Ensemble 

• Over The Moon 
• The Dead South
• The Fretless
• The McDades
• The Slocan Ramblers

French Songwriter(s) 

• Anik Bérubé & Natalie Byrns
• Geneviève Roberge-Bouchard & Alain Barbeau 
• Héra Ménard & Guylaine Saint-Pierre 
• Matt Stern 
• Sébastien Lacombe 

Indigenous Songwriter(s)

• Adrian Sutherland
• Amanda Rheaume
• Berk Jodoin
• Kyle McKearney
• ShoShona Kish & Raven Kanatakta Polson-Lahache (Digging Roots)

Instrumental Solo Artist 

• Ellen Gibling
• John Reischman
• Kerry Fitzgerald
• Mike Stevens
• Waymzy

New/Emerging Artist(s) 

• Alex Krawczyk 
• Andrew Waite
• Camie
• Cheval
• RedFox
• Tennyson King

Single 

• 100 Proof by Julian Taylor
• À travers mes yeux  by Geneviève et Alain)
• Familiar Feeling by Pretty Archie
• Heavy Heart by Fortunate Ones
• Hey Boys Sing Us A Song by The Irish Rovers
• Love you the Best by Quote the Raven
• Sing Me A Song by William Prince and Serena Ryder)
• Sweet Desperado by Madison Violet
• Teeth Agape by Tanya Tagaq

Traditional Album 

• 20 printemps by Le Vent Du Nord)
• 20 Summers by Shannon Quinn & Tony Quinn
• Hurricane Clarice  by Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
• Long Time Travelling by Ken Whiteley
• Up the Hill and Through the Fog by The Slocan Ramblers

Traditional Singer 

• Kim Beggs
• Li'l Andy
• Lizzy Hoyt 
• Michael Darcy 
• Mike Bravener 

Vocal Group 

• Le Vent Du Nord
• Les Rats d'Swompe
• Mama’s Broke 
• Quote the Raven
• The McDades 

Young Performer(s)

• Fiddelium
• Paige Penney
• The Fiddlaires
• The Oot n' Oots
• The Receivers

Links: CFMA, More CFMA Stories

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CONGRATS! 2021 Canadian Folk Music Award Winners (including local artists)

Burlington's Chris McKhool with his award

On April 10-11th, the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards were handed out during a wonderful online ceremony. The only area winners were Burlington's Chris McKhool and New Hamburg's John 'Beetle' Bailey who won Producer of the Year for their work on the album, Refuge by the Sultans of String (Chris is the violinist in the band).

Links: Sultans of String, More Sultans of String Stories, Video above courtesy of Sultans of String

See both nights of the awards ceremony below.

Links: CFMA, More CFMA Stories, Videos above courtesy of Canadian Folk Music Awards

Here's a complete list of winners (local acts are bolded)

• Producer(s): Chris McKhool & John 'Beetle' Bailey for Refuge (Sultans of String)  
• Contemporary Album: Reliever by William Prince
• Contemporary Singer: Coco Love Alcorn
• Solo Artist: Julian Taylor
• Single: Some Kind of Hell by Burnstick
• Traditional Album: All Hands by Beòlach
• Indigenous Songwriter(s): Leela Gilday
• Instrumental Group: Beòlach
• Children’s Album: Broccoli Farm by Claire Ness
• English Songwriter(s): William Prince
• Ensemble: Pharis and Jason Romero
• French Songwriter(s): Marie-Ève Lapierre-Lemoyne
• Instrumental Solo Artist: Marc Atkinson
• New/Emerging Artist(s): Noah Derksen
• Pushing the Boundaries Award: Aerialists 
• Traditional Singer: Pharis Romero
• Vocal Group: Pharis and Jason Romero
• World Album: Kora flamenca by Zal Sissokho 
• Young Performer(s): The Gilberts

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