Aboriginal Artists in the running for WCMA and CCMA

Tracy Bone, Crystal Shawanda, Shane Yellowbird, Donny Parenteau, and Sandy Scofield are some of the Aboriginal artists in the running for the Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA) and the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) this year. The nominees for both shows were announced this week with the country release going out from Toronto and the western press conference going down in Edmonton.

The winners for the 2008 WCMA will be announced at the Western Canadian Music Awards Gala on Sunday, October 19.

The winners of the 2008 CCMA will be announced at the award show on September 8 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Aboriginal artists nominated in both award shows are:

WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Outstanding Aboriginal Recording
Fara Palmer – Phoenix
McKinley Matters – The Seventh Day
Ry Moran – Groundwater
Sandy Scofield – Nikawiy Asliy (Mother Earth)
Tracy Bone – No Lies

Outstanding Children’s Recording
Art Napoleon – Mocikan: Songs for Learning Cree


CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Single of the Year
You Can Let Go – Crystal Shawanda

Female Artist of the Year
Crystal Shawanda

Male Artist of the Year
Shane Yellowbird

CCMA All-Star Band Award – Fiddle
Donny Parenteau

Country Music Program or Special of the Year
Crystal: Living the Dream (CMT)


An interesting note is that there are also a number of industry folks and companies in the running who work with Aboriginal artists. They include:


WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Agency of the Year
Paquin Entertainment
Aboriginal artists they represent: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Kinnie Starr, Tagaq

S.L. Feldman & Associates
Aboriginal artists they represent: Sierra Noble

Live Music Venue of the Year
West End Cultural Centre
Aboriginal artists booked by them: Tagaq, Kinnie Starr, Shingoose, Tracy Bone, Eagle & Hawk, JC Campbell

Producer of the Year
Brandon Friesen
Aboriginal artists he’s worked with: Derek Miller, Stevie Salas

Jack Shapira
Aboriginal artists he’s worked with: Ron Loutit

Talent Buyer of the Year
Dominic Lloyd
Aboriginal artists he’s booked: Tagaq, Kinnie Starr, Shingoose, Tracy Bone, Eagle & Hawk, JC Campbell


CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
------------------------------------------------------------------
CCMA All-Star Band – Steel Guitar
Evan Ehgoetz
Plays with: Shane Yellowbird

Management Company of the Year
O’Reilly International Entertainment Management
Manages: Shane Yellowbird

Booking Agency of the Year
The Agency Group
Aboriginal artists they represent: Leela Gilday, Digging Roots, George Leach, Derek Miller

Paquin Entertainment
Aboriginal artists they represent: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Kinnie Starr, Tagaq

Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year
Kelly Berehulka
Aboriginal artists he’s booked: Ray St. Germain, Shane Yellowbird, Donny Parenteau, Tracy Bone,  JC Campbell, Darren Lavallee

Video Director of the Year
Margaret Malandruccolo
Video director for: Crystal Shawanda

Music Publishing Company of the Year
ole
Publisher for: Kinnie Starr

Record Company of the Year
306 Records
Released CDs by: Shane Yellowbird

Sony BMG Music (Canada) Inc.
Released CDs by: Crystal Shawanda

Record Company Person of the Year
Louis O’Reilly
Works with: Shane Yellowbird

For more information about the WCMA please visit:
www.westerncanadianmusicawards.ca

For more information about the CCMA please visit:
www.ccma.org