Manitobans Net 30 Nods at APCMAs

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Aboriginal artists from Manitoba demonstrated the strength of the regional scene, nabbing 30 nominations in 20 categories of the third annual Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA). The nominees were announced by the Manitoba Ahbee Festival Inc. in Winnipeg on August 20 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

The APCMAs features an online voting system, which gives Aboriginal music fans from around the world the chance to vote for their favorite act in each of the 22 categories. The winners will be announced at a nationally-televised award show on November 7 at the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg and on November 6 at McPhillips Street Station. The awards are part of the 10-day Manito Ahbee festival, now in its third year. The final round of online voting for the APCMA is now underway and will come to an end on October 17.

Leading this year’s nominees with five nods is Juno-winning rock act Eagle & Hawk, up for Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Group or Duo, Best Songwriter, Best Rock CD, and Single of the Year. Double nominees include singer/songwriter Don Amero, blues man J.C. Campbell, country chanteuse Tracy Bone, hip-hop outfit Da Skelpa Squad, and fiddler Darren Lavallee.

Other Manitoba nominees include pow wow acts Whitehorse and Sioux Nation, blues bands the Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Band, hip-hop act Team Rezofficial, rock singer Leanne Goose, country singer JJ Lavallee, hand drum artist Walking Wolf, singer/songwriter Little Hawk and Sierra Noble, Christian rappers Fresh I.E. and Lil' Disciples, hip-hopper Wab Kinew, fiddler Ryan D’Aoust, and NCI FM’s radio show, Métis Hour Times Two.

Winnipeg-based Aboriginal music labels also had a lot to celebrate with the announcements of the APCMA nominees. Arbor Records’ roster includes Tracy Bone and Team Rezofficial and non-Manitoba act Northern Wind. Sunshine Records is home to Manitobans Darren Lavallee and Walking Wolf. J.C. Campbell works with Strongfront Records, and War Pony Records has nominees in Whitehorse and Sioux Nation.

2008 ABORIGINAL PEOPLES CHOICE MUSIC AWARDS - MANITOBA NOMINEES

ABORIGINAL ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Eagle & Hawk

BEST FIDDLE CD
Darren Lavallee – Le Métis
Ryan D’Aoust – York Boats & Legends

BEST POW WOW CD – TRADITIONAL (ORIGINAL)
Whitehorse – First Ride

BEST INSTRUMENTAL CD
Darren Lavallee – Le Métis

BEST HAND DRUM CD
Walking Wolf – Me & My Drum

BEST POW WOW CD – CONTEMPORARY
Sioux Nation – In Memory of Wambdi Had Ska Kaihdgehdga Mani

BEST FOLK/ACOUSTIC CD
Little Hawk – Home and Native Land
Don Amero – Change Your Life

BEST BLUES CD
J.C. Campbell – Lazy James
Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Band – Let’s Take a Ride

BEST RAP OR HIP-HOP CD
Fresh I.E. - Lockjaw

BEST ALBUM COVER DESIGN
J.C. Campbell – Lazy James

BEST GROUP OR DUO
Eagle & Hawk
Da Skelpa Squad

BEST ROCK CD
Eagle & Hawk – Red Road Stories
Leanne Goose - Anywhere

BEST PRODUCER OR ENGINEER
Brandon Friesen & Derek Miller – The Dirty Looks (Derek Miller)
Craig Beaulieu – A New Beginning (Da Skelpa Squad)
Tracy Bone & Phillippe Deschambault – No Lies (Tracy Bone)
Team Rezofficial – The World (Team Rezofficial)

BEST NEW ARTIST
Don Amero

BEST COUNTRY CD
Tracy Bone – No Lies
JJ Lavallee - Carry On

BEST GOSPEL CD
L’il Disciples – The Future is Now

BEST SONGWRITER
Eagle & Hawk

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Sierra Noble – “Possibility”
Eagle & Hawk – “Sirensong”

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Wab Kinew – “It This Was Right”

BEST ABORIGINAL MUSIC RADIO STATION/PROGRAM
Métis Hour Times Two (NCI FM)

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