Manitoba Artists Land Six Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards
Manitoba acts picked up six awards at the 2010 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. The winners were announced over two events: RBC Ohshkii Awards Night at Fort Garry Place's Grand Ballroom on November 4 and the nationally-televised APCMA gala at the MTS Centre on November 5. Local artists and industry received 26 nominations this year.
Hip hop act Winnipeg's Most – rappers Jon-C, Brooklyn, and Charlie Fettah – walked away with three awards at this year’s celebrations. The trio was named Best Duo or Group and Best New Artist while its debut self-titled release on local label, Heatbag Records, won for Best Rap/Hip Hop.
JJ Lavallee and his latest release, A Fiddle Bit of This & A Fiddle Bit of That, tied with Sudbury's Jacinthe Trudeau for Best Fiddle CD.
Rock outfit Eagle & Hawk picked up another honour for its new album, The Great Unknown, which was named Best Rock CD. The Great Unknown has racked up 15 award nods this year, including the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, Native American Music Awards, and Canadian Folk Music Awards, and a win at the Indian Summer Music Awards.
NCI FM's locally-produced National Aboriginal Music Countdown, hosted by Melissa Spence, was named Best Aboriginal Music Radio Station/Program.
Broadcast live on APTN, the APCMAs featured performances by homegrown talent Ray St. Germain, The Gaudry Boys, and Darrylyne Bickel. The awards are part of the Manito Ahbee festival, which runs November 3-7 in Winnipeg. Now in its fifth year, Manito Ahbee features a variety of events including an Indigenous Marketplace and Trade Show, International Competition Pow Wow, and an education conference.
For a complete list of 2010 APCMA winners, please visit www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com.
MANITOBA WINNERS – ABORIGINAL PEOPLES CHOICE MUSIC AWARDS
BEST ABORIGINAL MUSIC RADIO STATION / PROGRAM
National Aboriginal Music Countdown (NCI FM)
BEST DUO OR GROUP
Winnipeg’s Most
BEST FIDDLE CD
JJ Lavallee – A Fiddle Bit of This & A Fiddle Bit of That
BEST NEW ARTIST
Winnipeg’s Most
BEST RAP / HIP HOP CD
Winnipeg’s Most – Winnipeg’s Most
BEST ROCK CD
Eagle & Hawk – The Great Unknown