More ECMAs handed out this morning

Local native Chris Smith was among the winners of East Coast Music Awards presented early this morning in Moncton.

Smith won the ECMA for Graphic/Media Artist of the Year. Other winners included Nova Scotia's Gypsophila, whose members were presented with the Jazz Recording of the Year award for "Constellation," Keith Mullins, Thom Swift and Steven Bowers, who won the Children's Recording of the Year award for "The Woood Buffalo Youth Song Project," and Scott MacMillan, who won he DVD of the Year Award for "Within Sight of Shore."

Bret Staeben, founder of the Fredericton Harvest Jazzand Blues festival, was presented with the award for Industry Builder of the Year.

Keynote speaker for the brunch was JUNO-winning Acadian singer/songwriter Roch Voisine, who, in an interview with CBC's Jim Corcoran, spoke of his career and gave advice to other Atlantic Canadian artists. Hundreds of musicians and music industry representatives are in Moncton this weekend for ECMAs, which will wrap up with a gala event at the casino Sunday night. While most of the top awards will be handed out at that time, organizers have been spreading the presentations out throughout the weekend. Tonight, ECMAs will be given out in the country, rap/hip-hop, classical and gospel categories.

• Read more special articles :
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• - ECMAs tear up Moncton
• - ECMAs mean a lot to The Once
• - Downey gets nod for pair of ECMAs

 Follow arts reporter Tara Bradbury on Twitter at @tara_bradbury for ECMA updates and photos live from Moncton.