SYDNEY, N.S. — A group from the Whycocomagh and Judique areas but now based in Halifax received the most nominations for all Cape Breton musicians from this year’s East Coast Music Award nominations, announced this morning in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Matt Ellis, the singer for Villages, admitted Thursday he and the other group members were surprised that they received the most nominations for a Cape Breton act.
“It’s a very big shock to us sincerely,” Ellis, singer for the band, said in a phone interview. “We’re very proud and excited and it’s nice to be with all these other artists who have been nominated as well.”
Villages received four nominations including nods for Video of the Year for “Maggie of the Cove,” Rising Star Recording of the Year for their album, “Villages,” Group Recording of the Year and Folk Recording of the Year.
And if four award nominations wasn’t enough, the group will be releasing their latest single, “Cremation,” Friday and starting a cross-Canada tour next week.
Other Cape Bretoners receiving multiple nominations were singer-songwriter Dave Sampson and fiddler Natalie MacMaster who each received three. Sampson received nominations for Country Recording of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Rising Star Recording of the Year for “All Types of Ways.” MacMaster was nominated for Instrumental Recording of the Year, Solo Recording of the Year and Roots Traditional Recording of the Year for her most recent album, “Sketches.”
Madison Violet received two nominations for Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year for “Everything’s Shifting” and Fans’ Choice Video of the Year. Although not listed as a Cape Breton entry but having a Cape Breton member, City Natives received nominations for Indigenous Artist of the Year and Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year.
Rapper SHiFT FROM THA 902 received a nomination for Indigenous Artist of the Year. Based in We'koqma'q First Nation, he was the 2017 Nova Scotia Music Week Indigenous Artist of the Year nominee.
“That’s awesome,” he told The Cape Breton Post upon learning about the ECMA nod. “I’m definitely pleased with the nomination. I’m excited to go to Newfoundland this year - this will be my first time going.”
Drummer Ethan Ardelli is based in Toronto and is a Juno award-winning artist but getting a nomination closer to home is always appreciated.
“As anyone close to me knows I am a very proud Cape Bretoner,” Ardelli told the Post Thursday. “Being nominated for an East Coast Music Award is an honour and it’s very cool to be part of the Cape Breton music community represented at this year’s awards.”
Other musicians nominated included Coig, JP Cormier and Keith Mullins for Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year; Port Cities for Song of the Year for their tune “Montreal," Blues Recording of the Year for Grasshopper and Jimmy Rankin was nominated for Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year.
When reached singer/songwriter Mullins, far away over on the other coast in Los Angeles, had perhaps the most enthusiastic reaction.
“I’m ecstatic!” said Mullins who couldn’t resist a plug to buy local. “Buy local music and buy local papers.”
Cape Breton also received several industry nominations including a Producer of the Year nomination went to Mike “Sheppy” Shepherd while studio engineer nominations went to Jamie Foulds and Scott Ferguson. Foulds’ Soundpark Studio received a nomination for Studio of the Year. And Event of the Year nominations went to Celtic Colours International Festival and the CBRM’s Makin’ Waves Festival presented by Sydney Credit Union that runs in July, something that made organizer Joe Costello happy.
“We’re over the moon,” said Costello. “If you look at the other four nominees in that category, they’re festivals that have been around for at least decade and doing amazing things with artists from all over the world. Just to be mentioned in a conversation like that is incredible.”
This year’s festival will run Thursdays, July 2-30, in Wentworth Park at 6 p.m.
Officially, New Brunswick received 20 ECMA nominations, Newfoundland and Labrador received 38, Nova Scotia received 97 and Prince Edward Island received 18. Although Cape Breton is officially cited to have received 19 nominations, Cape Breton performers actually received at least 27 nominations since many may belong to groups or applicants that were entered as Nova Scotia artists or because they may be based in areas off-island. So there may be more Cape Bretoners nominated than listed here.
Overall, Tim Baker and Wintersleep received seven nominations each while The East Pointers followed with six. Ria Mae, Neon Dreams and Rich Aucoin earned five nominations and Jenn Grant got four nominations.
This year’s ECMAs will be held in St. John’s, N.L., April 29-May 3.
Here are this year’s nominees:
Album of the Year
- Neon Dreams - Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams (Producer: Corey Lerue)
- Ria Mae - Stars (Producers: Truancy, Joel Stouffer, John Nathaniel, Kristoffer Eriksson, Adam King, Les Cooper, Ryan Kowarsky, Scott Effman)
- Rich Aucoin - Release (Producers: Rich Aucoin, Joel Waddell)
- Tim Baker - Forever Overhead (Producer: Marcus Paquin)
- Wintersleep - In The Land Of (Producers: Tony Doogan, Wintersleep)
Blues Recording of the Year
- Grasshopper - Southern Bones
- Matchstick Mike - Dog Up The Road
- Mike Biggar - Mike Biggar & Band Live at The BMO Theatre
- Myles Goodwyn - Myles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues 2
- Bucky Adams Memorial Award
- Jody Upshaw
- Jon Samuel
- Rey D
- Tachichi
- ZAMANI
Classical Recording of the Year
- Atlantic String Machine - The Bayfield Sessions
- Christine Carter and Duo Concertante - Invitation
- Gillian Smith - Into the Stone
- Marc Djokic - Solo Seven
- Various - Songs of the Invisible Summer Stars
Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year
- Damhnait Doyle - Liquor Store Flowers
- Erin Costelo - Sweet Marie
- Madison Violet - Everything’s Shifting
- Steven Bowers - Elk Island Park
- The East Pointers - Yours to Break
Country Recording of the Year
- Ben Chase - All Over It
- Cory Gallant - Welcome To My World
- Dave Sampson - All Types of Ways
- Jason Benoit - Revolution Pt. 1
- Tomato/Tomato - Canary in a Coal Mine
Dance Recording of the Year
- CRaymak - “I’d Do It Again” feat. Saint Yves
- Famba - “Swear to God”
- Karate Kactus - “SHY” feat. FAANGS
- Sparkee - Discovery
- Spoutnique - Solace
Electronic Recording of the Year
- Dead Horse Beats - Inglaterra
- It Could Be Franky - We All Know How This Will End
- PINEO & LOEB - Elevation
- Rich Aucoin - Release
- Rozalind MacPhail - Don’t Let Me Fall Too Far
Folk Recording of the Year
- Dave Gunning - Up Against the Sky
- Jenn Grant - Love, Inevitable
- Old Man Luedecke - Easy Money
- Tim Baker - Forever Overhead
- Villages - Villages
Francophone Recording of the Year
- Cy - Acadian Dream
- Jacobus - Caviar
- Jacques Surette - Marche, marche, marche
- Sirène et Matelot - Sirène et Matelot
- Spoutnique - Solace
Group Recording of the Year
- Motherhood - Dear Bongo,
- Neon Dreams - Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams
- The East Pointers - Yours to Break
- Villages - Villages
- Wintersleep - In The Land Of
Indigenous Artist of the Year
- Carolina East
- City Natives
- Deantha Edmunds
- Eastern Owl
- SHiFT FROM THA 902
Inspirational Recording of the Year
- Chris Stephens - When It Was Dark
- Eastern Owl - Qama'si
- Ian Foster and Nancy Hynes - A Week in December
- One8Tea - Ventilation
- Rey D - No Failing Faith
Instrumental Recording of the Year
- Florian Hoefner - First Spring
- Mark Djokic - Solo Seven
- Natalie MacMaster - Sketches
- Paul Tynan - Quartet
- Sam Wilson - Groundless Apprehensions
Jazz Recording of the Year
- Ethan Ardelli - The Island of Form
- Florian Hoefner - First Spring
- Heather Bambrick - Fine State
- Paul Tynan - Quartet
- Sam Wilson - Groundless Apprehensions
Loud Recording of the Year
- Dischord - Corruption of Innocence
- Dumpster Mummy - Dumpster Mummy 2
- Hard Charger - Vol 4: Take The Guff And Suffer
- Spirit of the Wildfire - Bittersweet Nothings
- ZAUM - Divination
Pop Recording of the Year
- Neon Dreams - Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams
- Rachel Cousins - Rachel Cousins
- Ria Mae - Stars
- T. Thomason - T. Thomason
- Tara MacLean - Deeper
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
- Chris Kirby - What Goes Around
- Jody Upshaw - Guilty One
- Laura Roy - Forte
- Selby Evans - Forever
Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year
- Aquasocks - HOLOS
- City Natives - Reborn
- Jacobus - Caviar
- JYAY - Rambo
- Tachichi - Top Ten
Rising Star Recording of the Year
- Dave Sampson - All Types of Ways
- Leanne Hoffman - What Remains
- Motherhood - Dear Bongo,
- Quote the Raven - Golden Hour
- Villages - Villages
Rock Recording of the Year
- Adam Baldwin - No Rest for the Wicked
- Andrew Waite - Tremors
- Jon Samuel - Dead Melodies
- Motherhood - Dear Bongo,
- Wintersleep - In The Land Of
Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year
- Anna Ludlow - Wherever You Go
- Còig - Ashlar
- JP Cormier - Once
- Keith Mullins - Upward (Howlin' at the Moon)
- Natalie MacMaster - Sketches
- Shannon Quinn - Watchmaker
Solo Recording of the Year
- Damhnait Doyle - Liquor Store Flowers
- Jason Benoit - Revolution Pt. 1
- Jenn Grant - Love, Inevitable
- Natalie MacMaster - Sketches
- Rich Aucoin - Release
- T. Thomason - T. Thomason
- Tim Baker - Forever Overhead
Song of the Year
- Mo Kenney - “Ahead of Myself” (Producer: Mo Kenney)
- Port Cities - “Montreal” (Producer: Dylan Guthro, Thomas Tawgs Salter)
- The East Pointers - “Wintergreen” (Producer: Gordie Sampson)
- Tim Baker - “Dance” (Producer: Marcus Paquin, Tim Baker)
- Wintersleep - “Beneficiary” (Producer: Tony Doogan / Wintersleep)
Songwriter of the Year
- Adyn Townes
- Dave Sampson
- Ria Mae
- Rich Aucoin
- The East Pointers
- Wintersleep
Fans' Choice Entertainer of the Year
- Dave Gunning
- Jenn Grant
- Jimmy Rankin
- Lennie Gallant
- Neon Dreams
- Ria Mae
- Rich Aucoin
- The East Pointers
- Tim Baker Wintersleep
Fans' Choice Video of the Year
- Devarrow - “Crashed Cars” (Directors: Dom Fegan & Graham Ereaux)
- Gabrielle Papillon - “Shout It Out” (Director: Teryl Brouillette)
- Jason Benoit - “Slow Hand” (Director: Tim Deegan)
- Jenn Grant - “Keep A Light On” (Director: Samantha Scaffidi)
- Madison Violet - “Tell Me” (Director: Jillian Martin)
- Neon Dreams - “High School Dropout” (Director: Frank Kadillac & Alex Gayoso)
- Ria Mae - “Hold Me” feat. Frank Kadillac (Director: Kat Webber)
- The East Pointers - “Wintergreen” (Director: Emma Watkins)
- Tim Baker - “All Hands” (Director: Jordan Canning)
- Wintersleep - “Forest Fire” (Director: Christopher Mills)
2019 INDUSTRY AWARDS
Company of the Year
- Foleymore Entertainment
- Krista Keough Creative Communications Parkindale Productions Inc.
- Sound of Pop
- The Citadel House
- The Syrup Factory
Event of the Year
- Celtic Colours International Festival
- Halifax Jazz Festival
- Makin' Waves presented by Sydney Credit Union
- Shivering Songs Festival
- Stan Rogers Folk Festival
Graphic/Media Artist of the Year
- Aaron Bishop
- Deep Hollow Print
- James Bennett
- Jud Haynes
- Launch Media
Management/Manager of the Year
- Forward Music Group
- Jones & Co
- Mary Beth Waldram
- Roger Lockyer
Media Outlet of the Year
- Canadian Beats
- Parkindale Productions Podcast
- The East
- The East Coast Music Hour
- Weekend Mornings with Bill Roach - CBC Radio 1
Media Person of the Year
- Alex Cook
- Bill Roach
- Erin Bond
- Greg Smith
- Richard Lann
Producer of the Year
- Chris Kirby
- Daniel Ledwell
- Jon Matthews
- Mark Adam
- Mike “Sheppy” Shepherd
Studio Engineer of the Year
- Jamie Foulds
- Jason Jenkyns
- Jon Matthews
- Scott Ferguson
- Thomas Stajcer
Studio of the Year
- Codapop Studios
- Echo Lake
- FMP Matrix: STUDIO FMP
- Soundpark Studios
- The Sound Mill
Venue of the Year
- Celtic Performing Arts Centre at The College of Piping
- Parkindale Productions: Parkindale Hall & Shepody House
- The Capital Complex
- The Carleton
- The Ship Pub
Video of the Year
- Don Brownrigg - “Room For Me” (Directors: Mel Stone & Don Brownrigg)
- Ryan Cook - “Memory Foam” (Director: Stephen Cooper)
- Tim Baker - “All Hands” (Director: Jordan Canning)
- Villages - “Maggie of the Cove” (Director: Jeff Miller)
- Vishtèn - “Elle Tempête” (Directors by: Millefiore Clarkes/One Thousand Flowers Production)
