News Article

With twice as many submissions this year, it will be a busy time during Credit Union Music PEI Week. 31 awards will be handed out at the Awards Party on January 27th. That is a significant increase over last year’s tally of 23 awards. It has been a prolific year for Island artists and new releases.

The nominee list includes a number of first-timers and of course some perennial favourites.

Rachel Beck led the way with 8 nominations for her debut self-titled album. She received nominations in Album of the Year, Entertainer, New Artist, Pop, Songwriter, Solo, Song and Video of the Year.

A number of artists received 6 nominations including Meaghan Blanchard for her album The Great Escape with Album, Roots Contemporary, Songwriter, Solo, Song and Video of the Year. Vishtèn and their release Horizons has 6 nominations including Album of the Year, Entertainer, Francophone Artist, Group Recording, Roots Traditional Recording and Touring Artist. Lennie Gallant and Dylan Menzie both received 4 nominations each.

New artist Jenni & The Hummingbird and her album Your Masterpiece also received 6 including Album, New Artist, Pop. Solo, Song and Video of the Year. Dylan Menzie is next with 5 nominees, and Lennie Gallant, Andrew Waite, and The East Pointers each received 4 nominations.

Also being handed out will be an additional 6 Board Awards as selected by the Music PEI Board of Directors. Voting by the members for Album, Country, Loud/Rock, Pop, Roots Contemporary, Roots Traditional and Entertainer of the Year will open Tuesday, November 20. All other awards are determined by juries of industry professionals.

Following is a list of the categories and nominees. For additional information, voting and ticket sales for Credit Union Music PEI Week go to www.musicpei.com. Festivities will kick off January 23rd and run until the 27th with the Awards Party and the Closing Concert.

Achievement in Classical or Jazz Music Award

Always on Stage
Atlantic String Machine
Grahame Rhodes
Island Jazz
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Credit Union Album of the Year

Andrew Waite – Tremors
Dylan Menzie – As The Clock Rewinds
Jenni & The Hummingbird – Your Masterpiece
Lennie Gallant – Time Travel
Meaghan Blanchard – The Great Escape
Rachel Beck – Rachel Beck
Vishtèn – Horizons

Country Recording of the Year

Emerald Junction – Kickin’ It
Kelley Mooney – Caroling
Lawrence Maxwell – Not Your Outlaw
Neil Matthews Family Tribute Band – Beautiful Island, a Tribute to Neil Matthews

Cover Band/Artist of the Year

Cöpy Cät
Danny Drouin
Ryan & Emily

Bandzoogle Digital Achievement of the Year

Andrew Waite
KINLEY
The East Pointers

Electronic Single Recording of the Year

Eric Broadbent – It Is What It Is
Lonely Kid & Dylan Menzie – You Could Be My Queen
Russell Louder – Showdown

Entertainer of the Year

The East Pointers
Lennie Gallant
Rachel Beck
Richard Wood
Vishtèn

Event of the Year

Play the Park
Cloggeroo Folk Festival
Island Jazz
PEI Mutual Festival of Small Halls

Francophone Artist of the Year

Adrienne Gallant
Arsenault Trio
Fayo
Vishtèn

Group Recording of the Year

Death Valley Driver – Wolf Crown
Get Well Pharmacy – Story of a House Fire
Little Cities – Friends Floors
Rick Sparkes + The Enablers – The Trouble with the Light
Vishtèn – Horizons

Live Music Programmer of the Year

Jamie Crawford
Cynthia MacLeod
Danielle Rochon and Kathleen Flanagan
Dan Rowswell
Pat Deighan

Arsenault, Best, Cameron, Ellis Musician of the Year

Danny Drouin
Evan McCosham
Gordon Belsher
Josh Langille
Todd MacLean

Holland College/Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year

Jenni & The Hummingbird- Your Masterpiece
Little Cities- Friends Floors
Rachel Beck- Rachel Beck
Russell Louder- Showdown
Vince The Messenger- Self Sabotage

Downtown Charlottetown Inc Pop Recording of the Year

Jenni & The Hummingbird – Your Masterpiece
Little Cities – Friends Floors
Rachel Beck – Rachel Beck

Producer of the Year

Danny Drouin
David Rashed
Gordon Belsher
Jon Matthews
Lonely Kid

Recording Studio of the Year

Studio at the Guild
Guernsey Cove Parlour Productions
The Sound Mill Recording Studio

Rock/Loud Recording of the Year

Andrew Waite – Tremors
Aron Scott Earthquake – RAGER
Death Valley Driver – Wolf Crown
Dennis Ellsworth – Things Change
Rick Sparkes and the Enablers – The Trouble with the Light
Will Allen – Painted Your Picture

Roots Contemporary Recording of the Year

Dylan Menzie – As the Clock Rewinds
Get Well Pharmacy – Story of a House Fire
Lennie Gallant .- Time Travel
Meaghan Blanchard .- The Great Escape
Todd MacLean – Long John June

Roots Traditional Recording of the Year

Cailyn MacAulay – Fortune Favors the Bow
Richard Wood – Unbroken
Vishtèn – Horizons

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year

Dennis Ellsworth- She’s Never Wrong
Dylan Menzie/Mark Skinner- You Could Be My Queen
Lennie Gallant- Sequoia
Meaghan Blanchard- When You’re Gone
Rachel Beck- When You Left

Solo Recording of the Year

Andrew Waite – Tremors
Dylan Menzie – As The Clock Rewinds
Jenni & The Hummingbird- Your Masterpiece
Meaghan Blanchard – The Great Escape
Rachel Beck- Rachel Beck

Song of the Year

Dennis Ellsworth – She’s Never Wrong
Get Well Pharmacy – Story of a House Fire
Jenni & The Hummingbird – Am I odd
Meaghan Blanchard – When You’re Gone
Rachel Beck – Reckless Heart

Fly PEI Touring Artist of the Year

Richard Wood
The East Pointers
Vishtèn

Urban Recording of the Year

BT Flow – The Worst
Cavy & SkitSipSlow – Bon Voyage
Eric Broadbent – Eric Broadbent
Vince The Messenger – Self Sabotage

SOCAN Venue of the Year

Baba’s Lounge
The Mack
Trailside Music Cafe’ & Inn

Video of the Year

The East Pointers- Two Weeks (Director – Jenna MacMillan)
Jenni & The Hummingbird- Am I Odd (Director – Millefiore Clarkes)
KINLEY- Golden Days (Director – Jenna MacMillan)
Meaghan Blanchard- The Great Escape (Director – Millefiore Clarkes)
Rachel Beck- Hearts on Fire (Director – Jenna MacMillan)

Visual Artist of the Year

Ali McNeill
Brendan Henry
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