Music News Digest: Canadians Recognized at the Grammys and Latin Grammys

Awards News

Acclaimed Canadian independent roots music label Stony Plain Records turns 50 in 2025, and it has more reasons to celebrate with news that it has received three 2025 Grammy Award nominations.

Blues guitarslinger and singer-songwriter Sue Foleyreceived her first Grammy nom in the Best Traditional Blues Album category, for One Guitar Woman, while Stony Plain scored two other noms via one of its acts, legendary American blues-rockers The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Fabulous Thunderbirds are cited in the Best American Roots Performance category for “Nothing In Rambling,” featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal and Mick Fleetwood. The band is also up for Best Traditional Blues Album, for its current release, Struck Down. Of note: That album was co-written and co-produced by Canadian blues star Steve Strongman, while Stony Plain Records President Geoff Kulawick is credited as Executive Producer.

Find a full list of Canadian Grammy nominees here.

– Last week, internationally-acclaimed Cuban-Canadian composer, piano virtuoso and bandleader Hilario Durán won a Latin Grammy awardfor Best Arrangement for the track “Night in Tunisia," a jazz standard written by Dizzy Gillespie. It is featured on his 2023 album Cry Me A River, a big band recording featuring Durán leading his 19-piece ensemble and special guests Paquito D’Rivera, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández and OKAN. That album, released on independent Toronto label ALMA Records, also won a Juno Award in the category of Jazz Album of the Year in March. Duran had previously been nominated for two Grammy Awards, and this is his first win. B.C.-based Cuban-Canadian singer/songwriter Alex Cuba was nominated in the Best Traditional Tropical Album for Voces De Mi Familia. He has won multiple Latin Grammy Awards for his earlier work. See a full list of nominees and winners here.

– SOCAN Foundation has announcedÉric Champagne as the winner of the inaugural Lori Davies Composition Award for Excellence in Dance, Opera or Music Theatre. The $5,000 prize celebrates his opera, Yourcenar : Une île de passions. Composed by Champagne and with libretto by Hélène Dorion and Marie-Claire Blais, the committee unanimously selected this as the winner.

Industry News

– The always popular Andy Kim Christmas returns to Toronto’s Massey Hall on Dec. 4, and the lineup for this 20th anniversary edition of the fundraiser has just been revealed. The typically star-studded lineup this year features Barenaked Ladies, Alex Lifeson, Broken Social Scene, Billy Talent, Dan Hill, Wiliam Prince, Men Without Hats, Roch Voisine, Emm Gryner, and Molly Johnson celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Kumbaya and more. All event proceeds are donated to CAMH’s Gifts of Light. Tickets for the usually sold-out show are available here.

– Showcase applications are now open for the 2025 International Indigenous Music Summit (IIMS), taking place from June 2-6, 2025, at Toronto's TD Music Hall/Allied Music Centre). Submissions are open to Indigenous artists across Turtle Island. Programs, platforms, and applications will primarily be in English, with French and Spanish translation available for some activities. Artists are encouraged to submit works in their mother tongue or preferred language. The deadline to apply here is Nov. 25.

– Artists and industry professionals from across Canada will converge in Toronto this month for the fourth annual Come Together series of showcases and industry meetings. Eight music industry associations – MusicOntario, Alberta Music, Music BC, Manitoba Music, Music/Musique NB, Music Nova Scotia, Music Ontario, SaskMusic, and SODEC, Quebec – have partnered to spotlight Canada’s independent live music scene. This year's event includes invite-only showcases for industry on Nov. 25 at The Drake Underground and Nov. 26 at Lula Lounge, featuring performances from 13 acclaimed artists. That list comprises Aphrose, Kelly Bado, KROY, Kuzi Cee, NIKKAELA and Shanii (all at The Drake) and Choses Sauvages, Kaeley Jade, Kylie Fox, Living Hour, Merv xx Gotti, The Bankes Brothers and Vikki Minor (SK) (at Lula Lounge). More info here.

– Sakamoto Agency has just signed Juno-winning Canadian country group Tim & The Glory Boys to the national roster, with Paul Biro as Responsible Agent.The band went gold with the single “When You Know You Know” and its eponymous debut album has scored over 30 million streams, with 5 Top 40 songs at Canadian country radio. In 2023, Tim & The Glory Boys won 2 CCMAs in 2023, including Album of the Year. “The boys and I are beyond excited to start our partnership with Paul Biro and the incredible team at Sakamoto Agency,” says frontman Tim Neufeld. “We can’t wait to get out on the road!”

– Another very recent signing by Sakamoto Agency is B.C. country artist Tony Stevens. His song “Whiskey in Colorado” was a Top 10 hit earlier this year and earned him his first CCMA nomination for Songwriter(s) of the Year. Look for a debut album in spring 2025, via Willing Records/ Universal Music Canada. Paul Biro will be the Responsible Agent for Stevens.

– Juno and 9x CCMA Award-winning, platinum selling country band The Washboard Union have joined forces with Australian record label ABC Music, one of that country's largest independent imprints. In January, the band make their first Australian performances at the famed Tamworth Country Music Festival in addition to select other performances and showcases.

Currently The Washboard Union are out on their Grab the Wheel and Go Tour, travelling to 17 cities across Canada, which includes stops in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Itinerary here. They were also recently featured on the CBS hit TV drama Tracker, on an episode including two songs from their new album WESTERLY, “New Paint” and “Neon Needs The Night.”

– Play It Loud! -- How Toronto Got Soulis a new TVO Original documentary on the Toronto reggae scene of the late '60s and '70s that focuses upon the fascinating career of veteran Toronto-based Jamaican-Canadian singer Jay Douglas. The film, directed by Graeme Mathieson, produced by Andrew Munger (Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band) and Executive Produced by Clement Virgo (Brother, The Wire) will have its official premiere on Dec. 4 and Dec. 7 at the Hot Doc Cinema, 506 Bloor St W, Toronto. Tickets are now available to the public here. The Dec. 4 screening will be followed by a Q&A with Mathieson, Douglas and Munger. A Q&A with Mathieson will follow the Dec. 7 screening.

– The recent first Dreaming Out Loud Songwriter's Tribute to the late Rick Rose in Niagara Falls was a genuine success, raising Well, $9701 for the Rick Rose Music Foundation. The show raised $4700 and that was boosted by a $5000 donation from from Keefer Management. Read more about Rose here.

Artists News

– Veteran Hamilton singer/songwriter Martin Verrall is a hardworking troubadour and visual artist who is a mainstay of the local scene. He has worked ace producer Mark Howard and was recently invited to sing alongside Daniel Lanois at the latter's hometown Mulespinner show, but he deserves wider recognition in his own right. Verrall's solo work places his darkly poetic lyrics (Tom Waits and Charles Bukowski come to mind) in a folk-accented setting, but he takes a major detour on his just-released new album, Shadow Work, credited to Martin Verrall & The Void. It actually features material written by the band nearly 30 years ago, recently rediscovered and re-recorded. The vinyl album was launched via a performance at The Casbah last Friday that was simply stunning. The aggressive guitar-fuelled sonic fury has a post-punk feel (Joy Division is an acknowledged influence), and Verrall's signature foghorn of a voice propels it with real finesse. Kudos to his bandmates, guitarist Calvin Hager, bassist Daniel Wintermans and stand-up drummer Rosemary Stehlik. Those spied in the audience included local legends Edgar Breau (Simply Saucer) and Chris Houston.

– Acclaimed B.C. roots musician Linda McRae (ex-Spirit of The West) now lives in Nashville, but she's returning to her home province for a series of shows with another folk veteran, Doug Cox. They have five gigs from Nov. 22-29, and you can check the details here. Last year the pair released a duo album, Beyond The Great Pause.

– Hard-working roots troubadour Zachary Lucky released his sixth album The Windon Nov. 1, and he is now out touring in support. Upcoming shows include Hamilton's Boxcar Sound Recordings on Nov. 23 (tix here), Ursa in Montreal (Nov. 24) and Burdock in Toronto (Nov. 26). A full itinerary here.

– The season for holiday album releases is definitely upon us. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steven Taetz delivered his, My Christmas Wish, last week, accompanied by lead single "Magic For Me." Co-written by Taetz and Johnny Wright, the tune is co-produced by Daniel Ledwell and features backing vocals from Jenn Grant, Breagh Isabel and Mohalia Smith. Taetz will promote the new record with upcoming Ontario shows. Details and tickets here.