By Kerry Doole
Awards news
At Sunday's CMT Music Awards at the Moody Center in Austin on Sunday (April 2) Shania Twain accepted the Equal Play Award, which recognizes artists who are vocal advocates for elevating diverse and underrepresented voices in country music. Twain was introduced by rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who praised the star for "shatter[ing] ceilings and redefin[ing]... country music and beyond."
In her acceptance speech, Twain pledged to "continue to champion the many outstanding country artists that are not currently played… streamed, toured or awarded at the level they deserve. I believe in all-inclusive country music. This is a genre of music with a rich history that raised and nurtured my own songwriting and performance and recording career from childhood. Currently, the industry standard does a real disservice to this." See the full list of CMT Awards winners here.
– The 12th Annual Country Music Alberta Awards named the 21 category winners of the 2023 CMAB Awards at the April 2 show. Presented by Craig Senyk Initiatives and co-hosted by Hailey Benedict and JoJo Mason, the sold-out show was at Calgary's Grey Eagle Event Centre. Two categories yielded unprecedented ties, resulting in two winners for Horizon Female Artist of the Year (Megan Dawson, Amy Hef) as well as for Male Artist of the Year (Aaron Goodvin and Corb Lund). Tenille Townes topped the list with two awards, with other notables taking home a trophy apiece including Nice Horse, The Prairie States, Kyle McKearney, and Ryan Lindsay. See a full list of winners here.
– A dual citizen of both Canada and Italy with sales topping 75 million and his songs streaming over 14 billion, Michael Bublé is the recipient of Variety’s International Achievement in Music Award.
Festivals news
– The Mariposa Folk Festival has added nine more acts to its impressive 2023 lineup: Paul Langlois Band, Danny Michel, Ammoye, Fast Romantics, Keith Mullins, Les Fireflies, Lucy Wainwright Roche, The Paddling Puppeteers and Tim Greenwood. They join the likes of Tegan and Sara, Feist, Rufus Wainwright, The Wood Brothers, The Rural Alberta Advantage, KT Tunstall, Wild Rivers, Judy Collins, Son Little, Tim Baker, Matt Andersen & the Big Bottle of Joy, Jeremy Dutcher, and more. Tickets here are reportedly selling fast, and prices rise on May 1. Mariposa runs July 7-9.
– Lawnya Vawnya: An Exposition of Independent Art & Culture is an adventurous non-profit music and art festival that returns for its 13th year, June 7 - 10 in downtown St. John’s ( Ktaqmkuk). Notable names include Cakes Da Killa, Bria, Cecile Believe, Aquakulture, Bonnie Trash, Nico Paulo, Regularfantasy, Cedric Noel, Mother Tongues, and Bazooka. The fest also features interdisciplinary performers, films, readings, panel discussions, workshops, artist talks, a two-day record and press fair, pop-up shows, and a music crawl. More info and passes here.
Industry news
– The Ontario Music Investment Fund (OMIF) is now accepting applications for its Music Industry Initiatives (MII) funding. This provides support to Ontario’s established music trade associations and music service organizations to offer initiatives, events and activities that strengthen, support and stimulate the economic and cultural growth of Ontario’s music industry. Funding is provided in the form of direct grants towards the costs of eligible activities. The deadline is Oct. 26. More info here.
– Every Sunday in April (starting on Apr. 9), NMC (Studio Bell) will present a selection of homegrown favourites from Calgary’s jazz community in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month. Those to be featured are Aaron Young, Redline Trio, Joanna Borromeo, and Sarah Matheson-Nadeau Quartet. More info here.
– This week, the CMRRA website posted a fascinating profile of popular Canadian music industry veteran James Campbell After starting out as a musician in the bands the Spasstiks and Cat, Campbell worked long stints at WEA and then RCA/BMG, Campbell is now head of publishing at Slaight Music. Read the feature here.
– Anvil Press presents the Vancouver book launch of The Longest Suicide: The Authorized Biography of Art Bergmann by Jason Schneider at Neptoon Records (3561 Main Street) on April 15, at 7 pm. Former FYI contributor Schneider and punk legend Bergmann will both be present, with the latter's albums available for sale and signing.
– A reminder that Jaymz Bee's charity event for Unison Fund, Caravan of Music, takes place on April 12 at The Old Mill in Toronto. The four-hour party features 24 bands in 12 rooms at the inn, and it has the cream of the crop of Toronto jazz singers and players. Highly recommended. Tix here.
– The Hamilton music community is mourning the recent loss of a popular member, musician Dylan Matthews (Doctor Tongue). A celebration of life takes place Apr. 8, from 1-7 pm at The Casbah.
Artists news
– Daniel Lanois will make a few rare appearances in Ontario this July, with shows by his trio set for London, Meaford, and Picton. Details here.
– Tired of waiting for spring to properly arrive in Toronto? Then transport yourself to the sunny Caribbean via a show tonight (April 6) by the Caribbean Jazz Collective (CJC) at 3030 Dundas St. W., Toronto (a Hugh's Room Live presentation). This all-star lineup was put together by Eddie Bullen and Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo and includes Neil Brathwaite, Gareth Burgess, and Andrew Stewart. Tickets here.
– The star Canadian roots duo of Doug Cox and Linda McRae has been receiving rave reviews of a new album, Beyond The Great Pause. McRae has travelled north from her current base in Nashville to join Cox for eight April shows in BC, beginning at Vancouver's Rogue Folk Club on April 8. Info and tix here.
– Toronto roots artist Zoe Ackah releases a new album, This Hen, on May 12. A new single, Just A Trickle, Just A Nickel, is being released exclusively for Bandcamp Friday tomorrow (April 7). All of the money raised from the pre-sales of the album (from April 7- April 14) is going towards the Gerstein Crisis Centre. Preview the album here. Ackah plays The Emmet Ray in Toronto on April 9.
– Montreal psych-rock band Elephant Stone is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its self-titled album with a limited edition deluxe vinyl repress on Little Cloud Records. The group plays five Quebec dates in May, beginning with a May 4 show at La Sala Rossa, Montreal. More info and tix here.
