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FYI

Three CIMA Award Winners Are Announced

William "Skinny" Tenn, Chris McKhool, and Ebonnie Rowe will be honoured as part of the CIMA Business Summit later this month.

Three CIMA Award Winners Are Announced

By FYI Staff

Due to the pandemic, CIMA's Celebration and Awards Gala will not be held in 2021, but, as part of the Business Summit on June 22 & 23, the trade org will still be honouring three Canadian heavyweights within the industry with awards for their immense contributions to the indie music sector.


Veteran artist manager, agent, DJ, and label executive William "Skinny" Tenn is recipient of The Builder Award, one designed to spotlight outstanding individual(s) (or organizations) who have made a significant, influential and longstanding contribution to the Canadian independent music industry.

Violinist, bandleader (Sultans of String) and producer Chris McKhool will be honoured with the new The Pivot Award, introduced to acknowledge an individual (or group) who has responded to the pandemic in positive, impactful and innovative ways.

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Honey Jam founder and producer Ebonnie Rowe will receive the Trailblazer Award, introduced to acknowledge an individual (or group) who has demonstrated leadership and action with respect to building equity in our industry. 

Read extensive bios of the three honourees here. To register for the CIMA Summit, e-mail Sam Rayner (samr@cimamusic.ca) for the link.

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Executive of the Week: Justin West of Secret City Records on the Secrets of Independent Music Success​
FYI

Executive of the Week: Justin West of Secret City Records on the Secrets of Independent Music Success​

The man behind one of Canada's most successful indie labels talks about the late-blooming success of French-language streaming record-holder Patrick Watson, why he builds long-term relationships with artists, and why it's important for the indie sector to work together.

Justin West is a leader and advocate in Canada’s independent music scene, but he didn’t plan it out that way. When he started his record label Secret City Records in Montreal in the mid-2000s, it was out of necessity. He had met an artist he loved and wanted to build a career with, and the label was a means to do it. That artist was Patrick Watson, and 20 years later he — and Secret City — are more successful than ever.

West — a multiple time Billboard Canada Power Player – leads one of the biggest indie labels in Canada while also advocating for the sector on multiple boards both locally and internationally. When we speak to him for this Executive of the Week interview, he’s just returned from Banff for the National Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Culture, and is a central figure in discussions around the Online Streaming Act and collective negotiations with online streaming platforms.

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