Music News Digest: Shania Twain Goes Primetime, Canadian Songwriter Mike Sonier Hits A Big Milestone with Noah Cyrus

Awards news

Country legend Shania Twain will host the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards this fall, NBCUniversal has announced. The two-hour awards ceremony live from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry is set to air Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock. The Awards show premiered last year. Twain is continuing her 'All The Hits' residency at Bakkt Theater in Las Vegas, and heads north in mid-August to headline the Churchill Park Music Festival in St. John's. Tour dates here.

– Acclaimed Canadian jazz composer-arranger-bandleader Darcy James Argue has won Arranger of the Year in the prestigious Downbeat Magazine's 72nd Annual Critics Poll. The group he heads, Secret Society, is runner-up in the Big Band category, and their latest release, Dynamic Maximum Tension, made the Top 10 Jazz Albums of the Year.

Festivals news

–The Island Soul fest will run at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, Aug. 1-5. Performers include reggae legend Johnny Osbourne, soca stars Destra and DJ Power plus Jah’Mila. There will be a rave-style DJ dance party Paradise Soul plus stand-up comedy from Trixx. More info here.

– The Home County Folk League (HCFL) and London Brewing co-present the Home County Summer Celebration taking place on August 24, at London Brewing, London ON. The event will feature ten musicians on two stages, with a focus on local artists. More info here.

Industry news

– CIMA has announced that its Canada House showcase will be back in Nashville for the 2024 edition of AMERICANAFEST. The conference and festival gathers thousands of artists, fans, and industry professionals from September 17-21 for five days of seminars, panels, networking opportunities, showcases and more. Learn more here.

This year, CIMA is partnering with Alberta Music, Manitoba Music, Music Nova Scotia, MusicOntario and SaskMusic to present a showcasing and business mission for Canadian companies and their nine showcasing artists. It takes place at InDo (632 Fogg St) on Sept. 20 for a full afternoon of Canada House showcases. The artists performing are Desirée Dorion, Ellen Froese, Mariya Stokes, Chad Price, Jade Turner, Elyse Aeryn, Jeffery Straker, Angelique Francis and Noeline Hofmann. Contact Jenia Schukov (jenia@cimamusic.ca) for more info.

– At Hamilton's Corktown Tavern on Saturday night, a full house showed for the 60th birthday celebration of Lou Molinaro (aka The King of Fun). He has long been one of the city's most important indie music promoters, via stints at The Corktown, This Ain't Hollywood (the much-missed bar/music venue he co-owned) and other joints. A huge chunk of the city's music community showed, as well as Molinaro fans in from afar.

We were all treated to fun sets by Stoneage Romeos, Toronto's Night Finger (led by garage rock veteran Craig Daniels, of Leather Uppers and Enchanters infamy)) and headliners the Lou York Dolls, a specially put together band of local all stars headed by the birthday boy himself, a highly entertaining frontman. They ripped through tunes by such Molinaro faves as The Saints, The Dictators, Blue Oyster Cult, The Sex Pistols, Jefferson Airplane and, of course, Teenage Head. Guests included Hammer legends Mickey DeSadist (Forgotten Rebels) and Edgar Breau (Simply Saucer), who shredded on the rousing finale of "Kick Out The Jams." The core band included Scott McCullough (of Doughboys and Rusty fame), and the addition of three female backing singers really fleshed out the guitar heavy sound.

– Mundial Montreal has announced the mentors featured in its mentoring sessions, running from Aug. to Oct.. PRO Component mentors are Aaron Lightstone, Herve Kalongo, Noémie Azoulay, Kevin Amougou and Patricia Carrera Marìn. Artist Component mentors are Carmen Ruiz, Eli Levinson and Maude St-Armand Courcy. More info here

– SOCAN has offered congratulations to its member Mike Sonier, whose co-written song “July,” recorded by Noah Cyrus and released five years ago, just surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. Last year, SOCAN presented Sonier with a No. 1 Song Award for co-writing “Love You For A Long Time” – recorded by Maggie Rogers – which reached the top of the Billboard U.S. Adult Alternative Airplay Chart in Feb. 2020. Sonier co-wrote that song with Rogers and Canadian Martin “Doc” McKinney.

Artists news

– Acclaimed artist Caribou (aka Dan Snaith) has announced three major Canadian concerts as part of his upcoming extensive North American tour late this year. He plays the PNE Forum, Vancouver, on Nov. 8, Massey Hall in Toronto on Nov. 23 and L' Olympia, Montréal, on Nov. 25. He plays dates in Japan and Amsterdam in October, and tours the U.K. and Europe in Feb. 2025. See full itinerary here.

– Canadian roots noir singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega has teamed up with Texan Americana musician Jack Barksdale for cover versions of two Tom Waits classics, “How’s It Gonna End” and “Yesterday Is Here." More good news is that the pair will be announcing a run of co-headlining dates soon.

– Mariposa festival favourite Matt Weidinger returns to Orillia, Ontario, on Nov. 23 to kick off the Mariposa in Concert (MIC) 2024-25 season with his Van Morrison tribute show. “It’s Too Late to Stop Now - The Music of Van Morrison" is presented at the Orillia Opera House. Tickets here.

– Formerly the frontman of Prairie Oyster, one of Canada's most popular and decorated country groups of all time, Russell deCarle continues to perform and record as a solo artist, albeit in rather under the radar fashion. He recently released a new album, The End Of The Road, and the eight original tunes featured (alongside songs by Chris Whiteley and Eubie Blake) testify to deCarle's songwriting skills. His distinctive and resonant voice remains in top shape, and he is backed here by such top players as Steve Briggs (who also co-produced), Russ Boswell, John Sheard, Jesse Whiteley, Kathryn Rose, Gary Craig and Kevin Breit. This is authentic country music of the highest order. More info at russelldecarle.com