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Matt Berinato
Owen Riegling leads CMAOntario) Awards nominations with six.
FYIFestivals News
Music News Digest: Country Music Association of Ontario Awards Ready To Roll, Toronto Jazz Fest Names Lineup
Also this week: Jessica Sevier signs to Paquin, the Toronto Blues Society celebrates its 40th anniversary party and the return of the star-studded Dream Serenade benefit.
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Awards News
The annual Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) Awards and Festival takes place in Hamilton this weekend. “’Hamilton is Home’ goes the popular local expression, and that’s just what it feels like as we return to Hamilton for the 13th annual CMAOntario Festival and Awards, to reward and celebrate the best of us,” said the organization’s chair Patrick Duffy.
Events include the industry-driven R2i TuneUp Conference, Songs and Stories: Songwriters in the Round, featuring such notables as The Redhill Valleys, Andrew Hyatt, Sacha, Nate Haller, Robyn Ottolini, The Western Swing Authority and other nominees, all performing on May 30 at the Textile Building, the Bonfire showcase plus two open stages. The weekend concludes with the grand finale, the 13th Annual CMAOntario Awards Show, at the historic The Music Hall (in New Vision United Church) on June 1.
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Serving as Awards show host for the final time is veteran country star Jason McCoy (The Road Hammers), who has assumed that role since 2014. Owen Riegling leads the awards nominations with six, followed by Andrew Hyatt, Elyse Saunders and Tebey with four nominations each. See the full nominations list here. Tickets for the awards and festival events here.
Festivals News
The 38th annual Toronto Jazz Festival recently announced the full lineup of artists who will perform at various downtown and adjacent venues, June 20-29. Noted headliners include R&B/gospel legend Mavis Staples, actor/vocalist Jeff Goldblum, who will perform jazz and American Songbook standards alongside the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, local heroes Broken Social Scene, experimental jazz drummer Makaya McCraven, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab and the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing alongside Wynton Marsalis.
Other award-winning Canadian and U.S. jazz stars leading groups at the fest include Bill Frisell, Mike Stern, Hilario Duran, Kevin Breit and Christine Jensen. The fest features both free outdoor performances and ticketed events. More info here.
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– AfroVibes Festival in Kitchener, ON, returns for its third year, July 18 and 19.This free event features music, fashion, food, panel discussions, and more, celebrating Black excellence, and includes an afterparty with DJ Neptune. More information here.
Industry News
– The Toronto Blues Society celebrates a milestone 40th anniversary this yearby throwing a party on June 6. Held at the Long Branch Social Club, 3595 Lake Shore Blvd W, Etobicoke, it features a talent-packed bill that includes The Mighty Duck Blues Band, Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, Jay Bleus, Miss Robin Banks, Johnny Max and Quisha Wint. VIP Tickets for $100 include Front Row Seats, a new TBS shirt and a CD, while regular seating is $40 (TBS members $35). Tickets (almost sold out) are available here. As producers of the biggest annual event in Canadian blues, The Maple Blues Awards, the TBS has had a major impact upon the genre in the country.
– Music Nova Scotia invites members to the 2025 Annual General Meeting, taking place 5:30pm on Tuesday, June 24, online and in-person at The Carleton (1685 Argyle St, Halifax). RSVP to have a meeting invitation emailed to you. More info here.
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– Massey Hall has just announced that it will present the 11th Annual Dream Serenade on Saturday, October 25. One of the best-loved annual charity concerts in the country, Dream Serenade is a celebration of Toronto’s community of children with developmental and/or physical disabilities and their caregivers, created by local musician Hayden Desser and his wife Christie Greyerbiehl. It now regularly sells out and has attracted such A-list artists as Gord Downie, Feist, members of The National, Barenaked Ladies, Billy Talent, City and Colour, Broken Social Scene, Jim Cuddy, Gowan, Serena Ryder, Bahamas, Sam Roberts, Shad, Elisapie, Sarah Harmer, William Prince, Haviah Mighty and many more. That reputation means it is able to put tickets on sale soon (May 30) before revealing the lineup for this year's show. Tickets here.
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This year's Dream Serenade Summer bursary program partnered with 33 social workers across the city to help identify families who could most benefit from a bursary, as well as a public online application portion. A record total 280 bursaries were distributed to families at over 50 schools across the Greater Toronto Area.
– Founded by ArtHaus in partnership with Coalition Music and Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI), theSouth Asian Music Accelerator (SAMA) is a national artist development program designed to equip South Asian creatives across Canada with mentorship, experiential learning, and industry networking. Apply here by July 11.
Artists News
Toronto-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jessica Sevier recently announced she has signed with Paquin Artists Agency (PAA) for live representation. Since her 2019 debut single, "Ghost of Tom," Sevier's music has been streamed millions of times, and she has been collaborating with such notable writers and producers as Serena Ryder, Hill Kourkoutis, Robyn Ottolini, Derek Hoffman, Andrew Allen and Ron Lopata. Her new single “Good To Drive” comes out on July 4.
– Hard-working veteran Toronto alt-folk-rock troubadour David Celia headlined a bill at Hamilton record store Into The Abyss on Sunday. Opening up was Darryl Hannah (a.k.a. Jake Hochman), whose mellow rootsy tunes featured taped pedal steel accompaniment (his own). Next up was a short but very sweet duo set by Brad Germain (owner of the store) and Gareth Inkster. They are core members of top local roots-rockers Golden Feather, and here they reprised that material alongside new tunes they had written individually. Celia then took to the stage, flanked by his young sons Lukas (bass) and Marcus (guitar) and drummer Cliff Rutherford, and served up an eclectic mix of his melodic songs, including his recent single, "Wake Up Again," and some from his debut album Organica, released on vinyl for the first time last week. Celia told Billboard Canada that he's taking this band to England and Europe for a month-long tour soon, with shows including an appearance at Glastonbury Festival (he's a regular performer there) and a Canada Day show at Trafalgar Square in London. More info here.
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– Montreal-based alternative indie artist APACALDA has announced that her new album There's a Shadow in my Room and it isn't Mine (described as "an ode to heartbreak, mutual respect, and the impossibility of going back") comes out on June 13. The album is produced by Mishka Stein (Patrick Watson, TËKË-TËKË) and mixed by Juno-winning engineer Samuel Woywitka (Half Moon Run, Luca Fogale).Here is a preview track and video.
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