Manitoba Artists Land 13 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award Nods

Seven Manitoba artists have netted 13 nominations at the 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMA) making 2008 another strong year for homegrown talent. The CAMAs, now celebrating their tenth year, are held in conjunction with the Canadian Aboriginal Festival, which runs November 28-30, 2008 in Toronto. The awards will be handed out at the Rogers Centre on November 28.

Juno-winning rock outfit Eagle & Hawk leads the Manitoba nominees with five nods for its latest release, Sirensong, including Best Album of the Year, Best Group or Duo, Best Rock Album, Best Song Single, and Best Songwriter.

Fiddler Darren Lavallee continues his string of award nominations, including Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, with a nomination for Best Fiddle Album and Best Instrumental Album for Le Métis. Country legend Ray St. Germain is up for Best Aboriginal Music Radio Program Promoting Aboriginal Music for his NCI FM show, The Métis Hour. Wab Kinew, host of CBC’s Shaken Not Stirred, is up for Best Rap or Hip-Hop Video for “If This Was Right,” which features Manitoba singer/songwriter Dominique Reynolds. Rocker Leanne Goose, who splits her time between Winnipeg and Northwest Territories, has two nods for Best Rock album and Best Album Design for Anywhere. Folk artist Rayne Delaronde’s latest effort, Forgiveness, is also up for Best Album Design. Ray “Coco” Stevenson, who often performs with Eagle & Hawk, is up for Best Song Single for his track "The Real Deal" from Me and My Drum.

Manitoba-based label Arbor Records has rocker Stevie Salas in the running for Best International Album for his latest release Be What It Is, Derek Miller in the Best Original Score In Aboriginal/Indigenous Theatre, Dance or or Film/Video Production category and November Winds by Northern Wind in the Best Pow Wow Contemporary Album category. Another local label, Sunshine Records, released nominated albums by Lavallee and Stevenson.

For a complete list of nominees, please visit www.canab.com