Local Acts Get 10 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominations

Five hometown acts have been nominated for 10 trophies at the second annual Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMA); it was announced earlier this week. Awards will be handed out at the Myer Horowitz Theatre in Edmonton on December 10, 2006 in a gala hosted by Connie Kaldor and Gilles Garand.

Leading with three nominations is all-female a cappella world music septet Madrigaïa and its sophomore release, Pléiades. The group has been nominated for the Pushing the Boundaries category as well as Best World Group and Best Vocal Group.

Also nominated for three awards is Juno-winning roots trio The Wailin’ Jennys. Its latest release, Firecracker, is up for Best Album – Contemporary and Best Vocal Group, as well as a Producer of the Year honour for Toronto’s David Travers-Smith, who also produced the band’s award-winning debut, 40 Days.

Canadian folk legend James Keelaghan is up for Best Album – Traditional and Best Singer – Traditional in recognition of his latest release, A Few Simple Verses. Alt.country singer/songwriter Romi Mayes has been nominated for Best Songwriter – English for Sweet Somethin’ Steady. Singer/songwriter Don Freed is up for Best Songwriter – Aboriginal for The Valley of Green and Blue.

The creation of the CFMAs, set to celebrate the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music. Unlike the Junos, WCMAs and Canadian Country Music Awards, however, the CFMAs are not organized by a non-profit board-run association but rather a committee made up mostly of musicians. The CFMA organizing committee includes established artists like Grit Laskin and Bill Garrett, and Anne Marie Hamilton and Roddy Campbell of Penguin Eggs magazine.

For a complete list of 2006 CFMA nominees, please visit www.canadianfolkmusicawards.ca.