Manitoba Lands Eight Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

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Manitoba Aboriginal artists took home eight statues at the third annual Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA). The hardware was handed out at a nationally-televised gala at the MTS Centre on November 7 and at a celebration on November 6 at McPhillips Street Station in Winnipeg. This year, Manitoba artists were nominated for 30 awards in 20 different categories.

Juno-winning rock act Eagle & Hawk was the big winner at this year’s APCMAs, picking up four awards including Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Group or Duo, Best Songwriter, and Best Rock CD for its album, Red Road Stories.

Three other Manitoba artists brought home awards, including J.C. Campbell and his StrongFront Records debut, Lazy James, which won for Best Blues CD. Darren Lavallee and his latest release on Sunshine Records, Le Métis, picked up Best Fiddle CD. Little Hawk won Best Folk CD for his sophomore effort, Home and Native Land.

Producer Brandon Friesen shared the Best Producer/Engineer award with Derek Miller for their work on Miller’s latest release on Friesen’s Arbor Records, The Dirty Looks. Miller also won Best Album Cover Design for graphic work by Darren Johnston. Fellow Arbor artist Northern Wind won Best Pow Wow CD (Traditional).

The first awards show of its kind, the APCMAs provide an opportunity to showcase Aboriginal music to the rest of the world and to expose Aboriginal recording artists to a national fan base, music industry, and media. It is the only awards show where the fans determine the winners through online voting. The APCMAs were part of the second annual Manito Ahbee festival, which was attended by 20,000 people and included a two-night music festival, trade show, education day, and a spectacular two-day Pow Wow.

For a complete list of 2008 APCMA winners, please visit www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com 

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