HERE ARE SOME JUNO NOMINEES WITH ROOTS IN THE OTTAWA AREA

Kira Isabella: The country sweetheart from Orléans is a strong candidate for the country album of the year award. Her sophomore record, Caffeine & Big Dreams, is competing against entries by Dallas Smith, Jess Moskaluke, MacKenzie Porter and the Road Hammers.

JW-Jones: The blues singerguitarist’s latest album, Belmont Boulevard, is vying for blues album of the year, up against Montreal’s Steve Hill, B.C.’s the Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, and Ontario acts Steve Strongman and the 24th Street Wailers.

Jeremy Fisher: The Lemon Squeeze is the singer-songwriter’s first album written in his new hometown of Ottawa. It faces off against Bahamas, Jenn Grant, the Barr Brothers and Leonard Cohen in the adult-alternative album of the year category.

Angela Hewitt: The accomplished pianist seeks the third Juno of her career for her recording of Mozart’s Piano Concertos No. 22 and 24, nominated in the category of classical album of the year: large ensemble or soloist(s) with large ensemble accompaniment.

Socalled: The multi-talented hiphop artist from Chelsea scores a surprise nomination in the classical album of the year: solo or chamber ensemble category for Akoka: Reframing Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, a collaboration with David Krakauer, Matt Haimovitz, Jonathan Crow & Geoffrey Burleson.

Daniel Lanois: The Hull-raised rock legend has already earned eight Junos in his career, mostly for his production work. This year, his Flesh and Machine album is a contender for the year’s best instrumental album.

Sultans of String: The Sultans’ chief creative force, violinist Chris McKhool, grew up in Ottawa, but now lives in Toronto. His group’s Symphony! album is also in the running for the year’s best instrumental album.

Tomson Highway: The Cree playwright, novelist, and songwriter/pianist hails from sub-Arctic Manitoba but divides his time between northern Ontario and a house in Gatineau, Quebec. His album, The (Post) Mistress is competing for Aboriginal album of the year, alongside records by Tanya Tagaq, Digging Roots, Leela Gilday and Crystal Shawanda.

Menno Versteeg: Although best known for the music he makes with his band, Hollerado, the Manotick lad was the art director for the punk band, Pup, earning a nod in the best recording package category.

Brian Current: The Colonel By High School grad is nominated for Classical Composition of the year for his opera called Airline Icarus.