Whiteley in the running for Juno
Lanark County’s Jenny Whiteley has five Juno nominations, two wins
Being nominated for a Juno Award never gets old for Jenny Whiteley, although she already has two of the Canadian music trophies at her home in the Lanark County hamlet of Elphin.
In all, Whiteley has been a part of five nominations, including two that date back to the 1980s, when she was a youngster in the kids’ band formed by her musician dad, Chris Whiteley, and his brother, Ken. The Junior Jug Band had two nods in the children’s music category in 1983 and ’86.
In 1999, her bluegrass band, Heartbreak Hill, earned a nomination, then her first two solo albums scooped up awards in ’01 and ’05. And now she finds herself in the running again for her latest, The Original Jenny Whiteley, one of the contenders for the year’s best traditional roots album. The competition includes Maria Dunn, Ten Strings and A Goat Skin, the East Pointers and the High Bar Gang.
“It’s certainly not a given,” Whiteley said in a recent interview, noting that she put out two albums over the years that were not nominated. “I would never take it for granted or expect it, that’s for sure. I really didn’t expect it this time. I was absolutely thrilled. It makes you feel relevant.”
The recognition is especially sweet because the album pays tribute to the music she grew up with. A bluegrass-infused exercise in down-to-earth music-making, it includes traditional numbers she learned from her father and uncle, who also make a guest appearance on one song. Even the name is a tribute to the elder Whiteleys’ Original Sloth Band.
The last time Jenny Whiteley attended the Junos, in 2005, they were held in Winnipeg, where she earned that year’s roots and traditional statue, a win that delayed her neighbour, singer-songwriter David Francey, from racking up his third award. He got it three years later, which means that in a hamlet of maybe 60 people, there are five Juno awards.
“Our handyman seems to think getting a Juno is a common occurrence,” Whiteley says with a laugh. “And my kids are like, ‘Doesn’t everybody’s mom have two Junos?’”
The Junos have changed since she last attended, an evolution Whiteley noticed when she went to the Toronto press conference announcing this year’s nominees.
“It was nice to get the vibe of what the awards are like now,” she says. “It’s glitzier now, a little bit more of a legit thing that people get excited about. The general public used to be, like, what are the Junos? And we always had to say we’re the Canadian Grammys but now I find that young people know what the Junos are without having to be taught. It’s cool.”
As for the impact on a career, Whiteley says just being nominated makes a difference. She’s planning some shows on the East Coast this summer, and the industry recognition is prompting people to pay attention to her music.
“Basically, I think it’s kind of like a door-opener. It sort of moves you from the piles that people might listen to to the pile they’re definitely going to listen to. It’s a real boost,” she said.
Although Whiteley isn’t much of a schmoozer, she’s definitely looking forward to the big weekend, especially the Saturday-night gala dinner where most of the awards are handed out. (Only a handful are presented on camera during the April 2 live telecast co-hosted by Russell Peters and Bryan Adams.)
On a recent visit to Toronto, she was trying on vintage dresses in Kensington Market, including one beaded number that she might have considered if not for the mile-wide shoulder pads. No matter what she decides to wear, a friend will act as her stylist, and her daughters are always keen to give their opinions.
“I’m really only planning for the gala,” she said. “The rest of the time I’ll be in my usual rock ’n’ roll outfits.”
Whiteley and her entourage, which consists of musician husband Joey Wright and producer Sam Allison, plan to leave the children at home with grandma and drive into the city for the weekend. She’s performing a JunoFest gig on March 31, part of an all-ages showcase with three other Ottawaarea singer-songwriters, Amanda Rheaume, Amanda Lowe and Kalle Mattson.
In the spirit of the festivities, if they spot a red carpet at the gala, they’ll take a stroll. “If people don’t recognize me, that’s fine. But we’ll go and walk it anyway. Sure, why not?”