The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
East Coast artists winners at CFMAS
There's a new saying in entertainment these days: the show must go online.
That was the case for the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards, which were scheduled to take place on Saturday night in Charlottetown, along with two days of performances and workshops, but took place digitally instead after the event was cancelled as a result of COVID-19.
Introduced by musician and CFMA chair Grit Laskin, the half-hour bilingual presentation went out live over Youtube via Wavelength Media with hosts Jean Hewson, from her home in St. John's, and Benoit Borque in Montreal. Rob Oakie from Music P.E.I. also put in an appearance to announce that the CFMAS would return to the island on April 8 and 9 in 2021, so that the efforts of its organizers and volunteers for this year have not been in vain.
The name heard most often on Saturday night was that of top nominee the Small Glories, the Winnipeg folk duo of JD Edwards and former Wailin' Jennies member Cara Luft, which picked up three awards for its second fulllength album Assiniboine & the Red. Taking its title from the point in the heart of the Manitoba capital where the two rivers meet, the record was named contemporary album of the year while also earning the pair the vocal group and ensemble of the year awards.
On the East Coast, winners included Cape Breton fiddler/ singer Rachel Davis from the Nova Scotia Celtic band Coig, who was named traditional singer of the year for her vocals with the band on its latest release Ashlar.
Fellow Cape Breton fiddler Mairi Rankin saw her ongoing collaboration with Vermont-raised cellist Eric Wright, named instrumental group of the year for The Cabin Sessions' glowing blend of traditional stringed instruments.
Raised in New Brunswick, based in the Annapolis Valley, guitarist, songwriter and recent Maple Blues Award winner Matt Andersen was named contemporary singer of the year for his Nashville-produced Halfway Home By Morning, and celebrated with fans the next day by performing live and having a mimosa via Facebook Watch.
After receiving her first Juno Award nomination earlier this year, P.e.i.-based singer-songwriter Irish Mythen was thrilled to get the Canadian Folk Music Award for solo artist of the year for Little Bones.
Although it was likely a disappointment that the event taking place in her own neck of the woods wasn't happening, the irrepressible performer took to social media to make her acceptance speech.
An icon of P.E.I. songwriting, Lennie Gallant, was nominated for English songwriter and contemporary album of the year for his thoughtful new record Time Travel, and although he didn't win in those categories, the project did earn a producer of the year award for Nova Scotia-based P.E.I. native Daniel Ledwell, acclaimed for his work with a wide variety of performers including his wife, songwriter Jenn Grant, Gabrielle Papillon and Australian folk group the Maes.
The webcast also included a video acceptance speech by Cape Breton musician and broadcaster Donnie Campbell, who was named the Unsung Hero of the Year for his ongoing efforts to support and promote Canadian folk and Celtic music with his radio show Celtic Serenade, now in its 46th year.
Looking further west, Toronto modern bluegrass outfit the Slocan Ramblers saw its Queen City Jubilee named traditional album of the year, and there was a strong showing among the winners by emerging female songwriters like Abigail Lapell (English songwriter of the year for Getaway), Elisapie (the Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries award for Ballad of the Runaway Girl), Genevieve Racette (new/emerging artist of the year for No Water, No Flowers) and Diyet van Lieshout (Indigenous songwriter of the year for Diyet & the Love Soldiers).
For a full list of winners, visit the Canadian Folk Music Awards website at folkawards.ca.