Music PEI Announces 2018 Award Winners — The East Pointers Leads With Four

Music PEI Week 2018 is coming to a close today after five days of performances and events celebrating Prince Edward Island’s musical talent. Today’s activities included the much anticipated Music PEI Award show at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, along with performances from many of the award winners and nominees at the Festival Finale at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall. Of course, as was foretold in the great announcing of the Music PEI Award nominees, The East Pointers collected a haul of hardware at today’s award show.

The East Pointers took home a total of four awards from their six nominations, winning Touring Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Roots Contemporary, and Group Recording awards.

Also among the big winners today were Catherine MacLellan, winning Female Solo Recording of the Year and Album of the Year, Liam Corcoran, winning Male Solo Recording of the Year and Pop Recording of the Year, and Alicia Toner who won Song of the Year and Video of the Year, along with SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for her debut album, I Learned The Hard Way.

Catherine MacLellan who won Female Solo Album of the Year thanked all the women in the music community saying, “We are very rich with all the women making beautiful music.”

Meanwhile, Phil MacLellan (and Catherine’s brother), took home the award for Live Production Professional of the Year, who, with possibly the most apropos acceptance speech possible, quipped, “It’s kind of awkward standing up here with the mixing console in my hand, so I’m going to head to the back of my room where I belong …”

Denis Ellsworth & Kinley Dowling took home the Holland College/Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year Award, the award recently renamed for Music PEI co-founder and artists manager who passed away in 2017. The duo paid tribute to Doyle and the incredible work he did to help so many Island artists launch their careers. “We’re up for a lot of awards,” said Ellsworth, “but this one means the most to me.”

Album of the Year
Catherine MacLellan – “If It’s Alright With You — The Songs of Gene MacLellan”

Country Recording of the Year
Marcella Richard – “Marcella Richard Sings Roy MacCaull”

Female Solo Recording of the Year
Catherine MacLellan – “If It’s Alright With You — The Songs of Gene MacLellan”

Group Recording of the Year
The East Pointers – “What We Leave Behind”

New Artist of the Year
Dennis Ellsworth and Kinley Dowling – “Everyone Needs to Chill Out”

Male Solo Recording of the Year
Liam Corcoran – “Nevahland”

Pop Recording of the Year
Liam Corcoran – “Nevahland”

Urban Recording of the Year
Amanda Jackson Band – “Fire in the Blue”

Roots Contemporary Recording of the Year
The East Pointers – “What We Leave Behind”

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Alicia Toner – “Back to Fine”

Song of the Year
The East Pointers – “Two Weeks”

Entertainer of the Year
Dylan Menzie