Music PEI have announced the nominees for their annual Music PEI Awards. Celebrating the best the island has to offer in music, the award categories shone particularly brightly for several repeat nominees.
Irish Mythen, not all that surprisingly for anyone who has seen her live performances, led the way with 7 nominations in the categories of Album of the Year, Entertainer, Roots Contemporary/Country, Songwriter, Solo Recording, Song of the Year and Touring Artist of the Year.
Trailing just behind with 6 nominations apiece are pop rockets Paper Lions and Sorrey. The two bands overlap in the categories of Album of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, and Song of the Year.
The 2020 Music PEI Award Nominees:
Achievement in Classical or Jazz Music Award
Atlantic String Machine
Dan Rowswell
Winterjazz Quartet
Credit Union Album of the Year
Atlantic String Machine – The Bayfield Sessions
Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys – Dreamland
Irish Mythen – Little Bones
Paper Lions – Stay Together
Sorrey – In Full Bloom
Digital Achievement of the Year
Andrew Waite
Hailey MacIsaac
KINLEY
Paper Lions
Sorrey
Electronic Single Recording of the Year
Lee Rosevere – Lunar Descent
The Trip with DJ AllyCaT – Should Probably Do Something
Vince The Messenger – Photosynthesis
Entertainer of the Year
Andrew Waite
Atlantic String Machine
Cory Gallant
David Woodside
Dylan Menzie
Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys
Inn Echo
Irish Mythen
Little Cities
Paper Lions
Rachel Beck
Richard Wood
Tara MacLean
Event of the Year
Atlantic Blue
Cloggeroo – the Island Folk Festival
Island Jazz
Rock the Boat Music Festival
Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival
Francophone Artist of the Year
Fayo
Sirène & Matelot
Vishtèn
Group Recording of the Year
Atlantic String Machine – The Bayfield Sessions
Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys – Dreamland
Paper Lions – Stay Together
Sirène & Matelot – Sirène & Matelot
Sorrey – In Full Bloom
Live Music Programmer of the Year
Dan Rowswell
Darren Biggar
Grace Gormley
New Artist of the Year
Brad Milligan Band
Cory Gallant
David Woodside
Inn Echo
Maureen Trainor
Pop Recording of the Year
Hailey MacIsaac – In a Dark Room
Paper Lions – Stay Together
Sorrey – In Full Bloom
Producer of the Year
Colin Buchanan
Dennis Ellsworth
Jon Matthews
Rock Recording of the Year
Brad Milligan Band – Destination
David Woodside – The Long and The Short
Dennis Ellsworth – Common Senseless
Soul Filter – A Minor Conspiracy
Towerwood – Towerwood
Roots Contemporary/Country Recording of the Year
Cory Gallant – Welcome to My World
Greg Bungay – A Radical Departure
Irish Mythen – Little Bones
Maureen Trainor – Nothing But The Stars
Tara MacLean – Deeper
Roots Traditional Recording of the Year
Blair Gaudet – Storytime
Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys – Dreamland
Inn Echo – Inn Echo
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Andrew Waite – “Cash It In”
Dennis Ellsworth – “Don’t Worry About It”
Irish Mythen – “Little Bones”
Rick Sparkes + The Enablers – “Love for Rainy Days”
Tara MacLean – “Ghosting Me”
Solo Recording of the Year
Cory Gallant – Welcome to My World
Dennis Ellsworth – Common Senseless
Hailey MacIsaac – In a Dark Room
Irish Mythen – Little Bones
Tara MacLean – Deeper
Song of the Year
Cory Gallant – “Where You Come From”
Irish Mythen – “Little Bones”
KINLEY – “Lightworkers”
Paper Lions – “Rhythm & Gold”
Sorrey – “Talking To Them”
Touring Artist of the Year
Atlantic String Machine
Irish Mythen
Rachel Beck
Richard Wood
Vishtèn
Venue of the Year
Celtic Performing Arts Centre at The College of Piping
Copper Bottom Brewing
The Guild
Video of the Year
Alicia Toner – “Dangerous Home” (Directed by Jordan Mah)
Andrew Waite – “Faith” (Directed by Brendan Henry)
Little Cities – “Safety First” (Directed by Ryan McCarvill)
Sorrey – “Signs” (Directed by Ben Rayner)
Vishtèn – “Elle Tempête” (Directed by Millefiore Clarkes)
Visual Artist of the Year
Ashley Anne Clark
Brendan Henry
Karen Graves
Music PEI also announced that’ll be presenting an additional 8 Board Awards, which are selected by the Music PEI Board of Directors themselves. The Music PEI Board Awards include Educator of the Year, Industry Person of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Volunteer of the Year, Rooted to the Island, Live Music Production Professional of the year, Community Contributor of the Year & Musician of the Year.
Voting for the categories of Album of the Year, Rock, Pop, Roots Contemporary/Country and Roots Traditional Recording of the Year is open to all members, running from December 6th and will close December 15th. All other awards are determined by juries of industry professionals.
The 18th annual Music PEI Week takes place from February 5 – 9, 2020, with the awards party and closing concert happening during the final day of festivities. For more information, including the full schedule of events visit Music PEI at www.musicpei.com.