Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 2, 2009Minister
Congratulates ECMA Award
Winners
The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, today congratulated Newfoundland and Labrador
musicians and industry professionals honoured yesterday (Sunday, March
1) at East Coast Music Association (ECMA) awards events in Corner Brook.
"Musicians and industry professionals from this
province did us proud over the weekend," said Minister Jackman. "The
four-day ECMA Awards, Festival and Conference was filled with
opportunities for musicians to network with industry professionals and
showcase their talents. It was an exceptional event and I congratulate
our award winners, ECMA staff, and the host Corner Brook ECMA Event
Committee for making it an event to remember."
Hey Rosetta! was a big winner, taking home awards for
Recording of the Year, Group Recording of the Year and Alternative
Recording of the Year. Other local honourees were: guitarist Duane
Andrews for Instrumental Recording of the Year; Tara Oram for Country
Recording of the Year; The Flummies for Aboriginal Recording of the
Year; and, Rik Barron for Children�s Recording of the Year. The late
Dick Nolan was also honoured with the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime
Achievement Award. Meanwhile, during the ECMA Industry Awards brunch
earlier in the day, Ray Walsh of Bay de Verde received a Stompin� Tom
Lifetime Achievement Award, and Jud Haynes was honoured for designing
the official website for musician Damhnait Doyle,
www.dav-net.com, which
was named Website of the Year.
In addition, each year, the ECMA board of directors
chooses an individual, group or organization which has made a
significant impact on the music industry in Atlantic Canada. This year�s
FACTOR Industry Builder Award was presented to long-time Corner Brook
musician Lloyd Bartlett. The ECMA board also presented musician Sandy
Morris with the Musician�s Achievement Award, which recognizes a
sideman/session musician who exemplifies professionalism and quality
musicianship on recordings and/or live performances of East Coast music.
Finally, the Atlantic Lottery Volunteer of the Year Award, chosen by the
local event committee, was presented to Tina Dolter, who chaired the
ECMA Arts and Cultural Linkages Committee (ACLC). A first of its kind
for the East Coast Music Association, the ACLC put a true Corner Brook
cultural feel on this year�s East Coast Music Awards, Festival and
Conference.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador provided a
total of $275,000 in support of the 2009 ECMAs, including funding for
organizational support, cultural export programs, and national
promotion. This is the largest amount of any Provincial Government
support provided to the event in its 20-year history.
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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca
2009 03 02 2:40 p.m.