Spotlight Shines on Province�s Music Industry at MusicNL Awards

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today congratulated the best of the province�s music industry, who were honoured last night (Sunday, November 15) at the 2009 Music Newfoundland and Labrador (MusicNL) Awards Gala, held at the St. John�s Arts and Culture Centre.

�Newfoundland and Labrador is a province filled with tremendous musical talent,�
said Minister Jackman, who attended the event. �While many of our music industry professionals were honoured last night, it is also important to acknowledge the rising stars yet to be discovered. It is both our established and emerging artists who continue to contribute to the development of our cultural industries, which have become increasingly important to the growth of our economy as a whole.�

The big winners of the night were the folk trio The Once (Phil Churchill, Andrew Dale and Geraldine Hollett), who took home four awards: Group of the Year, Album of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, and Folk/Roots Group of the Year.

Other winners were:

• Curtis Andrews, Male Artist of the Year, and Instrumental Artist of the Year;
• Karla Pilgrim, Female Artist of the Year, and Country Artist of the Year;
• Shanneyganock, Entertainer of the Year;
• The Novaks, Pop/Rock Group of the Year;
• Terry Penney, SOCAN Songwriter of the Year;
• Sandy Morris, Side Musician of the Year;
• Colleen Power, Alternative Artist of the Year;
• Chris Kirby, Jazz/Blues Group of the Year; and
• Rod Jackson, Gospel Artist of the Year

In addition to the above awards, Minister Jackman presented The Ducats � a popular five-member rock and roll band formed in Port aux Basques in the 1960s � with the MusicNL Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented to an individual, organization or group for contribution and dedication to the Newfoundland and Labrador music industry. Other special presentations were made to Labrador folk singer Gerald Mitchell, who received the Unsung Hero Award, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Folks Arts Society, which received the Industry Builder Award.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador continues to support the province�s music industry, which includes the provision of $325,000 in annual operational and programming support to MusicNL, along with targeted project support through the Cultural Economic Development Program (CEDP), and through funding provided to the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (NLAC). For more information about MusicNL, please visit: //www.musicnl.ca/

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 69-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca

2009 11 16 12:30 p.m.