SYDNEY, N.S. — The Music Nova Scotia Awards were handed out at the Holiday Inn in Truro on Sunday.
Cape Breton’s Keith Mullins and Port Cities received two awards each. Port Cities collected the SOCAN songwriter of the year and digital artist of the year awards while Mullins received the traditional/roots recording of the year for “Upward (Howlin' at the Moon)” and educator of the year awards.
Gordie Sampson received the first-ever director's choice award, for an outstanding individual from the Nova Scotia music community. The Town Heroes won for group recording of the year while Maxim Cormier won Acadian/Francophone artist of the year. Villages claimed the folk recording of the year.
MUSIC WINNERS
Entertainer of the year: Willie Stratton; solo recording of the year: Erin Costelo, Sweet Marie; group recording of the year: Town Heroes, Everything; music video of the year: Wintersleep, Forest Fire with director Christopher Mills; new artist recording of the year: Leanne Hoffman, What Remains; recording of the year: Erin Costelo, Sweet Marie; SOCAN songwriter of the year: Port Cities; Acadian/Francophone artist of the year: Maxim Cormier; African Nova Scotian artist of the year: Keonté Beals; alternative recording of the year: Wintersleep, In The Land Of; Americana bluegrass recording of the year: Erin Costelo, Sweet Marie; blues recording of the year: Mojo Martin, Livin' The Daydream; children’s artist of the year: Matt The Music Man; classical recording of the year: New Hermitage + Jeff Reilly; country recording of the year: Thomas Stajcer, Will I Learn To Love Again?; digital artist of the year: Port Cities; DJ of the year: Pineo & Loeb; electronic artist of the year: Pineo & Loeb; folk recording of the year: Villages, Villages; hip hop recording of the year: Aquasocks, Holos; Indigenous artist of the year: Alan Syliboy and the Thundermakers; jazz recording of the year: The Easley Quartet, The Starting Point VS The Steep Decline; loud recording of the year: Orchid's Curse, Graveyard of the Gulf; musician of the year: Leith Fleming-Smith; pop recording of the year: Leanne Hoffman, What Remains; rock recording of the year: Adam Baldwin, No Rest for the Wicked; traditional/roots recording of the year: Keith Mullins, Upward, Howlin' at the Moon; director's choice award: Gordie Sampson.
INDUSTRY
Booking agent of the year: Stephanie Purcell; community presenter of the year: Marigold Cultural Centre; company of the year: The Syrup Factory; educator of the year: Keith Mullins and Shannon Quinn; event of the year: Halifax Jazz Festival; industry professional of the year: Sarah Jamer; live technician of the year: Trevor DeSouza; manager of the year: Sheri Jones; media professional of the year: Tara Thorne; producer of the year: Erin Costelo; production company of the year: groundSOUND; promoter of the year: Andrew Jackson, Halifax Jazz Festival; publicist of the year: Trevor Murphy; radio program of the year: Halifax Is Burning (CKDU 88.1); radio station of the year: CKDU 88.1; recording studio of the year: New Scotland Yard; studio engineer of the year: Thomas Stajcer; venue of the year: The Marquee Ballroom, The Seahorse Tavern and The Local; visual artist of the year: Mat Dunlap; volunteer of the year: Katelyn Bonomo.
